The epitome of a classic espionage thriller, this beautifully plotted novel skilfully balances the twin narratives of a mother’s past and a daughter’s present. Testament to the strength of Fesperman’s writing is that despite the reader’s knowing Helen’s fate within the opening pages, there is still an extraordinary tension to the story of her secret past in an authentically drawn Cold-War Berlin. The main characters are utterly believable and their relationships very real.