For ten years Ilene Prusher was the middle east bureau chief for The Christian Science Monitor . Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The New Republic, The Financial Times, The Guardian, and The Observer. She is a graduate of the Columbia University School of Journalism. She has been a guest on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, The News Hour, C-SPan's Washington Journal, and the BBC.

"A gripping debut...what makes Prusher's tale compelling is that it is told from [the fixer's] perspective - a wry cultural lens through which to observe the collision of east and west." - The Guardian

"A fascinating story which gives the texture of life in Iraq as it was lived by foreign journalists and Iraqis at the time of the invasion. It conveys a fresher sense of those years than a thousand news reports." - The Independent

"Though it pains me to say so, I can't help wondering if Nabil might have worked for me at some point." - Colin Freeman, The Sunday Telegraph

"Ilene Prusher's novel is a compelling account of the first few weeks following the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime through the eyes of a fascinating and gracefully drawn Iraqi everyman." The Financial Times