Set in a dangerous, tumultuous time, 1970s Beirut, The Foreign Aide is a dialogue-driven literary thriller full of colourful characters. Just perfect for an audiobook — either as a standalone, or alongside the ebook or print version for the full immersive experience. Enjoy author Alan Miles and daughter Annelie as they lift the words from the page and turn them into a vibrant real-life drama.

The story? As civil war breaks out in Lebanon, an American, a Palestinian and two Brits seek shelter and safety together. At first, they're thrilled to be front-line witnesses of headline world news. But as the country self-destructs, so do their relationships. Disastrously.

If you enjoy dark international fiction by writers like John le Carré and Graham Greene, where the morality of most of the characters is questionable, you're likely to feel right at home here.

While the setting is historical, The Foreign Aide is full of present-day relevance. It gives context to the ongoing conflict in Lebanon. And it serves to remind us of the perilous consequences of being drawn into wars we don't fully understand by people we shouldn't trust.

Trigger warnings. This is an adult book with some sexual scenes. There are also descriptions of war and the damage it causes to people and property. None of this is gratuitous; in every case it is essential to the story.