Winter Work

A novel

By: Dan Fesperman

Narrated by: Dan Fesperman

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

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.

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.

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