I love spy novels, especially historic ones, but Dan Fesperman has missed hit mark so completely, I do wonder if he actually did any kind of research besides a very superficial one, and namedropping some historical figures in an pathetic attempt to give the novel some "atmosphere".

Winter Work by Dan Fesperman: Summary and reviews - BookBrowse Winter Work by Dan Fesperman: Summary and reviews - BookBrowse

The story leads to an exciting conclusion—a thoroughly surprising spin on the typical spies-on-the-run finale—but it is the relationships among the principals that give the novel its depth andpower. Like Joseph Kanon in The Berlin Exchange, Fesperman builds his story around the inner lives of his characters, an approach that transforms typical espionage tropes into universal human drama. Emil cleverly plays off the Volkspolizei lieutenant against the once-powerful secret policeman he’d discovered at the murder scene, involving them both in advancing his investigation. In the events that unfold in subsequent months, we learn that Emil’s interest in learning why Lothar was murdered is a very personal matter. A neighbor, Markus “Mischa” Wolf—his former boss, “the Stasi’s most renowned spymaster”—becomes involved, adding an element of danger. As does the CIA, which had sought to buy from Lothar a list of the names of all one thousand Stasi agents working throughout the West. 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 Of course, with Fischer dead, Grimm’s life is threatened by the Russians, who are also negotiating with the Americans, although the information they want to sell is not valid. Things get pretty tense as Saylor works with Grimm to get the information to the CIA before they decide to do business with the Russians.

Beyond the Book

This masterful historical thriller blends espionage, domestic drama, and murder. In 1989, the fall of the Berlin Wall marked the final coda to the Cold War and ushered in massive geopolitical and social change. . . . This evocative murder mystery vividly captures what happened on the Eastern side of the wall on a political level—including how the cache of secrets ultimately found its way to the CIA—and a personal one, from the perspective of an unusual protagonist, a sympathetic East German spy with a complicated and messy home life.”

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

He grew up in Charlotte, NC, and, as a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is a diehard Tar Heel. He is married to the journalist Liz Bowie, and they live just north of Baltimore. Their two children have moved off to adventures of their own.” Winter Work vividly captures those chaotic first months after the Berlin Wall came down, with East Germany in free fall and once feared Stasi officers running for cover—into the hands of their former enemies. An entertaining thriller about a society turned upside down.” Thanks to real texture and substance, based on an actual, famed CIA operation, this tale is both remarkable and unconventional. It’s a prize to be savored. Enjoy.” This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by

Reader Reviews

Amazing book that features known historical events surrounding the time period covering the "fall of the wall" in Berlin. Filled with action centered around multi-dimensional characters from all sides, this book cannot be put down. Excellent read! On the other side is Claire, a thirtysomething American CIA operative assigned from the Paris office. She has, almost predictably, a harsh female boss who is not about to take the blame if anything goes wrong. Her job is to meet with a Stasi officer (someone other than Grimm) who has promised to deliver names of former agents in return for his safety. Later Note: This is what happens to old people - the memory is not reliable. Of course I have read and enjoyed several books from this author! Just forgot like I forget many things. Oh well.

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

Winter Work is Mr. Fesperman’s 13th novel of spycraft and international intrigue. Like its predecessors, it does not disappoint.”

Media Reviews

Winter Work is an excellent addition to Fesperman's body of work and a must-read for fans of the spy thriller genre. It is a well-crafted novel that manages to balance historical accuracy with heart-pumping action, resulting in a book that is both educational and entertaining. One of the novel's main characters is Emil Grimm, a Stasi agent who is concerned about his future in the post-wall world. 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. Fesperman masterfully weaves together real-life historical figures such as Markus Wolf with fictional characters like Grimm, creating a world that is both evocative and suspenseful. Dan Fesperman does a fine job conveying much the same. History buffs will love it: lots of detail, not so much about life in Berlin, though that’s there, too. This is more a behind-the-scenes look at the intelligence community in 1990, the Wild West-like atmosphere of each nation trying to learn about what the dying Stasi knows. It’s actually based on a real covert operation – amazing! An exhilarating spy thriller set in East Germany after the fall of Berlin Wall, about a Stasi officer investigating the murder of a colleague who is helped by Claire Saylor, the CIA agent readers will know from Safe House and The Cover Wife.

WINTER WORK | Kirkus Reviews WINTER WORK | Kirkus Reviews

The Berlin Wall has fallen and in the ensuing power vacuum, a former Stasi officer and a CIA agent must fight for their lives. A fun and efficient thriller, with a compelling main character (and some tropey supporting roles). The very final days of the Cold War in Berlin provided a great setting and the internal politics of the various spy agencies were interesting, but the main story was a mix of a bit too many twists and deus ex machina. As a spy novel, it has it all. Interesting layered characters, fast and often brutal action, suspense, good place descriptions and well-drawn context. In fact, calling this a spy novel is just wrong. All the "spies" here are incompetent, drink too much and talk way-too-much (boring, endless, repetitive dialogues).A] well-paced thriller. . . . 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.” As an avid reader of Dan Fesperman's work, I eagerly anticipated his latest novel, Winter Work, which takes place just after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990. Though it may seem odd to label a spy thriller from this era as a historical novel, Fesperman manages to create a captivating tale that immerses the reader in the early days of newfound freedom in East Germany.