I quite enjoyed reading Finding Katarina M.

The story unfolds as Natalie a respected surgeon is visited by a Russian dancer claiming to be her cousin. Saldana claims Natalie's grandmother who everyone thought was dead is indeed very much alive.
However, Saldana has a darker motive for making contact with Natalie.

The story takes you on a roller coaster ride and provides a surprise ending. Well written I am looking forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Well-written novel by a new author to me about an area of the world that is so interesting to read about, that also involved medicine which is personal to me as a healthcare provider myself. She was able to transport me into this time and place which is exactly what I look for in this style of book.
Definitely recommend and I will look for her work in the future.

#FindingKatarinaM #NetGalley

New to me author and so happy that I discovered her work.
Coming from an eastern-European country that was under the communist regime for a long time, as a child, I’ve heard a lot of stories from my grandfather and the neighbours when I was spending my winter holidays in the countryside with them.
I can only say that most of the situations presented in the book are real and I felt my heart breaking so many times for our heroine.
It’s a great writing style, a fast paced read with a lot of hard decisions to take and such a strong heroine. I loved how she tried to get over anything and make herself looking for an escape and also trying not to have a mental breakdown because honestly any other woman wouldn’t go as far as she did to find her lost grandmother in a country that you don’t know if you’re coming back from.
I loved this book and made me think about many decisions that I’ve taken in my life and if I would change anything.
My only complaint: I wanted a HEA for her , especially after she went back to her life , maybe even what she was feeling disappointed after a month, just like a consolation at least. I know I’m vague about this but you have to read the book and you’ll understand what I’m talking about.

Natalie March is a busy doctor whose life is upset when a woman from Russia, who claims to be her cousin, tells her that their grandmother is alive. This is after Natalie believed for years that she was dead. Her grandmother, Katarina Melnikova, suffered greatly at the hands of Stalin during the labor camps and Natalie is delighted that she is indeed alive. When her cousin is killed, Natalie is ever more determined to meet her grandmother.

She never expected, however, to be faced with danger. As a matter of fact, she is thrown right in the middle of international intrigue, but remains focused on finding her grandmother. Natalie becomes deeply embroiled with an unlikely assignment and is faced with protecting her family and her country. In so doing, she finds herself in hairy situations. More than once, I found myself holding my breath while reading this story.

I did not expect the action, mystery, espionage and more when I began this book. I was completely drawn into this story. It was a true thriller, but it was also very touching at times. I had a hard time putting this book down. For a doctor to become a spy of sorts was definitely intriguing, especially as she was in a world far different from her own.

Elisabeth Eto is a new name for me, but is definitely someone that I will follow and I look forward to reading much more by her.

Many thanks to Polis Books and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was honestly surprised I liked this book so much! I know next to nothing about Russia and very little about Stalin's camps, but this novel brought so many concepts to life that I was immediately intrigued. The plot is explained in the blurb but what I loved most was that Elo combined genealogy, familial loyalty and love, chemical weaponry, and medicine with historical facts about Russia and its people. The writing is lovely and the story draws you in right away as the action never lets up. I read in one sitting as I didn't want it to end!

A deeply detailed thriller set in Washington DC and Russia, the story line will take you through several historical events and keep your interest as you follow Natalie March on her quest to find her grandmother. Elisabeth Elo has included considerable back story so you get the feel of the country as Natalie works. Natalie's reasons and her ultimate goals kept me reading even though this not my usual read. In the end, our heroine succeeds and the bad guys lose. An enjoyable read with lots of action.

This book is crazy good!! I mean that in the most complimentary way possible!! I loved Elisabeth's research into the Siberian culture. She had me right there with the main character Natalie -- looking for her grandmother. This storyline is perfect and I can't wait to see what Elisabeth writes next!!

This book started with such promise - I liked the characters and there was an intriguing mystery. Then, the story veered off into a spy theme - one of my absolute least favorite genres and one I try to avoid. Many people will like this direction it took but it just wasn't what I expected or enjoy.

The last couple titles I've read have had dual timelines, and when I saw that the first chapter was during Stalin's 'reign' and the next was contemporary that's what I thought I'd be dealing with. I do wish we had gotten to read more of the historical element, but this is firmly a contemporary novel.

Natalie March's world takes many wild turns after a cousin she didn't know she had comes to visit her in Washington. Natalie faces crazy circumstances in Siberia, but she is smart and resourceful and minor spoiler (view spoiler).

Like I said, I enjoyed this tremendously Natalie was a great, and believable character. I'd probably have rated this higher if I didn't feel that the end had been rushed a bit. Maybe we will get a sequel that'll satisfy a couple of the lingering questions I have?! I'd definitely read more by Elo and more about Natalie!

I think there were a couple spelling mistakes if anyone reading this has that kind of access to fix 'em. 'Sarin' gas was spelt once as 'saran', which makes me think of saran wrap, which is definitely not as deadly ;) And I don't think I've ever seen axe spelled 'ax' but maybe it's acceptable both ways...

This a fun thriller about a smart, tough lady and I hope that it sells well so we can get more like it from Elo.

Saldana Tarasova appears in one Dr. Natalie March’s Washington, D.C. office, a Russian national, a cousin with a shared grandmother, Katarina Melnikova.
This grandmother was sent to the infamous Gulag prison with her husband in 1949 and was known to her as dead, but new discovery of her living and surviving sets Natalie on homeward bound to her mother’s native land for answers.
Initially she was in search of answering, “Why on earth had Katarina Melnikova chosen to remain unknown?”
She finds herself on plane to Russia to put pieces of a puzzle together and connect with her family and seek out Katarina M.
Natalie will become Natalya back in homeland and she will rekindle with kin and discover inner abilities of great courage, forbearance, and strength whilst pitted against many dangers and terrible histories.
Natalya does not disappointed, she is a solid, tough, intelligent, female lead character nicely crafted by the author.

Dr. Natalie March. She’s a straight arrow, remarkably independent woman, unmarried, no children, no lover, no church, not even a book club, excellent health, eats well, jogs every morning, lifts weights three times a week, no criminal record, no history of drug use, no extremist political activity or questionable companions, colleagues think highly of her, most everyone thinks highly of her, hardworking, honest, ethical, and dedicated to her profession.
She is almost as clean as they come.
Until things gets dirty and come undone, disappearance, murder, espionage, agents, CIA, FSB, skulls, a web of deceit with conspiratorial manoeuvrings with collateral damage.

It is all tightly packed with smooth writing in a solid thriller bringing alive on the page and evoking all the necessary details converging into an intriguing and atmospheric tale with a likeable and believable potent female lead character.

This book had me hooked right in the beginning. It started out well, with this unknown relative showing up and introducing a story of a survivalist grandmother who's living in Siberia. It was great, and I was really hoping for a cultural trip through Russia and learning of how this grandmother survived a gulag. Russia really fascinates me. It has deep roots, old history, old beliefs that are unchangeable, untrustworthiness that's ingrained, the secret dark side of mafia, KGB, Siberia, etc.
This ended up being an espionage book. And it kind of fell flat for me right in the middle. It felt unbelievable, and over the top.
I finished the book, mainly because of the writing. It's great, has a way of creating an atmosphere. I could feel the chill weathee of Siberia and the warm feelings of the people living there. But I wish it was a different story.

What a terrific surprise this was! It's a very good read. Natalie, a physician in Washington, is very surprised when a young woman shows up claiming to be her cousin AND that her grandmother, long thought to have perished in a Soviet prison camp is alive. When that young woman is murdered, it sets Natalie down an unexpected path through Russia and into Siberia where she is hunting for her cousin Misha, who went missing while investigating bad acts by the government. There's a CIA element to this which does not ring true (no CIA officer is going to have the sort of conversations this one has on a cell phone anywhere, let alone in Russia) but that's ok- go with it. There's international intrigue but what was more interesting to me were the Evenki and, even better, Natalie's time in the Russian prison. Do not get in Zara's sights! Some of this is entirely implausible but gosh I could not stop reading. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Well written, suspenseful, and very entertaining.

It's been almost five years since I read Elo's debut novel which I completely loved. This one, her second novel, starts off with a mystery, but crosses genres into almost more of a literary thriller. The book opens with Dr. Natalie March welcoming a new patient to her office who claims to be her long-lost cousin. Natalie is shocked to learn that her grandmother is also still alive but in Russia still.

When further tragedy strikes, Natalie finds herself embarking on a trip to Russia at the behest of her wheelchair-bound mother. The plot continues to twist, crossing genres again as Natalie learns more about the real state of Russian government workings and the attitudes of the citizenry. The pages turn quickly here and overall, I had a hard time putting this one down.

But, Natalie, at times takes actions at odds with the education, age and background given. She comes off as naively trusting and some of her actions seem rather unrealistic. She really doesn't act her age - though is overall sympathetic and likable. This book touches into a lot of genres, so I can see that it would be hard to categorize as anything other than general fiction, I suppose - though there's a lot here. I did wish for a bit more from the ending (it was a bit abrupt). But I will definitely continue to keep an eye out for more from Elo. This is an enjoyable read!

I received this from Netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

Natalie goes to Russia searching for her grandmother but instead is caught up in a web of dangerous secrets that will pit her against Russian security forces and even elements within her own government.

Quick read, good story. I really liked this description, " the cold invaded my clothing efficiently: its dainty fingers crawled up my sleeves and curled softly, insistently, down my neck".

4☆

It was really interesting thriller/,mystery with very likeable protagonist. And she wasn't the only one I liked, there are few side characetrs I wish to know more about and even though they are not central, they are important for the whole background.

There also a lot information about russian culture and geography and that was what a little put me off. I agrre, Russia is a beautiful country, but there was times, when description of land infulenced pacing and this is something I don't like. But it;s a good read and I would recommend it to mystery lovers .

I was definitely drawn into Finding Katarina M at the beginning and found the book intriguing. Then it became so unbelievable that if it were not for Elisabeth Elo’s beautiful writing and descriptions to pull me along, I might have abandoned the book.

Finding Katarina M. is an amazingly written story. This was my first book by her but won’t be the last.

Dr. Natalie March is s renowned doctor. Her grandmother, Katarina Melinkova is beleived to be dead. She was sent to a gulag is Russia when she was young. Her daugher Vera - Natalie’s mother - defected to the United States. And then one day a woman comes to Natalie’s office claiming to be her cousin and asking for her help to defect the United States. Natalie says no but she want to help her any other way she can. And this is where things start to happen very fast. Natalie goes to Russia to meet Katarina but things are never that easy. She becomes entangled in family secrets and political issues.

The story is told from the point of view of Natalie. She goes through a lot in her quest to meet Katarina. It’s a quest because she finds secrets, truth, new friend and family and finally happiness.

I highly recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley, Polis Books and Elisabet Elo for giving me an ARC. All the opinions are my own.

Finding Katarina M is an action packed roller coaster of a ride through Russia as Dr. Natalie Marsh undertakes to find her grandmother, whose existence she was ignorant of until her until then also unknown cousin Saldana showed up on her doorstep. The story is both compelling and unlikely, even unbelievable, yet Elo’s writing carries the reader along, whether in belief or disbelief. I fall more into the disbelief category, which is the reason I did not rate this as a five-star read. That there are moments of disbelief are to be expected in a novel of this genre. But, it’s hard to believe that a contemporary female doctor has no friends or even friendly acquaintances save an old colleague with whom she had had a brief affair and her mother. Or that a mother whose daughter has disappeared on a trip to Russia would not have raised a ruckus, despite her confinement to a wheelchair due to MS. Or that.... (to cite others would give away some spoilers). These are just niggles, but there are enough of them to disrupt the flow of this otherwise compelling novel.

Finding Katarina M. was not what I expected it to be. The description of Russia and life there were fantastic. I think it's a good story, but I got bored with it. It's a good read for the right reader. Unfortunately it's not me. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Natalie March is surprised into find the young Russian ballerina in her office. She is even more surprised to find out she is her cousin. Adding to that, is the fact that her grandmother, whom she thought had died in a prison camp is alive. She knows her mother, Vera will be pleasantly surprised to learn that the mother she presumed dead is alive and living in a remote village in Russia. A few days later the new cousin Natalie has just recently met is found dead in her apartment. A victim of murder.
Determined to meet this new side of her family, she makes the trip to Russia. Little does she know she will soon be embroiled in espionage, murder, prison and the CIA.
A wonderful story of family, strength and determination. Great characters and interesting facts about Russia and the people who live there. Excellent read!!