The American Mission

One of NPR's Best Books of 2014

After witnessing a devastating incident in Darfur, Alex Baines is stripped of his security clearance and relegated to a desk job. He's about to resign when his former mentor--now the current Ambassador to the Congo--offers him an opportunity to start over.

But the post isn't what Alex imagined. The US company Consolidated Mining seems to be everywhere. When a hostage situation involving a survey team arises, Alex is sent in, finding himself in the middle of the conflict with a guerilla leader and Marie Tsiolo, a native geologist on the team.

As violence escalates in the region, Alex struggles to balance the interests of the U.S. with the greater good of the people of the Congo--and somehow stay alive.


About the Author
Matthew Palmer is a twenty-year veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service, currently serving as the director of Multilateral Affairs in the State Department's Bureau of Asian and Pacific Affairs. A life member of the Council of Foreign Relations, Palmer has worked as a diplomat all over the world. While on the secretary of state's policy planning staff, Palmer helped design and implement the Kimberly Process for certifying African diamonds as "conflict-free." It was this experience in Africa that served as that foundation for The American Mission.