A new political thriller is putting the personal and political struggles of Iranian expatriates front and center. “Dead Man’s Pacemaker,” written by Iranian-American cardiac surgeon Diako Hazhir, combines high-stakes espionage with the emotional weight of exile, creating a story that resonates far beyond its pulse-pounding plot.
The novel follows Arman Pirouzi, a talented young doctor who has built a life in the United States but remains tethered to the homeland he left behind. Arman’s dual existence mirrors Hazhir’s own experience as a member of the Iranian diaspora. “I live in two worlds,” Hazhir explained. “One is here in the U.S., where I work, make a living and care for my family. The other is in my mind, always carrying the weight of anxiety for those I love and all the people in Iran who have no escape.”
When political unrest in Iran leads to the imprisonment of his goddaughter, Arman is thrust into an impossible situation. The CIA offers him a covert assignment: enter Iran and surgically remove a pacemaker containing sensitive data from a government operative embedded in the country. Initially hesitant to risk his life in a nation where spies face torture and execution, Arman’s sense of duty to his goddaughter and the lives at stake ultimately compels him to act.
What follows is a tense, meticulously plotted thriller reminiscent of John le Carré and Joel C. Rosenberg, blending surgical precision with espionage intrigue. While the mission succeeds initially, a critical encounter puts Arman on the radar of Iranian authorities, forcing him into a desperate race to protect the pacemaker and ensure the safety of thousands of innocents.
Beyond the suspense, “Dead Man’s Pacemaker” explores profound themes of identity, morality, and the experience of living between worlds. Hazhir emphasizes that the story is “not just a thriller — it’s a window into the lived experiences of Iranians, the struggle for freedom and the emotional weight of exile.” Readers are invited to witness the moral dilemmas and personal sacrifices that define life in exile, making the story both thrilling and deeply human.
“Dead Man’s Pacemaker” is the first installment in a planned series following Arman Pirouzi, with future books set to delve further into global conflicts, moral ambiguity, and the psychology of displacement. For readers seeking a thriller that combines edge-of-your-seat tension with emotional resonance and cultural insight, Hazhir’s novel offers a compelling new perspective on espionage and identity in the modern world.