Winter Work

A Novel

By: Dan Fesperman

Narrated by: Dan Fesperman

Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

An exhilarating spy thriller inspired by a true story about the precious secrets up for grabs just after the fall of the Berlin Wall—from the acclaimed author of The Cover Wife • “Fesperman accurately depicts the corrosive effect of life under a surveillance society, debasing both the watchers and the watched.... Most Cold War spy novels focus on the Manichaean ideological struggle between East and West; this one successfully explores a grayer era.”—Ben Macintyre, The New York Times Book Review

On a chilly early morning walk on the wooded outskirts of Berlin, Emil Grimm finds the body of his neighbor, a fellow Stasi officer named Lothar, with a gunshot wound to the temple and a pistol in his right hand. Despite appearances, Emil suspects murder. A few months earlier he would have known just what to do, but now, as East Germany disintegrates, being a Stasi colonel is more of a liability than an asset. More troubling still is that Emil and Lothar were involved in a final clandestine mission, one that has clearly turned deadly. Now Emil must finish the job alone, on uncertain ground where old alliances seem to be shifting by the day.

Meanwhile, CIA agent Claire Saylor, sent to Berlin to assist an Agency mop-up action against their collapsing East German adversaries, has just received an upgrade to her assignment. She'll be the designated contact for a high-ranking foreign intelligence officer of the Stasi, although details are suspiciously sketchy. When her first rendezvous goes dangerously awry, she realizes the mission is far more delicate than she was led to believe.

With the rules of the game changing fast, and as their missions intersect, Emil and Claire find themselves on unlikely common ground, fighting for their lives against a powerful enemy hiding in the shadows.

©2022 Dan Fesperman (P)2022 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

BEST OF THE YEAR: Amazon's Best Mysteries and Thrillers of 2022 • Amazon Editor's Choice • Oprah Daily's Favorite Books of 2022

"This masterful historical thriller blends espionage, domestic drama, and murder. In 1989, the fall of the Berlin Wall marked the final coda to the Cold War and ushered in massive geopolitical and social change. . . . This evocative murder mystery vividly captures what happened on the Eastern side of the wall on a political level—including how the cache of secrets ultimately found its way to the CIA—and a personal one, from the perspective of an unusual protagonist, a sympathetic East German spy with a complicated and messy home life."—Oprah Daily, "Our Favorite Books of 2022"

"Winter Work is a gripping, tightly plotted old-school spy novel. . . . Claire [Saylor] makes a welcome return from Fesperman's last book, The Cover Wife. . . . Berlin—'spying's most storied theme park'—is vividly rendered, as is a time of convulsive change and the hopes, anxieties, and machinations of those caught up in the chaos."—Minneapolis Star-Tribune

"Winter Work is Mr. Fesperman’s 13th novel of spycraft and international intrigue. Like its predecessors, it does not disappoint.”—The Wall Street Journal

A spy story after the fall

I tackled this novel again after failing to finish it last year, mainly because I felt the book had gotten off to a slow start. I’m glad I stuck it out this time, as tension builds to a satisfying climax. Dan Fesperman’s “Winter Work” is well-researched and passes the plausibility test for a spy thriller set in the chaotic period after the fall of the Berlin Wall. East German Stasi officers are scrambling to trade secrets with the West to save their skins, or so it seems, with their former patron the KGB standing in their way. Stasi officer Emil Grimm is the hero of the story. He cares for his dying wife Bettina, who has graciously encouraged his relationship with his widowed “housekeeper,” Karola, who had a surprising earlier profession. He’s out for these women, not himself, so he wins our sympathy. CIA officer Claire Saylor is the heroine, and she does the right things to help Emil, with little help from a calculating boss who puts her in danger. Winter Work is well-written and a worthy read.

intriguing story

author read the action filled story with a seriousness befitting the story. could easily become a screenplay andva darned good one too!

Incredible Spy Series - Great on its on

Not only can Fesperman write, he’s a first class narrator as well. Filled with detail, while armed with great adventure, Winter Work is the best kind of spy novel. Great characters with twists, betrayals and suspense.

A good detective book

Entertaining. A well written story. Decent reader. Interesting ending credits. Enjoyed the imagery. I would recommend this book.

torn between 4 1/2 and 5 stars....

My first read of Dan Fesperman's work....well written, engrossing story line, and in my opinion, wonderfully narrated by the author. I don't particularly like making comparisons. Being a professional musician, it's like saying Scarlatti's music is kind of like Mozart's, but it is not Mozart. So when I say that Fesperman's work contains elements that reminded me of Alec Gerlis, with a touch of Mick Herron, it's totally subjective. Fesperman catches the vibe of post wall Berlin quite convincingly. The characters are real enough, and the book is superbly researched, with the author employing his own experiences in Berlin during the mid 1990's.
I thought the ending was a bit too hurried and "wrapped up".. probably, I just wanted the novel to continue on, which I imagine, can be a good thing.
I would recommend this book to espionage aficionados, if even just for the history aspect.

Fascinating story expertly woven…

All of the essential components of a great spy story are here. But like the masters of the genre, this book rises above the fray by telling compelling personal stories that are every bit as interesting as the cloak and dagger “trade craft” of the larger plot line. These characters feel real, three dimensional and relatable. Excellent narration by the author, looking forward to more!

Both exciting and interesting.

This is a very well researched & interesting historical novel about the chaos in post ww2 Germany

Gripping.

The narrator took hold of your attention from the first paragraph, the characters held my interest, and the story wrapped me in its web that I couldn't escape, nor did I want to leave. A must read for everyone!

I very much enjoyed this story.

I was an Army nurse CPT in Frankfurt from 1984 to 1987. My favorite trip was to take the duty train to Berlin and of course it was free. The BOQ at Tempelhof was about $7.00 a night. I took the US duty train multiple times and the French duty train once and the British once and then drove my car once. Of course, It required Flag orders, remove all ID when crossing border into East Germany. I always shopped in East Germany and took my teenage kids. Checkpoint Charlie and the Checkpoint Charlie museum, etc. I shopped in East Berlin at the Alexander Platz and nearby shops. One time, the US consulate arranged for tickets for myself, spouse and mother to see Opera in East Berlin as well as dinner at Russian restaurant. It was only a couple of years later, when it all changed and the "wall" came down, but I was at home by then. The briefing to all assigned in Germany at that time, was very serious and disturbing and when in Berlin , even more so. Such as telephone conversation precautions, being approached by friendly stranger, and possible attempt to get information from you. East Berlin was grey and bullet holes remained in the buildings, Very clear no repairs from WWII damage. Compared to West Berlin, and the Kudamm street with the store, KaDeWe, with two floors of food halls. It was like being in Harrods in London. This book captures that time for me.

Winter Work Exposes the Stasi’s Last Stand

Winter Work depicts the shifting sands of the Stasi’s final days as the Russians and American spies vie for influence. The narration by the author is superb. The ending is the weak link.