THE ORIGIN

THE ORIGIN, An International Espionage Thriller

In the chaotic wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, CIA undercover agent Nathan Gray is thrust into a global hunt for answers after an American diplomat dies under suspicious circumstances in Prague. A cryptic note slipped beneath his door hints at a deeper truth: Emmanuel Rojas didn’t fall victim to a shingles virus—but to something far more deliberate.

Following a trail of hidden communications, covert operations, and silent deaths, Nathan crosses continents—from the tombs of Egypt to a shadow-laden castle in Slovakia and the neon haze of Vietnam. As intelligence agencies close in and political pressure mounts in Washington, Gray’s mission becomes urgent: discover what caused Rojas’s death before Congress votes on whether to allow a Chinese pharmaceutical titan to flood the U.S. market with new medications. 

When a brilliant statistician reveals a concealed database of viral outbreaks—and a new, deadly pathogen buried by the CCP—Gray realizes he’s chasing more than a killer. He’s uncovering a conspiracy with the power to shift global dominance. And complicating it all is an enchanting Slovakian woman he meets in Prague—an unexpected love that threatens to expose his vulnerabilities in a world where trust is the most dangerous risk of all.

AMERICAN DIPLOMAT: SURVIVING ON THE FRONTLINES OF DIPLOMACY AS A US FOREIGN SERVICE SPECIAL AGENT 

AMERICAN DIPLOMAT is an award-winning memoir that explores a life of ambition, service, and self-discovery set against the high-stakes world of the U.S. Foreign Service. Drawing on more than twenty years of firsthand experience, author Alex Reinshagen offers a compelling and fearless appraisal of American diplomacy, revealing how the State Department and its law enforcement arm, the Diplomatic Security Service, operate behind the scenes.

Through vivid, often tense storytelling, the book uncovers real-life cloak-and-dagger accounts of assignments across six countries, where diplomatic cocktail parties by day gave way to undercover operations, arrests, and crisis response by night. Reinshagen brings readers inside a career devoted to protecting high-ranking officials, safeguarding government buildings and secrets, and preserving the integrity of one of the world’s most coveted travel documents. Along the way, he illuminates the strategic negotiations, personal sacrifices, and evolving challenges faced by diplomats navigating an increasingly interconnected world.

Beyond its thrilling narrative, AMERICAN DIPLOMAT is also a deeply personal reflection on identity, purpose, and the choices that shape who we become—and how we are ultimately remembered. Praised by Gene Robinson, Publisher at Moonshine Cove Publishing LLC, as “the most interesting, exciting, and informative memoir,” the book appeals to a wide audience, including scholars, aspiring diplomats and public servants, foreign policy enthusiasts, and readers drawn to real-life stories of intrigue, global affairs, and the human side of international relations.