His Grandfather Was a Spy. Obviously, He Wrote a Novel About It. “The Fire Agent,” by David Baerwald, is a historical novel that spans two continents and world wars. Open modal at item 1 of 2 Open modal at item 2 of 2 Dan Fesperman is the author of “Pariah,” “Winter Work” and 12 other novels. June 2, 2026, 5:00 a.m. ET THE FIRE AGENT, by David Baerwald From the opening pages of “The Fire Agent,” we know that we are in the hands of a confident, capable storyteller.