This is my first Karin Tanabe novel and I enjoyed her style of writing. A Woman of Intelligence follows Katharina from her life as a 1950’s housewife to undercover spy for the FBI. Danger and intrigue abound in this lightweight historical fiction novel.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

I enjoyed this book about a fictional woman who clearly had a lot of intelligence, but was unable to use it to her full ability due to social structures of her time period.

It was not exactly what I was expecting as it was not really a thriller, but more of a slow building story about her life. I would have liked to see more about her life in the years after the book ended, which was more abruptly than I expected.

There are many relatable moments in the book, and overall it was a nice read.

I received an ARC of this book as a reviewer for NetGalley.

"A Woman of Intelligence”
Author Karin Tanabe’s newest book.
The plot reflect the life choices that most women of 2021 think about, a career or if affordable or the life of a stay at home mom. Presently affluent families will choose to have one family member stay at home and raise the children, returning to a career when the children reach school age or continue working a limited time. Even now women find the limited status of a fill time housewife and mom to be an unending, an unfulfilling life of cleaning, cooking, gardening and child care. Katharine who has the ability to speak four languages, a past high profile career with interaction among educated adult, this style of life soon became dull.
I found that this plot moved slow and in the setting, 1952, rang untrue. A career women would not have been swayed by her husband to stay at home full time. The second point that was hard to believe was how Katharine kept this job a secret from her husband. A strong, educated career minded women would have been able to stand up, speak to her husband, about the need to use her time to enhance her and family life more enjoyable.
Karin Tanabe’s strong writing and research skills are event thoughout the novel. I was unable to connet to the characters finding it hard to stick with the story. A satisfying ending was accomplished. I gave this book 3 stars, I would have given the book 3 1/2 stars, though the books plot move slow, therefore I could not give the book 4 stars. Thank you to Ms. Tanabe, St. Martin's Press, and Netflix for having provided a digital copy of this book.

This started out fantastic! I thought that I would be in for a ride of espionage and intrigue. THEN, the book just kind of fell off of the cliff for me around 30-40%.

I do so appreciate the opportunity to read this book that Netgalley and St Martin's Press have given me. This book is scheduled to release in July 2021.

I enjoyed the premise of this book and I had really high hopes for it. I had a hard time with the transition from her life before and after becoming a spy and I think that's where I got lost. The writing was well done and so were the character development but I just think this was not the book for me. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin Press for this ARC but all thoughts are my own.

The war is over, and there are men all around. What is a woman of intelligence supposed to do with all of this bounty? After she sows her wild oats (and I do mean she REALLY sows them), she marries Tom Edgeworth, an eventual pediatric surgeon, quits (or is rather forced out of) her marvelous job once she is heavily pregnant, and becomes a stay at home mother. Until one day, she is accosted by an FBI agent who wants her to become an informer (this is the Cold War period). An interesting premise, is it not?

Well, it would be if one did not have to stretch their credulity nearly to the point of breaking. For example, this book took place in 1954. Did you know that pantyhose weren't invented until 1959? I know this is just a little nit-picky thing for me to latch onto. But it gets more difficult to stay wrapped in this story as the story itself goes on. Did the FBI agent prove what he was? No. Was her husband Tom typical of the time period? Yes. Even though this book takes place in the '50s, do you think women of 'means' were really this chained to their families? I doubt it. Would Rina had been so easily able to 'spy' and travel for it with such an imposing husband?

This is an interesting novel with many twists and turns, but it just wasn't enough to capture me, enthrall me; I just found myself becoming overly critical with it all.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher, the author, and NetGalley.

I find that the emotions of Rina, the main character, feels to be slightly relatable. You kinda feel her pain and frustration at the life that was shoved and told that she must live. You see Rina's life in the 1950's and throughout the book you get flashbacks of her life before children and marriage. Her life as before Rina was swept off her feet by an aspiring doctor named Tom and given her a life she thought she was ready for. She knew several laugages, worked for the UN, loved every moment of her life before marriage. Which was a very fulffiling life for her. The life that she now mourns and feels that she is in a invisible prison of marriage and children. A prison that was created by people because of gender and status. Given the opportunity to break that cage, she risk her very reputation to regain who she once was and thought she has lost. She gained it by spying on the KCB and a long lost flame involved with the communist group. Through that, she learned what it means to be happy again and not to allow people to dictate who she needs to be.
Though the story felt slightly drawn out, the story was good a wholesome at the end. No promise of a better future but neverless a better one because she is taking her life into her hands.

A born and bred New Yorker, Katharina is the daughter of immigrants, Ivy-League-educated, and speaks four languages. As a single girl in 1940s Manhattan, she is a translator at the newly formed United Nations, devoting her days to her work and the promise of world peace—and her nights good times with friends. Then she becomes the wife of a beloved pediatric surgeon and heir to a shipping fortune and is trapped in a gilded cage, desperate to escape the constraints of domesticity. So when she is approached by the FBI and asked to join their ranks as an informant, Katharina seizes the opportunity. A man from her past has become a high-level Soviet spy, but no one has been able to infiltrate his circle. Enter Katharina, the perfect woman for the job. Between the demands of the FBI and KGB secrets, she becomes a courier and carries stolen documents for Washington, D.C. to Manhattan. Then those closest to her lose their cover and their lives.

I have seen this author mentioned many times, but this is the first of her books that I have read and thoroughly enjoyed it and was kept on the edge of my seat throughout. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

A Woman of Intelligence is a historical novel about Katharina Edgeworth. In 1954 Katharina is living in New York City and working as a translator with the United Nations. She unexpectedly begins working for the FBI as a courier between the FBI and KGB. Her life changes dramatically.

I wanted to read this novel because I love historical fiction. I love books set in New York City, and found the 1950's time period setting very intriguing.

This is a fascinating read - both historical fiction and some fast moving suspense. I love the author's writing style and her rich, detailed descriptions.

I recommend A Woman of Intelligence for fans of historical fiction, and especially for anyone who is interested in the Mid-Century time period.

This book was a fun surprise. I’ve not read much historical fiction, as there are other genres I prefer. But I took a chance on A WOMAN OF INTELLIGENCE based on the description and I’m glad I did..

Others have outlined the plot summary, so I’ll jump right into what I enjoyed: This book does a tremendous job of expressing, with great, detailed honesty, how soul-numbing it is for an ambitious woman to become a stay-at-home mom. I didn’t realize how much I needed this message until I was speeding through the pages, feeling understood for the first time in a very long time. That said, the story of the main character being called on to do clandestine work for the FBI is highly entertaining, and well worth the read. Parts of it were far-fetched - her children never blurted out the secrets she kept from her husband, and she disappeared for hours at a time without notice. But I was so curious as to what would happen next that these things weren’t as distracting as they might have been in a book with a less interesting plot.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The setting: 1954, Upper East Side. Katharina Edgeworth, former UN and City Hall employee. Speaker of four languages. Currently a bored housewife with two young sons and a pediatric surgeon husband who spends many, many hours at Lenox Hill Hospital. "Katharina is trapped in a gilded cage, desperate to escape the constraints of domesticity. So when she is approached by the FBI and asked to join their ranks as an informant, Katharina seizes the opportunity. A man from her past has become a high-level Soviet spy, but no one has been able to infiltrate his circle. Enter Katharina, the perfect woman for the job. Navigating the demands of the FBI and the secrets of the KGB, she becomes a courier, carrying stolen government documents from D.C. to Manhattan."

Premise--good, Delivery--not so much.

The title--was she a "Woman of Intelligence" because of her prior jobs? Or because she was a courier of intelligence documents?

I've read and enjoyed other books by Karin Tanabe. This--NOT SO MUCH. Easy [enough] to read, but I probably could have put it down at any time. I found this book a lightweight read. Billed as historical fiction--McCarthy, red-baiting--but though an integral part of the story, I found it peripheral to the anguish of Katharina. I think there was much whining on Katharina's part and not enough substance.

Disjointed. Disappointed. And not necessarily believable.

The "romantic" parts--with Turner Wells--I found severely trying--many "oy" moments--in fact, a turn-off! And, somewhat unbelievable. About half-way through the book it became even less appealing.

And, when her neighbor, Carrie said: "Even with our living children we are murderers. By making Alice, [her daughter] I didn't just create a human being who will live, but one who will die." {die, italicized]. I gave her life and illness and suffering and eventually death." This did it for me.


2.5, not rounding up

I will admit that one of the reasons I chose to start reading this book is because of the cover and title. The story took me a while to get into, however. Set against the backdrop of The Army-McCarthy Hearings of 1954 and the Communist threat, the story is told from the perspective of a woman who feels trapped by her life as a mother of 2 boys.

I spent about 4 months unemployed after having the twins and I have to say those were some of the hardest days of my life. The days were never ending and I didn't have anything to look forward to. No matter how much I adore my children, that was when I decided that the stay at home life was not for me.

The book takes a while to really get into the story but the last 150 pages had me entirely enraptured. The historical references peppered throughout the book and the vivid imagery of the regressive position society held towards women and people of color give the book some dimension and depth. Overall, this was a slightly different kind of book than I normally read but definitely glad I stuck with it!

Thanks to @netgalley for an advanced copy of A Woman of Intelligence. The expected publication date of this novel is July 2021!

I couldn’t wait to dig into this historical fiction! This novel is set in the 1950’s and I was interested in learning more about life for women in the 1950’s in America.

Before marrying Tom Edgworth, Katherina had a fulfilling career working as an interpreter for the UN in New York. She loved her job, her friends, and the challenges of everyday life.

Once married, while her husband spends most of his time in his rewarding career as a surgeon, Katherina had to give up her career, and stay at home to raise her children. With no significant female friends and an overbearing mother-in-law, Katherina’s life remains unfulfilled.

However, one day a stranger approached her with an invitation to help the FBI find information about a former lover, and Katharina’s life takes on new meaning.

“The change was electrifying, like taking a long, hot bath after years of lukewarm showers.”

This story was fast-paced although I sometimes got a little lost in some of the more descriptive passages. The only real criticism was that it was a little hard to believe that Katharina could balance her two lives - wife and mother with being a spy - with no one catching on. However, if you can suspend your disbelief the story is worth the ride.

I recommend A Woman of Intelligence for anyone who enjoys historical fiction and who would like to know a little more about Communism and why it was so feared.

I was very much looking forward to this story based upon the description but I have to go against the grain on this one, seeing all the 5-star reviews. Good for me, but unfortunate for this book, I have just finished reading several outstanding stories lately, which has set my expectation bar high and sadly, this tale disappointed.
This is my second Tanabe book and I have found both lacking in depth and character build. It started out good, but as a full time working, single mother of three children, it quickly went downhill when you are a well to do wife, not necessary to have to work, no money worries, have a beautiful home, a hard-working husband but you can’t handle being a mother of two. And the biggest complaint was her husband was never home and she devoted so much of her time to her children. Just didn’t endear me to the main character.
I’m sure there are others that will truly love this book but it was just not for me.
I want to thank St.Martin’s Press along with NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC. The best I can do is 3 stars because I really did like Gerrit.

I thought I would enjoy reading this novel..
This is an ARC review for NetGalley.

Upon receiving this digital draft, I noticed that the version I have is around 800 pages versus the final book, which is around 300 pages. That's a big difference.

I enjoyed the mystery of it but there was a little to much detail about her marriage. I understand she was unhappy (at times) but I felt that it took away from the mystery of the plot.

Also, it wasn't believable for me that she could just make up excuses to do her undercover work. Her husband was a well known, prominent Doctor. I thought he would have picked up on her lies.

While this draft was lengthy, I do want to read the final draft. I would be able to know what was left out from the 800 page version.

Thank you for the opportunity to provide this review.

As a mom. I enjoyed this book. It shows how a woman will sacrifice anything for her family. It wasn't what I expected in terms of storyline, but I enjoyed the contrast of life as a single person, to life as a wide and mom. Priorities changed, but she still has that fire.

This is an engaging, well written novel about a woman struggling with the conflict between the woman she was before her marriage - excited by her work as a translator at the UN, in love with her friends, lovers, and the excitement of Manhattan - and the woman she is now, the wife of a rich, successful doctor who barely had time for his family, the harried mother of two very small, infinitely demanding children, the daughter in law of a privileged upper class family who expect her to conform to everyone's expectations save her own.
Two decades before Betty Friedan, Katharina's struggle to reconcile her conflicting needs for intimacy and independence is particularly resonant, and the way she resolves it is unique; she goes undercover for the FBI, at the height of the McCarthy era, which seeks her out because of her connection to a college lover , also fluent in several languages, who is now a Communist agent. As the tension in her marriage increases, so does the excitement she takes in the work she can't tell him anything about.
I found this s compelling story, well told and well worth reading.

Katharina loves her family. Her life revolves around them but she has lost herself too. One day someone offers her a chance to help and she grabs it with both hands.
I expected this book to be more cloak and dagger but it’s not really. It was an enjoyable story with interesting characters.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

This was such a great piece of historical fiction. Perhaps my favorite I've read. Katharina is stuck in a male dominated world - she always lived a life of intrigue, adventure, martinis, and men. She worked for the United Nations speaking multiple languages and living her dream life in New York. She settles down and has children (what she is supposed to do) with a rich doctor on the Upper East Side, but loses herself until she gets the chance to be a spy for the United States during the red scare. Absolutely worth the read - five stars from me. Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC.

This story is about a woman who lives in NYC in the 1950s and works as a UN translator. Her life goes from total fun to upscale when she marries a prominent pediatric surgeon. She has 2 boys who are full of energy and she becomes a lonely, frustrated mother who gave up her job that she loved for parenting with a husband who is never home and is married to Lenox Hill hospital.

However, the book picks up speed when the FBI approaches her to be a courier for them with information from the KGB. She does this without telling her husband. The story then has intrigue, deceit, love, death, disappointment, hope, as well as inebriation, gin being the favorite. She meets a bunch of interesting characters.
The book keeps you going wondering about what happens next and where this will end.
Totally recommend the book.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy.