Thank you to the publisher and netgalley!! I love spy fiction and this one did not disappoint. A fantastic women centered spy thriller! Told from two timelines, how far will a daughter go to protect her father? It kept me guessing till the very end!!

I loved Pitoniak’s previous novel, ‘Our American Friend,’ but this one didn’t work as well for me. The plot is murky, which can be pretty standard for a spy novel, but they usually become more clear as they go along. This one just got more confusing and I struggled to stay interested. I am loving this new emphasis on females in spy novels (see Ava Glass’ first two books) and I would give be willing to give Pitoniak another try if she writes another female-centric story. Kath was my favorite character—I would love to hear her stories!

I have watched lots of spy based TV shows and movies and I’ve liked a lot of it but I admit it’s more my husband’s thing than mine. I love suspense novels and thrillers and figured this would be a great book for me since it’s classified as a “spy thriller”.

I both listened and read this one. The narrator was pretty good.

Sadly, I didn’t find the book to be too thrilling if I’m being honest. A lot happened but not a lot of action (until the end), if that makes sense.

Maybe it’s bc I was a bit disinterested but I found myself confused at times, having to reread small sections or having to rewind when listening to the audiobook. This can partially be attributed to the multiple timelines and events associated with each. Only last 15% action and even that was confusing bc rapid back and forth between past to present and very hard to follow.

I gave it 3 stars which is pretty low for me.

Told from dual timelines of current and past, this multigenerational spy novel investigates how far a daughter will go to protect her father and his legacy. I found it thrilling, action packed and suspenseful. I’m hoping immensely that this is the beginning of a series by this new author.

I’d like to thank Simon & Schuster for approving me for an early copy of The Helsinki Affair by Anna Pitoniak in exchange for an honest review of NetGalley.

I was interested in reading this book because of my previous enjoyment of Anna Pitoniak’s first two books The Futures and Necessary People. Spy thrillers are not usually my go-to genre, but after a book like Necessary People, I figured Anna Pitoniak would write something similar in terms of making politics personal. With The Helsinki Affair, I think she did set out to do that.

However, where this book fell short for me was that she didn’t go far enough in personalizing the political intrigue for the characters. If this book were just from Amanda and Kath’s POV, this book could have had more mystery to it. However, the inclusion of not just Charlie’s POV but also multiple others ultimately slowed the story for me in a way that I found distracting.

While I did not enjoy this book as much as her previous work, I would still read Anna Pitoniak’s next work. Ultimately, I have to give this three stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️

[3.5 stars]
The Helsinki Affair was fine for me. But, just fine. I didn’t have trouble finishing it, but it felt a bit surface compared to Alma Katsu’s female centric CIA spy thrillers.
Pitoniak wrote this because she loves spy thrillers and always lamented that they were written by and about men. She doesn’t have a background in intelligence herself like Alma Katsu does.
That showed in the execution. I was really missing the layers of behind the scenes about how the CIA works and particularly women’s experiences in the CIA.
The plot wasn’t particularly surprising to me.
I also didn’t really understand the ending.
I wonder what I would’ve thought of this one had I read it before reading Red Widow and Red London. It just didn’t stack up to those books. And, I thought her last book that sort of dipped a toe into the political / spy realm, Our American Friend, was more unique.

I love the premise of the novel itself but the multiple POVs are dragging this down for me. It reminds me of the tv show ALIAS, which a badass female character who's shady father is also in the same line of work as her - as an agent for an American government agency. But with so many POV's, I feel it already loses the steam; I only made it about 37% of the way.

THE HELSINKI AFFAIR by Anna Pitoniak is an espionage thriller that begins with the disguised assassination of a US Senator on foreign soil. Reverberating through Langley, CIA stations in Europe, and between generations of the same family, the cause is partially revealed in some documents the Senator kept hidden. There appears to be a real threat to economic systems and democratic values, but family loyalty will also be tested. Amanda Cole is a relatively young and ambitious agent stationed in Rome. Her father, Charlie, currently working at Langley, has a checkered past with the agency – particularly involving his time in Helsinki when Amanda was just a child. Who should be trusted is a big questions - there are spies, double agents, and maybe even double crossing double agents. The multiple time periods and multiple narrators add to the tension in this fast-paced adventure. Commenting on THE HELSINKI AFFAIR, Library Journal says, "Pitoniak does everything well in this twisty spy thriller that should please the most discriminating connoisseur of the genre." 4.5 stars

Amanda Cole is following in her father, Charlie Cole’s footsteps as her career unexpectedly progresses quickly as a spy in the CIA when she is proven to be correct regarding an international assassination that her superiors do not take seriously. Amanda partners up with Kath to solve an international conspiracy involving Russia, the USA, and a bit of Great Britain. What she doesn’t expect is how far back in time this case will bring her; back to a suspicious time of her father’s career….

Overall, I loved the idea of this novel more than the execution itself. A female spy partnering up with a female operative to take down Russian forces? Sign me up! It gave me “Jack Ryan” vibes - very politics heavy in the beginning with an action filled ending.

Unfortunately due to that setup, it felt dry for longer than I hoped - it took me forever to read this book. I do think in a spy novel you have to set the stage before getting into the thick of it all; I just wish the pacing had been a little stronger in the beginning to make me excited rather than relieved to get to the end.

Overall, I enjoyed the characters; however I also was significantly more invested in Charlie’s storyline than Amanda’s…which was a bit frustrating as I was so excited for this heroine! I did love the dual timelines and multiple perspectives overall, though.

The ending was left open, which makes me curious if they wanted it to feel ambiguous and make the reader decide the ending, or if there will be a sequel.

I loved this one by Anna Pitoniak! Set in current day with flashbacks from years past, I flew through this book with intrigue and interest until the very end. It will keep you guessing and engaged in the characters and story.

A celebrated US senator dies in Egypt, and backchannel blowback affects a sudden reorg at a CIA bureau in Italy, where newly minted Station Chief Amanda Cole is suddenly forced to investigate modern-day cyber financial schemes and Cold War history involving, and possibly incriminating, her own father. I don't read a lot of international spy drama, but this was riveting. It reminded me of Red Notice by Bill Browder: A True Story of High Finance, Murder and One Man's Fight for Justice. The Helsinki Affair in comparison, could be subtitled A Fictional Story of High Finance, Murder and One Man's Fight for Redemption with His Daughter's Help. Amanda Cole represents her family's three-generation CIA legacy, and unlike her 72-yr old dad Charlie Cole who's been relegated to PR grunt work, she is killing it.

Author Anna Pitoniak does a masterful job of slowly revealing the actions and forces behind Charlie's oh so human fall from grace, while quickly ratcheting up the suspense and international intrigue. I love that these characters, within the Cole family and the Clandestine Service network (encompassing the CIA, KGB, FSB, GRU, and KhAD the Afghan secret police), are all given such depth and multi-faceted personalities. This isn't presented as a cliffhanger or volume one in a series; but, if there is a follow-up to come, I will be first in line to read it.

The Helsinki Affair is a classic spy novel with a female spy at the center. The story kicks off with a CIA operative, Amanda Cole, stationed in Rome who is tipped off to an American assassination from a Russian informant. The plot takes off from there as Amanda explores the reasons behind the assassination. At the same time, her father, also a CIA operative, must face some of his past decisions. As the story alternates between present and past timelines, we discover how the two are or aren't connected.

I enjoyed the story and hope that the open-ended conclusion means we may see more stories about Amanda Cole.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Simon&Schuster for a free copy of #TheHelsinkiAffair by Anna Pitoniak. All opinions are my own.

Could not put it down. The characters, plot, and settings not only drew me in but kept me there, wanting more. I highly recommend as a top book club pick! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. #sponsored

Would recommend for fans of…
🕵🏻‍♀️ Jason Bourne
🕵🏻‍♀️ Mission: Impossible
🕵🏻‍♀️ House of Cards

Spy and espionage thrillers are some of my favorites – I love the combination of action and mystery. But I’m often frustrated by how many books in this genre focus on male protagonists and woefully underdeveloped female supporting characters.

Anna Pitoniak is working to change that, first with her political thriller Our American Friend, and now with a more traditional spy novel, The Helsinki Affair, which focuses on Amanda, a CIA officer with espionage in her blood, who gets caught up in an international scandal when a Russian defector arrives at her Roman outpost.

There is so much to love about this book! It’s action packed! It is full of drama! It features a huge conspiracy that is fun to unravel as you read. And even with all of the action, there’s a big focus on family that really grounds the story and makes it feel accessible (even if you aren’t a CIA operative).

The characters were another bright spot for me. I appreciated that Amanda was flawed and made mistakes, but always found a way to get back up and try again. I loved the fact that she had a female mentor, Kath, who helped her, but didn’t shy away from brutal honesty. And I really enjoyed getting to see Amanda’s relationship with her parents and how they both played a central role in the story.

I’m not sure if there are plans for this to become a series but I would gladly read at least 15 more Amanda Cole novels. Thanks to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a disappointing read. It was just kind of a dismal story, and I had been looking for more of a thriller.

The writing wasn't really grabbing me from the start, hence the long time it took me to finally finish it

I had empathy for the main character, and the issues of morality regarding her father (and her), but man it was just told so very flatly. Even the the two main characters thinking about what was or wasn't moral about their decisions came across like an unemotional robot was contemplating the morality, not a human being who had had interactions within a family and relationships with others.

The various timelines were distracting, and I am indeed a fan of flashbacks and differing timelines to build tension, but this, this was just a an odd mess of timelines and at times odd POV narratives from minor characters.

The Helsinki Affair is an explosive tale of treachery and deception that details the dark side of espionage. Anna Pitoniak drops this fresh take on historical spy craft and how one decision can affect decades leading to built up tension and suspense.

Learning to embrace her new career as a CIA station chief, Amanda Cole has been primed for this her whole life. Her Father Charlie was an Agent in the CIA as well with some questionable history. Cole is met by a junior Russian GRU contact who warns of an imminent threat to an American official.

Cole learns of some problematic decision making from fellow agents as she’s thrust into investigation mode. While learning that her families history has a large part of damage potentially done to the United States best interests, she must focus on keeping her contact alive and the U.S. safe.

Pitoniak brings to life a story of deceit and redemption by one career family and really embraces the spy culture from beginning to end. You get a story that spans decades that will take you on the journey from exciting opportunities to fallacy riddled decisions that preempts death. This isn’t your normal action backed blockbuster drama, but a detailed look at how tedious and methodical the life of a spook is.

The character buildup from beginning to end is amazing as you get to know the Cole family and why father and daughter are so much alike, yet so different. The story tracks easily from the start with a whole host of Russian and American characters, all with their own unique problems and quirks. Internal conflict is present as well as Pitoniak cleverly jumps from problems in personnel, to decision making issues that Cole must resolve before moving forward. I really enjoyed this one as it has a classy cinematic feel while blending decades of espionage.

I love stories of female spies and this Cold War story had me sucked in from page 1. I also appreciated how Pitoniak addressed the complicated history between the US, Afghanistan and Russia and the ethical issues and guilt that come with the attempt to prevent the assassination of a US Senator.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the copy to review.

Anna Pitoniak's The Helsinki Affair is the authors follow up to Our American Friend, Necessary People, and The Futures. Pitoniak aimed to give readers a female heroine in the same league as the men in classic spy thrillers and I think she did a valiant job. 40 something Amanda Cole is a brilliant CIA officer following in the footsteps of her father, who was a spy during the Cold War. Amanda has worked for the CIA for 17 years. She is now in her second year as Deputy Station Chief for the CIA in Italy.

One day, a possible Russian defector by the name of Konstantin Semonov approaches the America Embassy claiming that he has important information about Senator Robert Vogel whose life may be in danger in Cairo, Egypt. Though Amanda takes the warning seriously, her superiors don’t. Twenty-four hours later, the senator is dead. And the assassination is just the beginning. After the Senator dies, Amanda is summoned back to the States where she assumes the new title of CIA Station Chief.

Amanda soon learns that Senator Vogel's Chief of Staff has discovered some cryptic notes about ongoing Russian operation, directed by the GRU unit 29155, that manipulates the stock markets using viral social media posts. *This is not all that far fetched since a whole lot of Fake News is spread by Trolls and Bots in both Russia and China* The Senator's notes also mentions Amanda's father name (also a CIA agent). Amanda decides to push ahead and not recuse herself from discovering the truth.

Teaming up with Kath Frost, a fearless older woman and legendary spy, Amanda races from Rome to London, from St. Petersburg to Helsinki, unraveling the international conspiracy. But as she gets closer and closer to the truth, a central question haunts her: Why was her father’s name written down in the senator’s notes? What does Charlie Cole really know about the Kremlin plot? Will she protect him and risk the career she prizes above everything? Or will Amanda sacrifice her beloved father and shatter his reputation to prove her fealty to the agency to which she has dedicated her life?

*Thoughts* The story goes back and forth in time between Amanda’s current operation and her father’s time as a spy in Helsinki in the 1980s. Both stories involve double crosses, traitors and the whole trust factor. I will say that I felt nothing for Charlie. People like him should have been imprisoned for life. One of the key factors in this story was Russia's ability to manipulate stupid Americans into doing what they asked. One could also say this about American business owners doing business in China where you are required to allow them to own a piece of your company which leads to theft of intellectual properties.

If you are asking yourself if it was a coincidence that I read two Espionage thrillers back to back, the answer is no. I just happen to like stories from the 1980's and 1990's when Russia and the US had not only double agents, but sometimes triple agents. When the US was funneling money and weapons to the group who would one day be lead by Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, while the Russians were using traitorous CIA agents to leak important information that would have exposed all of deep cover CIA agents in the Middle East. Do I have an underlying hatred for the CIA? You are damned right.

I always love a good spy story! This book takes us around the world with Amanda Cameron, CIA section leader based in Rome. Her father Charlie was an agency in Helsinki 30 years earlier and Amanda gets drawn into a dicey situation because of that. Female spies by a female author!

The Helsinki Affair was really enjoyable. I love a good spy thriller to break up my other reads. I would read more from the author.