James Scott

James Scott** (PhD '97 professional studies in education) is the 2020 recipient of the American Book Fest's Best Thriller Award for his novel, "The President's Dossier." This international spy novel follows disgraced ex-CIA Russia expert Max Geller. Geller is hired to find anonymous sources and verify their allegations that the US president has incriminating ties to the Kremlin. Max joins forces with a Moscow underground group, the Russian mafia, and Jill Rucker, an undercover CIA agent, all of whom have conflicting goals. The search takes them from Washington, DC, to London, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Panama, and Geneva. Zabluda, a Kremlin assassin, is close behind with orders to kill Max, Jill, and their sources, and destroy evidence incriminating the US president. Scott is the author of "The Iran Contradictions," an acclaimed spy/political thriller based on the Iran-Contra scandal of the 1980s. He served in combat with the 101st Airborne Division and his duties at the Pentagon involved oversight of military intelligence operations. Currently, he writes book reviews for a prize-winning community magazine and plots novels.