Lieutenant Matt McDermott is chosen to be the US Army’s symbolic hero of Iraq during the military action of 2003. He seems the perfect candidate for the job of talisman for the tens of thousands of troops risking their lives in the chaotic aftermath of the invasion. Young, highly principled and with a pair of winning brown eyes, McDermott is the clean-cut golden boy of a spin doctor’s dreams. And he is a hero to boot. His future looks assured when New York-based freelance photographer Alexandra Stead is sent to Baghdad to capture the face that will become the source of national pride – and boost the president’s election campaign.
But Alex eventually discovers the frightening secret that could bring everything crashing down, putting both their lives in immediate danger. She finds herself up against the might of a ruthless CIA chief who is determined to stop her at whatever cost. As she experiences first hand the horrors of war, she realises that Lieutenant McDermott is fighting an excruciating and destructive struggle with his conscience. An Enemy Within is a fast-paced, gripping thriller that raises disturbing political and ethical issues surrounding war.