The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay

The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay, 368 p.

"Near the end of the Cold War, a CIA code breaker discovers a symbol she recognizes from her childhood, which launches her across the world to the heart of Berlin just before the wall comes tumbling down. November 1989 —After finding a secret cache of letters with intelligence buried in the text, CIA cryptographer Luisa Voekler learns that not only is her father alive but he is languishing in an East German Stasi jail. After piecing together the letters with a series of articles her grandfather saved, Luisa seeks out journalists Bran Bishop and Daniel Rudd. They send her to the CIA, to Andrew Cademan—her boss. Luisa confronts Cademan and learns that nothing is a coincidence, but he will not help her free her father. So she takes matters into her own hands, empties her bank account, and flies to West Berlin. As the adrenaline wears off and she recognizes she has no idea how to proceed, Luisa is both relieved and surprised when a friend shows up with contacts and a rudimentary plan to sneak her across the wall. Alternating storylines between Luisa and her father, The Berlin Letters shows the tumultuous early days of the wall, bringing Berlin, the epicenter of the Cold War, to life while also sharing one family’s journey through secrets, lies, and division to love, freedom, and reconciliation."--Goodreads blurb

Reay is a new author for me, and I found myself very impressed with her writing style and storytelling. The dual narration helped this story cruise along at a pace that was perfect. A well-researched historical novel is hard to beat, and add in a historical era that not a lot of authors write about, and you have a fascinating journey into days past that is so engrossing you won't want to put it down. An absolutely fantastic read.
 

Redoubt by Mercedes Lackey

 

Redoubt by Mercedes Lackey - 330 pages

Collegium Chronicles #4

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Mags, a young Herald trainee in Haven, the capital city of the kingdom of Valdemar, has talents not commonly found in Herald trainees. Recognizing this, the King's Own Herald decides to train Mags as a spy in order to uncover the secrets of a mysterious new enemy who has taken an interest in Mags himself. Why is the even deeper mystery. The answers can only be found in the most unexpected corners of Mags' past...assuming he can live long enough to find them.

Changes by Mercedes Lackey

 

Changes by Mercedes Lackey - 326 pages

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 

Enter the thrilling third volume in the epic Collegium Chronicles. In Mercedes Lackey's classic coming-of-age story, the orphan Magpie pursues his quest for his parent's identity with burning urgency-while also discovering another hidden talent and being trained by the King's Own Herald as an undercover agent for Valdemar. Shy Bardic Trainee Lena has to face her famous but uncaring father, one of Valdemar's most renowned Bards. And Healing Trainee Bear must struggle against his disapproving parents, who are pressuring Bear to quit the Healers' Collegium because he lacks the magical Healing Gift.

Each of the three friends must face his or her demons and find their true strength as they seek to become the full Heralds, Bards, and Healers of Valdemar.

A Tip For the Hangman by Allison Epstein

 

A Tip For the Hangman by Allison Epstein – 374 p.

 Elizabethan poet, playwright and all-around rake Christopher Marlowe is compelled into service by Elizabeth I’s spy network. The more effort he puts into successfully completing his assignments so that he can go back to his writing and his lover, the more entrapped he becomes in the duplicitous, man-eat-man web of espionage. Debut novelist Epstein brings the dangerous world of Renaissance politics to life and weaves an exciting story from the known facts of Marlowe’s short life. Even Will Shakespeare makes a couple of cameos.

Command Authority by Tom Clancy

 

Command Authority by Tom Clancy with Mark Greaney

(Jack Ryan #9)

740 pages / 17 hrs, 53 mins

"Decades ago, when he was a young CIA analyst, President Jack Ryan, Sr. was sent on what was supposed to be a simple support mission to investigate the death of an operative who had been looking into suspicious banking activities at a Swiss bank. Ryan's dogged tenacity uncovered not only financial deceit, but also the existence of a KGB assassin, code-named Zenith. He was never able to find the killer. But in the shadowy world of covert operations, nothing stays hidden forever. In the present, a new strongman has emerged in the ever-chaotic Russian republic--the enigmatic President Valeri Volodin. His rise to power was meteoric, but shrouded in deception and treachery. The foundations of his personal empire are built on a bloody secret from his past, and he will eliminate anyone who comes close to that truth. For he has set in motion a plot to return Russia to its former glory and might, with the rest of the world once again trembling in fear of the mighty Bear. When an old friend of the Ryans is poisoned by a radioactive agent, the trail leads to Russia. And Jack Ryan, Jr. -- aided by his compatriots John Clark and the covert warriors of the secretive Campus -- must delve into an international conflict thirty years in the making, and finish what his father started." (from the publisher)

I think this is the first Tom Clancy novel I've read. It was very well written, as one would expect. The technical details were beyond my comprehension and there were a lot of characters to keep track of, however, I was able to follow the story reasonably well. I give it four out of five stars.

In the Enemy's House by Howard Blum

In the Enemy's House by Howard Blum
336 pages / 11 hrs, 12 mins

"In 1946, genius linguist and codebreaker Meredith Gardner discovered that the KGB was running an extensive network of strategically placed spies inside the United States, whose goal was to infiltrate American intelligence and steal the nation's military and atomic secrets. Over the course of the next decade, he and young FBI supervisor Bob Lampshere worked together on Venona, a top-secret mission to uncover the Soviet agents and protect the Holy Grail of Cold War espionage--the atomic bomb...

"A breathtaking chapter of American history and a page-turning mystery that plays out against the tense, life-and-death gamesmanship of the Cold War, this twisting thriller begins at the end of World War II and leads all the way to the execution of the Rosenbergs--a result that haunted both Gardner and Lampshere to the end of their lives."  --from the publisher

It can't be easy to write about breaking codes and solving puzzles in an engaging way, but Blum managed it very well. Even with lots of real-life characters in the mix, the story is exciting and easy to follow. I give it four out of five stars.

The Hills Have Spies by Mercedes Lackey

The Hills Have Spies: A Novel of Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey - 360 pages
Family Spies - Book One

Mags and Amily are happily married with three children when a Herald near the Pelagirs asks for help.  It seems people are going missing. So Mags heads out with his oldest son Perry to see if they can figure out what is going on.  Perry is gifted with animal mindspeech which allows him to bond with the kyree Larral.  Things are going well until Perry and Larral decide to take matters into their own hands and investigate the "city" when people are disappearing.  Now he is trapped in that "city" and he must work to escape and protect those he cares for.

This is the first book in the Family Spies series set in Valdemar.  It follows the children of previous series' characters Mags and Amily as they find their way as spies.  I enjoyed this book.  I've already started on the second book.  Hopefully, the third book comes out soon.

Tightrope by Amanda Quick

Tightrope by Amanda Quick - 309 pages

A man has just been killed by a robot in front of an entire audience during a demonstration.  Amalie is horrified at what she sees.  However, she's is even more horrified when the newcomer to town shows up at her bed and breakfast investigating the murder.  Matthias has ties to local mobster Luther Pell.  Now, to save her business before it fails from all the negative publicity, Amalie must work with Matthias to discover just what happened.

This is the third book in Amanda Quick's Burning Cove mystery series set in 1930s California.  It is also the first one to reintroduce her popular Jones family from her previous Arcane Society series.  I enjoyed the book.  I thought the mystery was well done.  The book did a good job of hiding the identity of the villain until the end.  I did find it strange that after all the Arcane Society books which wholly embraced the idea of psychics that this book did its best to downplay the idea -- never coming out one way or the other on whether it was true they existed or not.

Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas

Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas - 391 pages
The Ravenels, bk 4

Dr. Garrett Gibson, the only female physician in England, and Ethan Ransom, a former Scotland Yard detective, have always had sparks between them.  Now those sparks are turning romantic just as Ethan is becoming embroiled in a national conspiracy.  Will they be able to protect each other while also finding their love for each other?

This is the fourth book in The Ravenels series of historical romances by Lisa Kleypas.  This book focuses on a bastard son who doesn't want any connection with the Ravenels.  I thought the first half of the book was pretty slow.  However, it picked up in the second half.  It was interesting to see a hopelessly romantic male lead for a change.  Not the strongest book in the series, but still interesting to read.

Women of the Blue & Gray: True Civil War Stories of Mothers, Medics, Soldiers, and Spies by Marianne Monson

Women of the Blue & Gray: True Civil War Stories of Mothers, Medics, Soldiers, and Spies by Marianne Monson-230 pages

I read this for the Non-fiction challenge this month. I also happen to be very interested in Civil War history. I learned quite a bit about women in the Civil War. Some women disguised themselves as men and enlisted and others followed husbands or brothers into enlistment. One woman, Jennie Hodgers, took the identity of a man named Albert D. J. Cashier to enlist and went by that name and dressed as a man for nearly 50 years after the Civil War before she was discovered. Many women served as spies, nurses, and doctors during the war, also. Although, it would take many years and much cajoling for many of the women who served in these capacities to be paid for their service. Women had to volunteer (and not get paid) as nurses or doctors to start the war. Women such as Lydia Maria Child, Harriet Tubman, Susie Baker King Taylor, Clara Barton, the Grimke sisters, Mother Bickerdyke, Dr. Mary Walker, Ellen Orbison Harris, Mary Ann Shadd Cary, Harriet Jacobs, Cornelia Peake McDonald, and Virginia Mason McLean (who had the distinction of witnessing both the first real battle and the surrender of Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia near her house) are discussed in various detail, along with many others. I found this to be an informative, enlightening read.

Alex Rider: Never Say Die by Anthony Horowitz

Alex Rider: Never Say Die by Anthony Horowitz - 353 pages

It's been a month since Alex Rider was broken by the death of his caretaker Jack.  Then he receives an email that indicates she's still alive.  Now Alex is traveling to Egypt, France and England following the clues.  While trying to find her, he stumbles upon a plot against England and he's drawn into saving the world yet again.

This is the 11th book in the teen spy Alex Rider book series and a great entry in the series.  A definite must read for those who have enjoyed the earlier books.

Artemis by Andy Weir

Artemis by Andy Weir - 305 pages

This new novel from the author of the bestseller The Martian doesn't disappoint.  Jasmine Bashara is living on the Moon city of Artemis and trying to scrape by and stay under the radar with her smuggling side hustle.  A wealth client offers her the opportunity of a lifetime in return for executing a very dangerous bit of sabotage on a competitor.  The intrigue gets even deeper involving murder and corporate espionage.  Plus its all happening on the Moon! 

Weir continues to use real science to back up his "science fiction" so the world he builds comes across as eminently plausible.  Plus the very true to life characters draw you in and make you root for them to succeed even if what they are doing is technically a crime. 

To Catch an Heiress by Julia Quinn

To Catch an Heiress by Julia Quinn - 377 pages

Caroline is running away from her odious guardian and his son when she is mistaken for a spy by English espionage agent Blake Ravenscroft.  However, this is fine with her as it will mean she's hidden away for a time and her guardian won't be able to find her.  Ravenscroft is horrified to discover the mistake and that she will then have to spend even more time his company -- horrified as he is starting to fall in love with her.

I found this historical novel to be fun and amusing.  Although the subject matter of espionage, treason, and rape are incredibly serious, the book was very humorous. 

The Billion Dollar Spy by David E. Hoffman

The Billion Dollar Spy: A True Story of Cold War Espionage and Betrayal by David E. Hoffman -312 pages

Adolph Tolkachev was a Moscow-based engineer specializing in radar systems for the Soviet military who began spying for the C.I.A. in 1978. He was motivated by the oppressive communist regime and its empty slogans of a better future. After several unsuccessful attempts to contact the C.I.A.'s Moscow station, he began passing technical information that saved the U.S. billions in research costs in countering Soviet radar and aircraft development. He was not discovered by Soviet authorities, but betrayed by a former C.I.A. employee. The author thoroughly covers the craft of espionage, and leaves a sense of admiration for a man who was not a traitor, but a Russian patriot.

Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare

Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare - 376 pages

All Charlotte Highwood wanted was to convince her mother and her best friend's parents that they should be allowed to go on Tour together to Italy.  That's before she is trapped into a marriage proposal by two lovers that everyone assumes is Charlotte and Lord Granville.  Now Charlotte must solve the mystery of the lovers to save herself and Lord Granville from a loveless marriage.

I found this historical romance to be fun and entertaining.  It was interesting to see the twists in the various mysteries in the book.  I look forward to reading more of the author's books.

Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson

Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson - 310 pages

Verity Newton is new to New York City in 1888 looking for work as a governess.  She's lucky in finding a job her first day of interviews.  She thinks her luck is continuing when she meets a group of friends.  Turns out these friends are all involved in a rebellion against the British government trying to win their freedom.  She agrees to act a spy for these mechanics against the magisters (including her employer).  But is everything as it seems?

This is the first in a trilogy about an alternate America where British magicians kept the colonies from rebelling.  I really enjoyed this first book and can't wait to read the next two books in the series.

The Girl Who Knew Too Much by Amanda Quick

The Girl Who Knew Too Much by Amanda Quick - 533 pages

Reporter Irene Glasson is determined to prove that rising actor Nick Tremayne is killing off the women in his past.  Hotel owner Oliver Ward helps her as the latest murder occurred at this hotel.

I listened to the audio version of Amanda Quick's latest historical novel.  It's a departure from her usual historical romances as she has written about 1930s Hollywood.  I thought the narration of this audio was excellent.

Otherwise Engaged by Amanda Quick

Otherwise Engaged by Amanda Quick - 342 pages

Amity and Benedict have two big problems.  First, they are trying to discover a spy that shot Benedict and stole a valuable notebook.  Second, they must find the crazed serial killer that has targeted Amity before he can try to kill her again.

This was an enjoyable historical romance by Amanda Quick (pen name for Jayne Ann Krentz).  I enjoyed the audio version of this book.  The narrator did a good job of distinguishing between the characters with accents and dialects.  The mystery aspects were well done and kept you guessing until the reveal at the end.

The Girl With the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn

The Girl With the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn - 374 pages
A Bridgerton Prequel

Cecilia Harcourt travels to America when she receives notice that her brother has been injured in the fighting.  However, when she arrives she can't find her brother.  Instead she finds his best friend Edward in a coma.  She lies, saying she is his wife, so that she can care for him.  When Edward awakes he has lost three months of memories and while he has no recollection of their marriage he does remember their correspondence.  What will happen when he discovers the truth?

This is the second prequel to the popular Bridgerton series even though this book has no real connection with the Bridgerton family.  Still, I enjoyed the book and finished it in one sitting.

Rendezvous by Amanda Quick

Rendezvous by Amanda Quick - 384 pages

Augusta Ballinger is shocked to discover that Harry, the Earl of Graystone has asked her to be his wife.  He is a man concerned with the proprieties while August has taken after her more reckless family.  Surely, they're not a good match . . .

I started listening to this audiobook for last month's one-word title challenge.  However, I didn't finish it in time.  However, it also fits this month's challenge of historical fiction.  I enjoyed this audio version of Amanda Quick's historical romance.  It was fun listen with a little mystery thrown in.