Meanwhile, CIA agent Claire Saylor is sent to Berlin to contact a ranking Stasi officer, although details of her mission are suspiciously sketchy and her superior seems to have a hidden agenda. The body of a former Stasi officer is found in the woods outside Berlin just months after the Wall comes down.

Winter Work | Author Dan Fesperman Winter Work | Author Dan Fesperman

Though he may be a member of the notorious Stasi, Grimm is a surprisingly sympathetic character who is trying to secure his place in the West. She has, almost predictably, a harsh female boss who is not about to take the blame if anything goes wrong.

I like the emotional aspects of the book, especially Emil's relationships with his wife Bettina and Karola.

Winter Work’ by Dan Fesperman - WSJ Mysteries: ‘Winter Work’ by Dan Fesperman - WSJ

This fast paced thriller showcases the immediate recalibration triggered by the fall of the Berlin Wall. Fesperman accurately depicts the corrosive effect of life under a surveillance society, debasing both the watchers and the watched. Lots of walking in wintery woods, drinking coffee and beers in cafe's, driving shitty cars, endless boring dialogues. It's worth noting that the book's first 60% may come across as slow-paced to some readers, as it features a lot of exposition and interaction.His employer—indeed, his country—was being stripped as bare of its cloaking as the oaks and beeches. Set in Berlin and its surroundings in 1990, just after the fall of the Berlin Wall, this quietly gripping novel based on a real CIA operation involving gaining access to intelligence contained within old Stasi files is spy fiction just the way I like it - atmospheric and suspenseful, taking its time as it slowly draws the reader deeper into its intriguing plot.

WINTER WORK | Kirkus Reviews WINTER WORK | Kirkus Reviews

Thanks to real texture and substance, based on an actual, famed CIA operation, this tale is both remarkable and unconventional.Germany was split into two countries, with the western half becoming the democratic Federal Republic of Germany (FDR or West Germany) and the eastern section the socialist German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany). On a walk through the hilly countryside, he comes upon a team of the Stasi’s secret police examining a corpse by the side of the nearby lake.

Winter Work,’ by Dan Fesperman - The New York Times Review: ‘Winter Work,’ by Dan Fesperman - The New York Times

The Stasi officer doesn't show up to his meeting, but a brutal squad of Russians do, and Claire barely manages to escape. It was fascinating to read that if not for the unique chemistry and understanding between Bush, Kohl and Gorbachev, Reunification probably would not have happened. Winter Work is an excellent addition to Fesperman's body of work and a must-read for fans of the spy thriller genre. In the “Acknowledgements,” Fesperman states “The details and timetable of Rosenholz remain cloaked in secrecy” (p.With the rules of the game changing quickly, and as their two missions intersect, Emil and Claire find themselves on unlikely common ground, fighting for their lives against a powerful enemy lurking in the shadows. And that puts him at a great disadvantage when the KGB arrives on the scene in league with the East German secret police. The CIA saw this as an opportunity to contact former Stasi members and offer rewards for their cooperation. The Berlin Wall has just fallen, but following the murder of a close colleague, disillusioned Stasi veteran Emil Grimm finds that escaping his life in East Germany is as risky as ever. Fesperman reveals suspense-filled spy novel drawing richly from real life characters and events and utilising authentic spy tradecraft, a favourite feature among spy fans.