The Unexpected Spy

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A highly entertaining account of a young woman who transitioned from college sorority life to the CIA, where she hunted terrorists and WMDs. When Tracy Walder enrolled at the University of Southern California, she never imagined she would offer her pink beanbag chair to a CIA recruiter or fly to the Middle East under an alias. This riveting story details Walder's time in the CIA and later the FBI. In high-security rooms in Virginia, she monitored al-Qaeda members with drones while President Bush and CIA Director George Tenet were present. Walder tracked chemical terrorists and searched for Weapons of Mass Destruction, creating a chemical terror chart that was altered by someone in the White House, influencing the Iraq invasion. Driven to combat terrorism, she debriefed terrorists—men who initially refused to speak to a woman—until they provided leads. Her investigations spanned North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, leading to the prevention of multiple chemical attacks. Later, at the FBI, Walder contributed to the capture of a notorious foreign spy. While catching criminals was manageable, rampant sexism posed significant challenges. Ultimately, Walder left the FBI to empower young women, encouraging them to pursue careers in the FBI, CIA, State Department, or Senate to effect change in the world.