Meet The Author, Craig Gralley
Craig’s newest book, Echoes of Eden in Western North Carolina: The Johnstone Settlement, 1852–1864, (McFarland, 2026) began as a modest project that unfolded into a sweeping account of escape, hope, ruin and renewal set against the backdrop of the US Civil War. Through in‑depth research—using unpublished diaries, slave contracts, and Civil War records—Craig brings the voices of the Johnstone Settlers back to life.
Craig's debut novel, Hall of Mirrors—Virginia Hall: America’s Greatest Spy of WWII (Chrysalis, 2019), is a Kirkus Reviews “Best Book of 2020;” a New York Post, “ Best Book of the Week;” and has received accolades from The Historical Novel Society; Independent Book Review (top story) and SPYSCAPE, among others. Senior members of the Intelligence Community—including former CIA Director, General David Petraeus—have praised Hall of Mirrors for its accurate portrayal of wartime espionage.
In researching Virginia Hall's life Craig read hundreds of WWII documents in CIA, US, and foreign archives detailing the disabled spy's life and work behind the lines in WWII France. While a consultant to CIA's History Staff, the Agency's Office of Public Affairs asked him to field media requests about Hall, whose story was just becoming known. Craig shared insights with British author Sonia Purnell, who was working on her biography of Hall, A Woman of No Importance, and actor, writer, producer Sarah Megan Thomas, who was developing a full-length motion picture, A Call To Spy. Craig consulted on the movie and appeared with actors in California and Detroit film festivals. His book led to numerous interviews--including the Washington Post, New York Post, CNN and NPR's Morning Edition, hosted by national security correspondent, Greg Myre.
Craig Gralley, a former CIA senior executive, was an analyst, manager and chief speechwriter for three CIA directors.
His second book, PARI: An Untold History of Spacemen and Spies, (History Press, 2023) tells the story of how a small community in the mountains of North Carolina helped to win the space race, the Cold War and became a model for science education. Gralley, a strong advocate for education, is donating his author profits to PARI for student science scholarships.
A Call to Spy-East Bay Film Festival Interview
I was delighted to accept writer, actor and producer Sarah Megan Thomas' invitation to appear at the East Bay Jewish Film Festival--where Sarah, actor Samuel Roukin and I discussed their movie, “A Call to Spy."