A brilliant complex spy story that reads fast and furious. The ending was breathtaking and unexpected. A wonderful read that Icould not put down.

Another excellent novel by Joseph Kanon, focusing on the aftermath of WWII in Germany...and the ongoing battle between the East and the West, the Americans vs. the Russians, democracy vs. communism. Alex Meier, a renowned author has been caught up in the communist mania in the US and has been ousted from the country. But he makes a deal to work with the CIA and work as a spy in East Berlin. Immediately upon his arrival, the action starts. This is really an old-school, spy novel. Alex is a novice and quickly has to find out who he can trust and how much of his soul he is willing to part with to stay alive. The author brings the struggle in East Berlin to life...the struggle between the true believers in an East German socialist state, a final opportunity to move past the Nazis...but instead, they have gotten in bed with the Russians and are just starting to realize they may be the same, if not worse than what they had just gotten free of. I found this to be an engaging read, that kept me turning the pages...needing to know what was going to happen to Alex. I loved the end of the book...it was poignant and memorable.

I received a copy of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review