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The Berlin Exchange

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( 3,156 ratings, 352 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Berlin Exchange by Joseph Kanon is a gripping Cold War thriller set in the tense atmosphere of divided Berlin. The story follows a former spy, released in a prisoner swap, as he navigates the intricate web of espionage and betrayal while encountering old allies and enemies. His quest is both personal and political, aiming to reconcile a complicated past with the daunting realities of espionage.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you are captivated by historical thrillers that vividly bring Cold War Berlin to life. The narrative weaves intriguing espionage elements with personal stakes, offering a gripping look into a world filled with tension, secrets, and unexpected twists. It’s perfect for readers who appreciate a rich blend of suspense, history, and human drama.

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From master of suspense Joseph Kanon, author of the bestsellers Istanbul Passage and Leaving Berlin, an espionage thriller set at the height of the Cold War, when a captured American who has spied for the KGB is swapped by the British for some German students and returns to East Berlin needing to know who arranged his release and what they want from him.
 

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A modern master at work THE TIMES

‘Heart-poundingly suspenseful’ WASHINGTON POST

‘Joseph Kanon owns this corner of the literary landscape’ LEE CHILD

Berlin, 1963. The height of the Cold War and an early morning spy swap. On one side of the trade: Martin Keller, an American physicist who once made headlines, but who then disappeared into the English prison system. Keller's most critical possession: his American passport. His most ardent desire: to see his ex-wife Sabine and their young son.

But Martin has questions: who asked for him? Who negotiated the deal? Just the KGB bringing home one of its agents? Or, as he hopes, a more personal intervention? He has worked for the service long enough to know that nothing happens by chance. They want him for something. Not physics – his expertise is years out of date. Something else, which he cannot learn until he arrives in East Berlin, when suddenly the game is afoot.

From the master of suspense, this is an exhilarating return to Joseph Kanon’s heartland, the perilous backdrop of Berlin, now at the height of the Cold War.

PRAISE FOR JOSEPH KANON:

'An enjoyable blend of atmospherics, doomed love story and Cold War derring-do' Sunday Times

'Thoroughly absorbing, a thoughtful and subtle evocation of a place and era' Sunday Telegraph

'Kanon is fast approaching the complexity and relevance not just of le Carré and Greene but even of Orwell' New York Times

'Joseph Kanon continues to demonstrate that he is up there with the very best . . . of spy thriller writers . . . Kanon writes beautifully, superbly' The Times

'The critical stock of Joseph Kanon is high' Guardian

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Berlin Exchange by Joseph Kanon is praised as a masterful Cold War thriller that vividly captures the atmosphere of East Berlin. The book is recognised for Kanon's skillful plotting, with suspenseful and absorbing storytelling that blends espionage with psychological drama. It's frequently noted for its realistic dialogue and the deft handling of tension, keeping readers engaged through a complex, high-stakes narrative.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781398501515

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 15 September 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Simon & Schuster Ltd

Illustration: N-A

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 20.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 320

About the Author

Joseph Kanon is the Edgar Award–winning author of Los Alamos and nine other novels: The Prodigal Spy, Alibi, Stardust, Istanbul Passage, Leaving Berlin, Defectors, The Accomplice, The Berlin Exchange, and The Good German, which was made into a major motion picture starring George Clooney and Cate Blanchett. Other awards include the Hammett Award of the International Association of Crime Writers and the Human Writes Award of the Anne Frank Foundation. He lives in New York City.

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