Shadow Cell An Insider Account of America's New Spy War

by Bustamante, Andrew; Bustamante, Jihi

• ISBN13: 9780316572149
• ISBN10: 0316572144
• eBook ISBN(s): 9780316572163
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2025-09-09
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
• More Book Details

Summary

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER | A thrilling firsthand account by husband-and-wife CIA operatives who, against all odds, triumphed in a deadly cat-and-mouse game against a mole within the agency—an unprecedented insider account of 21st-century spycraft in the tradition of Argo and Black Ops.
 
Andrew and Jihi Bustamante were a “tandem couple”: married spies who’d dedicated their lives to the CIA. They met as trainees at Langley, and got married while hunting terrorists across the globe. Then, suddenly, they were assigned to a mission so sensitive and explosive that the CIA still has never acknowledged it. The CIA’s source network in a country code-named "Falcon"—one of America’s most formidable rivals—had been compromised by a mole, and the agency needed a new way to collect intelligence there. Young newlyweds, the Bustamantes were considered safe choices for this daunting task precisely because they had no experience in Falcon. They were also loyal, forgettable, and completely disposable—operatives who could help to strengthen the CIA’s position in Falcon while simultaneously serving as bait for the mole.
 
But although their superiors at the CIA didn’t realize it, the Bustamantes also brought another advantage to the table: a granular understanding of how terrorist cells operate, and how the agency could exploit those same tactics to keep America safe. Assembling a rag-tag team of fellow operatives and recruiting new sources from Falcon, the Bustamantes pioneered a new way of spying by building a cell of their own—right at the heart of the CIA.

The propulsive, untold tale of one of history’s greatest intelligence crises and the unlikely band of agents who were sent in to clean up the mess, Shadow Cell allows us to peer behind the curtain to see how today’s spy wars are being fought—and won.

Author Biography

Andrew Bustamante is a former covert CIA intelligence officer and growing public figure through his digital business EverydaySpy. A decorated U.S. Air Force combat veteran and respected corporate consultant, Andrew has been featured in Pulitzer-prize winning newspapers, national television spots, and multiple viral podcast interviews. A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, Andrew spent his military career specializing in nuclear ICBM operations. After winning decorations in both Afghanistan and Iraq, Andrew was recruited into CIA’s National Clandestine Service (NCS) where he served for 7 years handling sensitive operations still classified Top Secret.

Jihi Bustamante is a former covert CIA targeting officer and the Chief Operating Officer of EverydaySpy. After earning a Master of Social Work and Juris Doctor, Jihi was recruited into CIA’s National Clandestine Service from a career in social work supporting refugee children and survivors of torture. Unlike her public-facing husband, Jihi remains private in both her personal and professional lives.

Andrew and Jihi left CIA together in 2014 to pursue a new mission: building their family and their company. A dedicated husband and proud father, Andrew hosts one of the most popular podcasts in the world (Everyday Espionage), remains a go-to expert for news and media, and is a highly sought-after international corporate trainer.