The Berlin Letters + Giveaway

Bestselling author Katherine Reay returns with an unforgettable tale of the Cold War and a CIA code breaker who risks everything to free her father from an East German prison.

From the time she was a young girl, Luisa Voekler has loved solving puzzles and cracking codes. Brilliant and logical, she’s expected to quickly climb the career ladder at the CIA. But while her coworkers have moved on to thrilling Cold War assignments—especially in the exhilarating era of the late 1980s—Luisa’s work remains stuck in the past decoding messages from World War II.

Journalist Haris Voekler grew up a proud East Berliner. But as his eyes open to the realities of postwar East Germany, he realizes that the Soviet promises of a better future are not coming to fruition. After the Berlin Wall goes up, Haris finds himself separated from his young daughter and all alone after his wife dies. There’s only one way to reach his family—by sending coded letters to his father-in-law who lives on the other side of the Iron Curtain.

When Luisa Voekler discovers a secret cache of letters written by the father she has long presumed dead, she learns the truth about her grandfather’s work, her father’s identity, and why she has never progressed in her career. With little more than a rudimentary plan and hope, she journeys to Berlin and risks everything to free her father and get him out of East Berlin alive.

As Luisa and Haris take turns telling their stories, events speed toward one of the twentieth century’s most dramatic moments—the fall of the Berlin Wall and that night’s promise of freedom, truth, and reconciliation for those who lived, for twenty-eight years, behind the bleak shadow of the Iron Curtain’s most iconic symbol.

My Review:

I’ve been mulling over what to say in a review for a few days now, trying to find the words to convey the impact this story had on me. Maybe because of the political times we live in world wide — so many people are living out their own Iron Curtain situations, or can see the threat looming on the horizon. And even in countries where democracy is supposedly safeguarded, the perils of exclusion, book bans, groups of people being treated as ‘other’ etc. is very real. So, to say ‘The Berlin Letters’ got me thinking would be an understatement. This is definitely the kind of read that will sit with me for a long time to come.

Reay has done an exceptional job of merging two timelines into a cohesive whole with the kind of block buster ending worthy of an Oscar. In fact, I could easily imagine this novel in cinematic splendour. The author’s descriptions of setting and character emotions brought everything into sharp focus and made me feel my way through to the spectacular ending.

The espionage/thriller aspects had me gasping out loud and I was so invested in Luisa’s family history mystery I couldn’t stop reading…well listening. (I highly recommend the audio book. The multi-narration delivered by Saskia Maarleveld, Ann Marie Gideon and P.J. Ochlan is stunning. Their portrayal of these characters really added to my emotional investment in the story.)

I read a lot of fiction and love most of what I read but, once in awhile a spectacular novel comes my way and I know it’s spectacular because I am changed for having read it. ‘The Berlin Letters’ is that kind of book. The author challenged some of my preconceived ideas and opened my heart to being more understanding and accepting and I am grateful for that.

My thanks to Harper Muse audiobooks and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of The Berlin Letters.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook copy available to anyone with a US Kindle account (.com) 

Canadians will have a choice of receiving an Amazon.ca gift card towards the purchase of an ebook OR the option of an audible.ca edition.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Berlin Letters , leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday March 9 2024.

36 thoughts on “The Berlin Letters + Giveaway”

  2. Always interesting when someone writes a book (fiction) about the 2 sides of the wall east/west. Book sounds fantastic to me. Can’t wait to read it. Thanks Kav for reading and reviewing the book.

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  4. Had to give a shout out for this author and her new book. WOW! What a gripping, eye-opening novel. I think it’s the authors best! Thanks for your review!

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  7. Good morning, Kav. this sounds like a wonderful story. Did you ever read Michael Phillips’ series, the Secret of the Rose? Your review made me think of those books. It also reminded me of when I was very young, in the years after WWII. I remember the air raid drills we had in school, where we had to get under the tables. We now live in a changed world from those of the last century. We see Biblical prophecy coming to our lives. Thanks for the excellent review! I hope you have a lovely day.

    Blessings…

    may_dayzee at yahoo dot com

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    1. I haven’t read that series by Michael Phillips — thanks for the suggestion. And my library has a bunch of his books. Woohoo! I’ve only read one book by him set in Scotland. You had air raid drills and these days our kids have school shooter drills. You’d think we’d learn a thing or two from history yet here we are. Happy Reading, Kay!

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  9. I recently read my first Katherine Reay book, A Shadow in Moscow, and immediately put all of her books on my to be read list. Thanks for your review!

    Sandyavery at comcast dot net

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  11. From your review and all I have read about this book, I know it is one I would enjoy! Sounds like a thriller!

    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

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  12. that is quite a review! I’ve only read a few of her books, but I really enjoyed The London House most recently

    pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  13. What a review!!! Now I can’t wait to read this one too. It definitely sounds like something I would love and enjoy. Katherine Reay is a new author for me. Thank you Kav for such a wide range of good books to put on our lists.

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  16. Spectacular – quite an impression on you! We don’t find as many books set during the Cold War, so this seems especially intriguing. I believe I had mentioned before hearing stories from the mother of a friend who escaped from East Germany to the West after WWII ended. A very brave young woman.  Thanks!

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    1. Oddly enough, I’ve recently read two middle grade novels set in Berlin when the wall went up. Such a fascinating time in history. Of course, this book covers more of the political background in things so it’s in a different league from the MGs — but they all delivered the emotional impact so well. So neat that you have heard first hand accounts of this time in history. We need to listen to these stories and learn from them. Good luck, CC!

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  17. This book wasn’t even on my radar but it is now! I haven’t read anything by Katherine before, the dual timeline is what excites me most.

    teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  18. I love Katherine Reay and especially for her versatility. I love Dear Mr. Knightley and The London House but understand that she’s written The Printed Letter Bookshop which goes to show that the variety is definitely there. You had me at dual timeline, too! I always appreciate a good review and a recommendation on a well narrated audiobook.

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