What happens when an FBI insider turns his real-world counterintelligence experience into gripping espionage fiction? In this episode of In Conversation, Terry Shepherd sits down with former attorney and investigator Steven L. Conley to explore his thrilling new novel, False Flag. Inspired by the actual twenty-year hunt for a Chinese mole inside the Bureau, this discussion pulls back the curtain on the grueling psychological and bureaucratic realities of national security work.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

🕵️‍♂️ The Anatomy of a Mole Hunt: How a real-world double-agent operation inspired a fictional narrative about institutional trust fossilizing into catastrophic betrayal.
⚖️ The Labyrinth of Process: The frustrating gap between what an investigator knows and what the law permits them to prove, including the legal hurdles of FISA warrants and the threat of "graymail".
👀 The Cost of High Alertness: How counterintelligence training fundamentally alters an agent's perception, transforming everyday encounters into potential threats and making ordinary life feel staged.
✍️ The Operative as Storyteller: The cathartic process of deconstructing plot and motive to write a book that examines the heavy toll of keeping secrets from spouses, children, and friends.

About the Guest

Steven L. Conley entered the FBI by way of law school, international law, and a formative internship handling ship registries in Malta. Having lived inside the deep bureaucracy of secrecy, he brings unmatched institutional memory to his writing. False Flag is his gripping debut in espionage fiction, balancing the mechanics of classic spy thrillers with profound psychological depth.

About Terry Shepherd

Terry Shepherd is an author and the host of the In Conversation podcast series. Through deep-dive interviews with leading creators, Terry explores the shared commonalities of craft, motive, and storytelling that connect authors with their readers.

Links & Resources

Buy the Book: [Insert Purchase Link for False Flag]
Author Website: [Insert Steven L. Conley's Website Link]
Connect with the Host: [Insert Terry Shepherd's Official Website Link]
Listen & Subscribe: [Insert Podcast Platform/Buzzsprout Links]

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