The Berlin Letters

A Cold War Novel

De: Katherine Reay

Narrado por: Saskia Maarleveld, Ann Marie Gideon, P. J. Ochlan

"Fans of codebreakers, spies, and Cold War dramas will be entrapped by Reay's tale of courage, love, and honor set against the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall." - Booklist Starred Review

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.

• A Cold War novel that takes readers to the heart of Berlin to witness both the early and final days of the Berlin Wall
• Stand-alone novel
• Book length: approximately 107,000 words

Reseñas de la Crítica

'Both a gripping tale of espionage and a moving portrait of a family ripped apart, THE BERLIN LETTERS offers readers a fascinating glimpse at a fraught period of all-too-recent history and the people caught in the crosshairs of geopolitics who chose, each in their own way, to fight back.'

'Both deeply moving and edge-of-your-seat suspenseful, THE BERLIN LETTERS is an eloquent reminder of the brutal totalitarianism of Soviet Communism and the unsung heroes who fought to tear down the Iron Curtain and free Eastern Europe.'

'Fans of codebreaker and espionage-centered historical fiction, like Kate Quinn's THE ROSE CODE or Ariel Lawhon's CODE NAME HELENE, will find much to appreciate here.'

'Fans of codebreakers, spies, and Cold War dramas will be entrapped by Reay's tale of courage, love, and honor set against the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall.'

'It's a beautiful story with a perfect ending: the fall of the wall. But it also should serve as a cautionary tale.'

'Surrounding the Cold War and the fall of the Berlin Wall, Reay's action-packed novel is told in dual-narrative form between a daughter with a rebellious streak and her father's buried secrets. A story of hope and resilience, THE BERLIN LETTERS is a thrilling story full of intrigue, espionage, code-breaking, and at its core, loyalty and humanity. You won't be able to put it down!'

'THE BERLIN LETTERS is a thrilling read that has it all: secret codes, espionage, and a fascinating glimpse into the world behind the Berlin Wall. Katherine Reay always delivers well-researched historical fiction with a perfect blend of heartwarming characters and fast-paced action. Fans of historical spy novels are going to love this enthralling read!'

The immense fear and suffering

I really enjoyed this audiobook. It gave us a glimpse of the betrayal, sorrow and fear brought on by the separation of families and abuses, experienced by those living under an oppressive regime. After witnessing the fall of the Berlin wall over the news many years ago, I enjoyed the perspective from those living trapped by it. I really enjoyed the narrations using different voices and accents. It made it seem more real and easy to follow.

the believable story as it was so much based on fact

it was true from the description of what East Berlin was like at the time compared to West when I saw it in 1970

Very well written and an interesting take on the wall.

I learned a lot about the Berlin wall and the happenings around this long-standing event. I had never really had much exposure into this piece of history so it was very enlightening. Love the readers!!

Courage in the face of hopelessness

A well researched and written book. so much sacrifice, so much suffering and mistrust. Reay did an excellent job presenting the facts in a fictional setting.

Excellent book for listening!

This book takes place during of a piece of history which is too easily forgotten- The Cold War and the division between Western Democratic Europe and in Soviet controlled Eastern Europe. Through the very human characters we are put in touch with with the gnarly postwar divided Berlin situation which is endured for many years by many brave people. The compelling characters are made so because of the great readers with excellent acting skills. . It is not a book with the same narrator throughout. Each character has their own voice and as a listener you look forward to each character's account. It is like listening to a live play. Very thought-provoking and enjoyable.