Jabril Aziz works in the Office of Collection Strategies for the CIA. When he realizes that a plan he developed a few years ago, referred to as Stumbler, is beginning to be implemented, he decides to make a trip to Northern Africa to stop the operation. He gets the unofficial blessing of his supervisor and makes his own way to Hungary.

Jabril meets with Emmett Kohl in Budapest before proceeding to Cairo and Libya. The evening after his meeting with Emmett, Deputy Consul Kohl is shot to death in a restaurant. Sophia Kohl escapes her handlers and makes her way to Cairo to try to make sense of her husband's murder. She wants to know who ordered the hit and why. In the process, a CIA agent trying to help Sophia is also killed. Who is behind these deaths? Is it the CIA, our own government, or is it Egypt?

THE CAIRO AFFAIR is filled with mystery and intrigue, spies, operatives, mercenaries for hire and plenty of international espionage. Olen Steinhauer sheds immense insight into the political turmoil in Northern Africa and the economic ramifications for the U.S. This story feels like it is more fact than fiction. There is much diversification in the characters, ranging from tough and strong-willed to quirky. You are never sure who can be trusted and who can't. The plot doesn't move at breakneck speed, but is masterfully crafted and moves along fast enough to keep the reader engaged. The use of flashbacks helps to lay the groundwork for understanding characters' motives and actions. This is a story about commitment and responsibility, loyalty, betrayal and change and is well- worth reading.