I Am Pilgrim

A retired, legendary intelligence operative who once ran a secret agency and then wrote the definitive textbook on forensic investigation is pulled back into the field when a faceless, acid-scarred murder in a New York hotel, seemingly modeled on his own book, collides with a far greater threat: a brilliant, radicalized loner an ocean away who has engineered a weaponized plague and intends to unleash it on the West. Hayes writes a sprawling, propulsive thriller that cross-cuts between the reluctant investigator and the methodical terrorist he must identify and stop before it is too late, ranging across continents and decades with elaborate backstory, tradecraft, and set pieces, building toward a duel between two brilliant, solitary men who never meet until the end. The scope is vast and the pace relentless, packed with twists and meticulous detail. This suits readers who want a big, immersive, globe-spanning espionage thriller with intricate plotting and a formidable hero and villain, ideal for a long, absorbing read. It fits less well anyone wanting brevity or literary restraint, since the book is enormous, coincidence-heavy, and maximalist. The detail that the hunt begins with a murder deliberately staged to match the investigator's own textbook on erasing forensic evidence gives the book its clever hook. Sprawling, twisty, and propulsive, it rewards readers who love an epic thriller. Content note: it depicts terrorism and violence, so sensitive readers should be aware, but the cat-and-mouse between two lone masterminds is exactly what drives its momentum.

Best for readers who want to be kept on edge: propulsive, twisty, and hard to put down. The writing rewards attention without being demanding, a good balance of depth and readability. It moves quickly: once you're in, it's hard to stop. Readers who prefer character depth over plot drive may find it thin.