ROCKPORT — On Friday, May 31, at 6:30 p.m., The Rockport Library Foundation will host “An Evening with the Former Chief of Disguise at the CIA and Bestselling Author Jonna Mendez” at the Rockport Opera House. 

Mendez, the coauthor of The Moscow Rules and Argo, tells her riveting and courageous story of being a female spy at the height of the Cold War in her new book, In True Face: A Woman’s Life at the CIA, Unmasked. Mendez’s presentation will recount not only the drama of her high-stakes work — how her savvy operating parlayed her “everywoman” appeal into incredible subterfuge — but she’ll also discuss the grit and good fortune it took for her to navigate a misogynistic world.

“The audience will learn the story of an incredible spy career and what it took to achieve it,” said Rockport Public Library, in a news release.

Jonna Hiestand Mendez began her CIA career as a “contract wife” performing secretarial duties for the CIA as a convenience to her husband, a young officer stationed in Europe. Yet Mendez had a talent for espionage, too, and she soon took on bigger and more significant roles at the Agency. She lived under cover and served tours of duty all over the globe, rising first to become an international spy and ultimately to Chief of Disguise at CIA’s Office of Technical Service. She retired from the Agency in 1993 and has continued her career as a photographer, a consultant/lecturer, and an author.

The event at the Rockport Opera House is free, but seating is limited. Tickets must be reserved ahead of time at rockportlibrary.net, or visit https://rockportoperahouse.thundertix.com/events/228429).  

Barnswallow will be providing copies of Mendez's books for purchase at the conclusion of the presentation.