✨ Review ✨ A Shadow in Moscow: A Cold War Novel by Katherine Reay; Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, Lisa Flanagan

I read this entire book in one sitting! I was so caught up in it that I literally couldn't put it down. I did alternate between the print book and the audio, and both were great ways to experience this book!

The book is a dual timeline/POV book that follows Ingrid Bauer, starting in 1954 Vienna to her life married to a (likely) member of the KGB, and Anya Kadinova in 1980 who returns to Moscow after finishing her degree at Georgetown University as part of the Foreign Studies Initiative.

NOTE: I recommend going into this book without reading the description on the back of the book -- more fun to leave this one mysterious.

Both Ingrid and Anya have a strong commitment to their own personal ethics, and are a delight to follow through their lives. Talking more about what I enjoyed would be spoiler-y I suspect :(

I do wish this had been a bit more directly critical of "The West" rather than pinning it as the ideal; while a critical reader could find criticism of capitalism, the CIA, and other markers of the West, sometimes this felt a little lost under a celebration of the free choice available in the West. I also wish it had dug a little more into Soviet culture and life, though I really appreciated the insight that this book did give me.

Overall, this was an exciting historical fiction that read a bit like a spy thriller. I really enjoyed this one, and appreciated how it placed women in an important role of international diplomacy during the cold war. I wished perhaps for even more commentary on what was based in fact.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: historical fiction, women's fiction, Cold War spies & international relations
Setting: Washington D.C., Vienna, Moscow - mostly between 1950s through 1980s
Reminds me of: Ruta Sepatys, Kate Quinn
Pub Date: June 13, 2023

Read this if you like:
⭕️ historical fiction set in the East -- reminded me a bit of Ruta Sepatys and Kate Quinn
⭕️ spy thrillers featuring women
⭕️ Cold War intrique
⭕️ love stories across continents

Thanks to Harper Muse, Uplit Reads, and #netgalley for advanced copies of this book!

I really enjoyed this one. It was a tiny bit difficult to follow the stories at first but once I got them figured out I was completely engrossed. I definitely didn’t see it coming how the stories were intertwined and I loved that as well as the ending. This was a very well written book that I highly recommend!

A Shadow in Moscow alternates between the Cold War of the early 1980s & the establishment of that ideological conflict, from post-war Austria to the highest echelons of Soviet power, Reay spins the story of two female spies separated by years but with a common passion: freedom, & a common goal: preventing another conflict.

I love dual-time narratives, & it is refreshing to read one where both timelines are historical, & there is no attempt to insert a contemporary storyline. Its not that I don’t enjoy the typical dual form, but this was a welcome change & kept the tension ratcheted throughout the novel as Reay weaves together her spies’ lives through over three decades of Cold War tensions.

I cannot remember the last time a novel brought me to tears. This is an exceptional examination of women in history, particularly those who in a time & a society were oft overlooked – ironically making them even more effective in high-risk activities more often attributed to men. This is an aspect of history that I will never tire of exploring or championing, the stories of women like Ingrid & Anya who accomplished extraordinary feats in tumultuous times, who stepped into the gap & answered the age-old question: if not now, when?

The phrase “duc in altum” echoes its challenge throughout the narrative: put out into the deep. When it comes to counting the cost of freedom & choice, there is a victory in doing the hard thing because you know in the marrow of your bones that it is right. Ingrid & Anya are a study in the impetuosity of youth v. the wisdom of experience. Its so easy to look at circumstances & rail (often rightly); but Ingrid’s story powerfully illustrates the beauty & sacrifice of dying to self, counting the cost, & finding the true freedom within that no government or ideology can destroy.

This is a story of politics & spies, but more than that an unforgettable story of hope, redemption, & sacrifice. This is a rich, challenging character study that I already long to revisit. Reay’s storytelling continues to astound.

I had never read anything by this author before, but I'm so glad I received this to review! It started slowly for me, but then it picked up and was fascinating and captivating. This is not an area of history that I've read much about, especially in novels, so I learned a lot too. The book was intense at times and very well written, albeit a bit dialogue heavy. It was so interesting and engaging that it made me want to go back and read the author's other books.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Harper Muse, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Historical Fiction, General Fiction, Espionage
Format: Dual POV, Dual Time Period
Spice level: Low
Violence level: Low
Language: Low
Interest: High!

I've loved other books by Katherine Reay, and even though I've never read a book with spies, I wanted to see what I think. Wow! What a ride!

The danger with any dual point-of-view or dual time period is that readers will be more interested in one than the other. I was so vested in both storylines!

WWII is always interesting when we see different stories and perspectives. But this novel bridges from the 40s to the post-war era in the 50s and on. Ingrid has a fascinating life, and her eyes of what happened in Austria is heartbreaking. She is faced with so many choices with such large consequences. Having lived through the 80s, I instantly related to Anya and the attitudes and living through the height of the Cold War. I can't believe the heartbreaking choices she makes.

As we continue to see Russia's politics in the news, this seems like a timely novel.

I was lucky enough to go to four cities in Russia in 1993. This novel helped me solidify some of my experiences and expand my viewpoint. I also feel like A SHADOW IN MOSCOW is written so well that anyone will get sucked into the story. I mentioned how much I loved this book to my husband, and he can't wait to read it too.

Yes! I absolutely recommend this book!
I ate this book up in a couple of days.

Happy reading!

This was a truly well written spy novel taking place during the Cold War. I adored the courage of both Anya and Ingrid. I definitely recommend this to historical fiction fans!

In this dual timeline slow=burning thriller, the stories of Ingrid and Anya are told. In 1954, Ingrid Bauer finds herself married to a Russian man and living in Moscow. She is told to keep her British mother a secret and begins to suspect that her husband is working for the KGB.

In 1982, Anya has graduated from Georgetown and is immediately forced to return to her home in Soviet Russia, where she is expected to be a loyal comrade in the arms race against the United States. Then her best friend is killed, and it may have been by her own government.

The first twenty percent or so of this intriguing spy thriller is a bit of a slow burn, but as suspense builds it becomes more and more captivating. In both timelines, the innermost thoughts of both women indicate love, loss, and the decision to make tough choices. The difficult, dangerous, harrowing life of a spy is well described, and the reader learns what it might have been like to live behind the Iron Curtain.

The ability of the author to delve deep into the innermost thoughts of her characters is admirable.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in U.S. and Russian history.

I love historical fiction and this book is unlike anything I have read recently. It hooked me from the beginning and didn’t let go.

This book is about the Cold War and goes back and forth between Vienna in 1954 and Moscow in 1980.

We get to know Ingrid Bauer, who after losing her family at the end of WWII, married a Soviet embassy worker. As she begins to see that things are not what they seem, she reaches out to Britain and begins passing information to Mi6. Not only was this incredibly risky, it wasn’t common for women to be doing this during this time. Add to it her living in the Soviet Union and the risk was even higher.

We also get to know Anna Kadinova. She was in the United States via the Foreign Studies Initiative which a strict directive that at its completion she would return to the Soviet Union. Once back, she begins to see things that do not add up. Then the KGB murders her best friend and she is determined to do whatever she can. She begins passing into to the CIA, at very great risk to herself and those she is closest to.

I was very young during the Cold War and this novel helps me understand so many things about it, about the efforts of the different agencies to help and stop the Cold War.

Ingrid and Anna are two strong women driven by the need to answers and to understand. What follows is a story that keeps me engrossed the entire time.

As with all dual-timeline stories, the past and the present collide and I still remember my jaw dropping when I put the pieces together. Katherine Reay wrote and incredible story and this just might become my favorite book by her. I loved everything about it. The mystery, the intrigue, the history, the espionage.

If you like historical fiction and want to read about a time period not often explored in the genre, I highly recommend this one.

Thank you to Harper Muse via Uplit Reads for the copy of this book. All views are my honest opinion.

I have read many of Katherine’s books and enjoyed them all. It was almost ten years ago when I read her Jane Austen retellings and just a couple of years ago The London House, which I still remember well. So, I knew I was in for a great read …. I just did not realise how great a read this would turn out to be.

‘She laid down her pride and truly became the shadow she needed to become.’

A Shadow in Moscow is an incredible Cold War novel that is so sophisticated and compelling that I highly recommend it. Katherine masterfully interweaves two stories - one of Ingrid starting in Vienna in 1954 and then Anya in Washington 1980 and the convergence of the two plots is mindblowing. I love the two viewpoints, the two eras, the two contrasting lives. There is just so much to this tale.

“… you said you wanted to make the world a better place for her. So did I. Our ideas of what that world should be differed. They still do.”

This is a masterclass on how to write a spy novel. The richness of history interwoven through fact and fiction is seamless. To be in the mind and understand what these people went through is truly eye opening. Katherine so eloquently opens readers eyes to both the pros and cons of Soviet politics and philosophy in a way that was most compelling from the conclusion of WWII, to the Cold War and living behind the Iron Curtain. This is a fresh take on post war/Cold War spy novels - feminine at its heart with two incredibly strong female protagonists and their determination to build a better world.

‘Nothing feels right here. Some people believe we are closer than ever to the utopian and global Marxist-Leninist world dream, but we aren’t. It’s slipping away because it was never attainable’

As the story draws to its tension filled ending you will be on the edge of your reading seat in this absorbing Cold War tale. Memorable characters detailing incredible tales of bravery and espionage that lead to shattering conclusions. Everything about this book is well done. As I stated at the outset, I have been a fan of Katherine’s books for many years, but this one … well I think it is top of the list. It is that good! Be sure not to miss it.

“That’s the pain of the Cold War, Ingrid. Cold can burn low for a long, long time, never reaching the heat necessary to burn out . . .”







This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Absolutely loved this story! I've been a long-time fan of Katherine Reay and knew that I was going to get an excellent story with relatable characters. I was not disappointed! Both timelines intrigued me and I was invested in Ingrid and Anya and wanted to see where their journeys went. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Ingrid Bauer has just lost her family in the aftermath of World War II in Vienna, Austria. She agrees to a hasty marriage to boyfriend, Leo and a move to Moscow with his new promotion, not suspecting that he is KGB.  Living within the Soviet Union's totalitarian regime, Ingrid begins to feel stifled and notices things about Leo's work that he doesn't say.  With the birth of their daughter, Ingrid makes a decision to make the world a better place and reaches out to a friend in Britain who connects her with MI6.  Ingrid becomes a shadow, working in the background, never being seen and collecting any information that comes her way.   

Anya Kadinova finished her degree at Georgetown in 1980 as part of the Foreign Studies Initiative. Before she leaves for home in Moscow, she is asked to make a difficult decision, but chooses to go home to Moscow.  Returning to Moscow's totalitarian regime during the height of the Cold War is a difficult adjustment, but Anya is happy working in the research lab she was assigned.  However, when a friend is killed by the KGB, Anya decides she can be idle no more and contacts the US CIA risking everything to pass on schematics from her military research lab. 

A Shadow in Moscow is an intricate and detailed look at how two female spies operated in the Soviet Union spanning from the 1950's-1980's. The writing is much like Ingrid and Anya's positions, understated and not revealing much.  Both women's stories have a slow moving start and describe the harsh realities of their setting in Moscow in detail, from limited food, to bugged homes and untrusting neighbors.  Told in alternating viewpoints moving forward through time until Ingrid and Anya's timelines finally meet up. As Ingrid and Anya's storylines begin to converge, more details of their dangerous positions unfold as well as their true personalities and how their actions relate.  I was surprised at how the slow burn in the beginning quickly turned into a suspenseful, dangerous and quickly moving spy thriller.  I was also truly surprised at the link between Ingrid and Anya as their stories converged and how I had missed it.  The ending was exciting, heart wrenching and profound.  

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

Beautiful prose, and wonderfully written. This book carried me back and forth from World War II at the end of the war into Moscow during the cold war with the Soviet Union.. The transitions from the time lines were seamless and I turned the pages effortlessly until the very end. In fact, I had a book hangover for days. I have picked A Shadow In Moscow as my next book club pick. If you are looking for a historical book about the cold war, spies, espionage and romance, then this book is for you.
This book is probably one of the best books I have read this year. I truly enjoyed it.
*I was given a copy of this book by Harper Muse and this is my honest opinion.

Two young women in two different eras face a choice: to take a dangerous step into the world of spies and betrayal and stand up for what they believe in, or to stay safe and play by the rules. Simultaneously, we follow two stories: in 1944 Vienna, Ingrid's parents are killed by the Nazis for their work in espionage and resistance. It isn't until years later that she finds meaning again in her love for Leo, a Soviet official. They move to Moscow and only then does she realize the danger of living a life under constant scrutiny. Then, in 1980, we meet Anya as she finishes her foreign exchange program in Washington, DC. The faces the choice to go home to Russia to her family and a good job, or to stay in the US with her boyfriend Scott, and perhaps never see her homeland or loved ones again. She chooses to go home, but now that she's been exposed to other ideas and options, home isn't all she remembered it being.

Ultimately the book is about the making of a spy--two origin stories that delve into the motivations rather than the detailed mechanics of what spies do. It also explores the philosophy and psychology of espionage in general. The author unspools the yarn slowly, at just the right pace to hold the tension and the reader's attention. The imagery is phenomenal and the feelings are very human and very deep--I could see it playing before my eyes like a movie. There are so many parallels between the two women's stories, showing yet again how history can repeat itself. I would have appreciated it if the book were less obviously ideologically bent toward the glories of the US (in opposition to the evils of the Soviet Union), and showed that there are nuances and neither side is wholly good or wholly evil. But really, the two stories kept me holding my breath and turning the pages until the explosive ending.

****Publishing June 13, 2023*****


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This dual-timeline book is a highly detailed account of Anya’s participation in the Foreign Student Initiative experience as a college student during the Cold War at Georgetown University and the career path she chose after graduation in Moscow and Ingrid’s experience as a spy in the 1940’s in Vienna, Austria and then moving to Moscow in the 1950’s. Their experiences showed the lengths they had to go to protect themselves and survive with the daily “games” they had to play. Can you imagine not being able to trust anyone and every decision and movement could expose you? One bad decision and that could be it! Can Anya and Ingrid keep under the radar and make good decisions or will they succumb to their own mistakes?

If you love Historical Fiction, then this is a must read! You can tell this author did an incredible amount of research on this well-told and fascinating story. I love how the author gives us a detailed perspective from Anya and Ingrid’s points of view on their work, their lives and the daily risks they take! It emphasizes how risky and dangerous their work was. This book would make a great T.V. mini-series.

Thanks to Harper Muse, I was provided an ARC of A Shadow in Moscow by Katherine Reay via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Shadow in Moscow by Katherine Reay

This is a book that will stay with me. Two stories interwoven and connected in such a beautiful way.

Two female POVs told in different timelines each as tremulous as the last. This is a story of hope and doing all you can to shape the world into something better. There is love and sacrifice and making peace with yourself. Truly a fantastic story and would make an excellent book club pick!

Read for the
🪆Undercover spy vibes
🪆Beautiful familial relationships
🪆Breathtaking prose
🪆Satisfying ending
🪆Edge of your seat action

Content: death of loved ones

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

In the Thick of the Cold War, two female spies' stories are told through two timelines. However, this story is much more than "just another spy story." It gives a glimpse into life behind the Iron Curtain, and the story moves from Washington DC to Vienna to Moscow, showing historical events among these countries. Admittedly, it took me a little bit to settle into the story (this can happen with historical fiction reads, in particular). However, once acquainted, I really enjoyed learning more about the Cold War, as well as the drama, tension, history, and secrets scattered throughout.

I have loved every Katherine Reay book that I’ve read. This was a fascinating story of two very strong women,during a horrible time in history.
I enjoyed how strong these women were and thought it was interesting to read about how they decided where to put their loyalty and the reasoning behind their decisions.
Totally recommend this book.

At the end of WWII, Ingrid has lost everyone she loves, she ends up marrying a man who works at the Soviet embassy and they move to Moscow. Throughout the book, she picks up that her husband must be part of the KGB and that even her marriage was just a way for him to get promoted at work. (The KGB does not allow divorce or any sort of separation unless you want to be demoted.) After the birth of her daughter, Ingrid makes the bold decision to work with MI6, her mother's homeland's intelligence.

Anya goes to college in the United States where she meets the love of her life, Scott. After she graduates, Anya goes back to her home country and she tells Scott that they need to cut ties. They both need to move on with their lives, but their love is so strong that they always think about each other. When Anya's best friend is killed by the KGB, she decides to work with the CIA.

It was incredibly interesting how the two women lived in different time periods, but went through a somewhat similar path. I enjoyed reading about how strong these women were and thought it was interesting to read about where their loyalty lies and the reasons behind their decisions. At times, I did think it was a bit difficult for me to understand what was going on since I'm not that knowledgeable with the Cold Wars, but I thought it was a great introduction for me to have a better understanding.

Enjoyed this Cold War suspense novel. Sadly realistic in the descriptions of lives of those under the Soviet regime and living with constant surveillance and paranoia. Two timelines about two separate female spies and their courage and determination to make the world a better place. I enjoyed his very much. Another enjoyable book by Katherine Reay.

Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

Wow, what a fast-paced, engaging read, from beginning to end! I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction book. And reading it over Memorial Day weekend, it brought new meaning to the freedoms we Americans enjoy, compared to the spy/communist reality for those living in Russia. Well done, Reay, on all your research to pull this book together!