The Berlin Letters

Katherine Reay has done it again. This was stunning. The plot was well-paced and captivating from start to finish. The characters were well-developed; complex, and intriguing. I highly recommend this beautiful telling of the power of love. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Meticulously researched, fascinating and absolutely unputdownable. I loved everything about this book!

Luisa grew up thinking that both her parents had died in a car accident when she was three. Until one day she comes across a piece of information that makes her question everything she knows about her family. Did her beloved Opa keep secrets from her? Is her father alive?

This book will keep you on your toes from the beginning until the very last page. Told in dual timeline from the perspective of Luisa and her father Haris, it’s a gripping Cold War adventure novel but also a poignant story of a family divided by the Berlin Wall. It’s about solving riddles and defying the system but also about understanding, acceptance and perseverance.

Luisa and Haris were both wonderful characters and a delight to read. The way the family history was interwoven in the history of Berlin and Cold War in general was exquisite. There were plenty of historical references and details, all relevant to the story and enriching it in the best way possible. The little romance subplot was just a cherry on top.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you so much NetGalley and Harper Muse, it was a treat!

Katherine Reay is quickly becoming one of my top favorite historical fiction writers. Her stories are original and compelling and descriptive, I can easily imagine myself right next to the main characters as they engage in espionage and intrigue. The relationships between the characters are deep and meaningful, as is this fascinating story of a talented woman who finds a cache of letters that appear to be from her father years ago when the Berlin Wall was built. This was one of the most thrilling, deeply affecting stories I have read in a long time, and I will not soon forget it. I will be recommending this book to everyone I meet - especially those who love a good historical fiction novel. They won't be able to put it down! Ten stars!!!

Although Katherine Reay’s “The Berlin Letters” shares many plot features of her book “A Shadow in Moscow:” the death of the protagonist’s mother, the wish to bring her father to America, life under a totalitarian regime, this book, which takes place in both Arlington, Virginia and East Berlin, Germany during the 1980s, is about a young woman’s quest to clear her father’s name and by doing so, clear her own.

Luisa Voekler’s father, Haris, lives behind the Iron Curtain. Luisa was taken to America as a three-year old by her maternal grandparents, Walther and Gertrude. The backstory of Haris’s family is not revealed until the second half of the book. This information is essential to understand both his character and motivations.

Reay explains how people can react to situations until they’re forced to stop: a bone is broken, a major illness is contracted, or like Haris, a person is jailed.

“I’ve rested in this cell for the past four months berating and consoling myself. The berating is justified – I was an idiot.”

As Luisa steps behind the Iron Curtain to rescue her father from a Stasi prison, she realizes she must “forgive and move forward.”

The nightmare quality of Luisa’s ordeal as she searches for her father against the eventful tearing down of the Berlin Wall is as chilling as a Hitchcock thriller and as engrossing as an Anais Nin tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for this ARC.

This was an absolute masterpiece of a novel!!! So we'll written and researched. I loved the split perspective of Luisa and Harris through every chapter. The story of love and forgiveness was powerful in this novel told in the years leading up to the fall of the Berlin wall. An excellent historical fiction novel that I would highly recommend!!!!

Fabulous dual timeline read! Ms. Raey has dug deep in her research and crafted a superb authentic story. The smallest details are historically accurate. I moved to the city of Berlin quite a few years ago, and remnants of DDR times were all around me. One of my previous superiors (former Stasi) had not picked up on the fact that the Stasi ways were no longer the norm (but fortunately faded into oblivion after his Stasi past came to light.) Fascinated by this new city I lived in, I read a lot of historical fiction about this era. This book provides information that is new to me, which makes it interesting and worth reading. Initially, it has the depressing mood that seems pervasive in books dealing with DDR times and the incredible injustices done, but that dissipates as the story picks up speed and before long you find yourself wanting to read non-stop. I very much enjoy the cryptographer angle, the switch between the two settings, and the in-depth characters with real life emotions. The story and relationships are complex and clearly show the effects of war on the lives of subsequent generations. Wonderful life lesson at the end, “If I’ve learned anything this week…..it’s to let the past go. It may feel uncomfortable, perhaps unnecessary, or….be the most vital aspect of healing: forgive and move forward. The Berlin Letters is a historical fiction lover’s dream and leaves you wanting more. Fortunately, the author has several suggestions for more research at the end. I will definitely check out more of Katherine Raey’s books.


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

Having grown up during the time period this book covers – the Cold War era of the Berlin Wall - I really enjoyed reading The Berlin Letters. Reay brings to life the events of that time, and makes history so interesting. I’m glad there are such books for those who did not live through that time. The book sucked me in, and thankfully I had time to read it all in one day! I had to find out what was going to happen to all the various characters, even though I knew the outlines of what happened historically. If you like historical fiction, I highly recommend this book.

“I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own." #TheBerlinLetters #NetGalley

An enthralling story, The Berlin Letters commences in 1961 when East Berlin starts erecting the wall to divide the city. In an impulsive, emotional split-second move, Luisa’s mother tosses her young daughter over a barrier into the arms of her parents who live in West Berlin.
Thus, begins this Cold War novel. Filled with anguish, secrets, lies, and deception, Berlin Letters is masterfully written such that the reader feels the suspense of the time.
Luisa is adored by her grandparents. They gave up their comfortable life in West Berlin to move to the United States to keep her safe and offer her greater opportunities. “My Opa was my greatest champion, my best friend, and my true north. If Opa said something was right, it was right. Wrong, and it was wrong forever. …And when he said I was his girl of infinite possibilities, I believed him because I believed in him…” (Pg. 40)
Solving codes and riddles was one of her and Opa's favorite activities. She learned about more and more difficult ciphers. Oma now recalls, “He was so proud of you. He was sure he was helping you develop your ‘little gray cells.’” (Pg 42)
After college, Luisa lived on her own but now she lives with her grandmother again as she promised her beloved Opa before he died. “My Opa was my greatest champion, my best friend, and my true north. If Opa said something was right, it was right. Wrong, and it was wrong forever. …And when he said I was his girl of infinite possibilities, I believed him because I believed in him…”(p 40)
Ironically, it is now 1989 and Luisa works in Arlington, Virginia in the CIA’s code deciphering division. Coincidently, she currently is deciphering coded communiques from 1945 to 1961 from Berlin. Something catches her eye on one of the messages…
Luisa feels compelled to investigate the possible connection to her Opa. As she literally digs for evidence at home, she discovers earth-shattering information about her parents. “It was all a lie.” (Pg.69)
Three days later, Luisa takes a life-threatening step to know more.
Luisa’s character is so well developed that the reader can feel her every emotion. “Outside Langley, the day has grown cloudy and it feels personal. Dark clouds hover above me, against me, I keep glancing in my rearview mirror and forcing out strange stiff laughs, hoping they will dispel my sense of foreboding.” (Pg. 190)
Wow, I loved this historical story even though I shivered with fear through much of it. While this is historical fiction, so much of it is historically accurate. I lived in West Berlin in the early 1970’s. I know the danger that permeated from the East. Since then, I’ve searched for and read books about life behind the “wall.” Fiction and nonfiction. The Berlin Letters contains so much ugly truth. The ending of this book has a wonderful metaphor, “The world tilts, almost like a kaleidoscope, one click from clear.” (Pg. 342)

Fascinating Cold War novel! Told from the perspective of an East Berlin family that is torn apart by the wall, the grandparents and granddaughter Luisa move to America. Luisa believes both her parents are dead. But her father, once a top reporter for East Berlin’s party newspaper, is still alive and missing her.

I hadn’t realized that the assassination attempt on President Reagan may have kept the Soviets from invading Poland during the Solidarity Movement because the US automatically went on a war footing.

I felt as if I had fallen into a time vault as I began reading, The Berlin Letters. Luisa Voekler works for the CIA deciphering codes. It is mainly posited in 1989 when Luisa first finds the letters that her Opa hid from her. She is of East German descent and though her grandparents raised her, she didn’t know how her grandparents really came to America and became her sole guardians and she didn’t question it growing up.

I am not one to read spy novels but The Berlin Letters had that feeling considering it starts just after WWII ends and the Cold War has just begun. Without knowing it, Lusia has continued the duplicity that her Opa and Oma began as they think she works for the Labor Department, not the CIA as a code breaker deciphering codes, ciphers, etc.

Lusia has noticed infinity symbols in the letters that Opa and her father, Haris exchanged over the last twenty-four years, and she knows that she has to show these letters to her boss at the CIA. Even though I wouldn’t classify this as a historical novel, as it doesn’t take place in the 1800s or 1900s, I think it could easily slip into that genre just based on the scale of history that you learn reading this.

I don’t know what I was expecting of The Berlin Letters but it far exceeded what I thought it was going to be. It showed what parents would do for their children, what love can and will do for better or worse, and what it means to sacrifice.

My gratitude to Netgalley and Harper Muse. All opinions expressed are mine and honest.

Katherine Reay uses the Cold War setting perfectly for this book. It worked well in the historical setting in and the characters worked in this setting. They felt like real people and I was engaged with their story. I really felt for Luisa and glad everyone was so well written.

THE BERLIN LETTERS by KATHERINE REAY is a well researched and beautifully written novel which takes place during the Cold War.
On Sunday 13th August 1961, when barbed wire closed off East Berlin, Monica Voekler throws her three year old daughter Luisa to her father on the other side.
When his inlaws, Walther and Gertrude, move to the U.S., a correspondence starts up between Haris and Walther. When Luisa, who works for the C.I.A., cracks the codes, many secrets come out……
I like the way the story is told alternately by Haris and Luisa and the way in which the author gets us right into all the different characters’ emotions.
I also like the way she gives us insight into the punk ideology in Eastern Europe, one of whose slogans is “Don’t die in the waiting room of the future,” meaning don’t be complacent. We learn that their music is “rage, discordance, anarchy and destruction. …..angry and alien…..political opposition aimed straight at the dictatorship.”
Life in East Berlin is one of living in constant fear of betrayal, of courage and self sacrifice. We see the importance of true friends and family at a time anyone could be a Stasi snitch. The importance of forgiveness is also strongly brought out.
I cannot recommend this thrilling and inspirational read highly enough.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Harper Muse. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

“Some secrets can get you killed.”

This utterly absorbing historical fiction/Cold War espionage thriller will rate right up there with some of my top reads of the year. Not only did it have me grabbing my air mic, channeling my inner Cher, and belting out “If I Could Turn Back Time,” it also hooked me with a fascinating look at life in East Berlin and a protagonist with whom I empathized.

In short: Set during the Cold War, a CIA code-breaker risks it all to free a loved one from an East German prison.

Luisa Voekler, CIA cryptographer, is frustrated cuz her work is stuck in the past decoding Third Reich ciphers from WW2 while her co-workers have been given exciting and new Cold War assignments until one day she notices a symbol she recognizes from her childhood. Seeing it changes everything.

Harris Voekler, an East German, and the chief reporter for Neues Deutschland, the Party’s newspaper, is disgruntled that Soviet promises haven’t materialized. His outlook causes challenges within his marriage and he soon discovers that the Berlin Wall has separated him from his daughter. In desperation, he learns to send coded letters to his father-in-law in an effort to communicate with his family.

Luisa discovers this treasure trove when she’s working on decoding the WW2 messages and it opens up opportunities to understand the past and begin a new future. I loved reading about the Voekler family and their drive to freedom and reconciliation. Luisa’s examination of her past as a way to move forward captivated me and I was tempted to go down a rabbit hole learning about Vigenere and Caesar cipers. My curiosity was piqued reading about why there was no advertising in East Berlin and why contact with the West was seen as disloyalty. Luisa’s life was forever changed on Sunday, August 13, 1961 … come find out why and how!

This compelling read about a family torn apart by the effects of a totalitarian regime and devastating secrets needs to be in every historical fiction reader's sights.

I was gifted this copy by Harper Muse and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

The events of this book take place during the Cold War leading up to the fall of the Berlin Wall. The two primary points of view telling the story are Luisa and her father, Haris. I felt the tension of the decisions the characters were making as they navigated the complex dynamics of country, family, and friends.

I'm always fascinated by codes that were utilized in WW2. A complex coding system is an important part of this book, and i found it interesting!

In the book, Luisa calls her Germany grandparents Oma and Opa. I also had German grandparents that I called Oma and Opa. It was sweet to be reminded of my grandparents as I read those familiar German names throughout the book.

I also LOVE the cover of this book!

I've been a big fan of Katherine Reay's work for a long time. I think this might be my favorite of her historical fiction novels. If Katherine has a book out, I've either read it, or I am eagerly waiting to get my hands on it.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced reader copy in return for an honest review.

Thanks to @NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC. I really enjoyed this book. I was a child in the 80s and remember very clearly the day the wall was open. But as a 14 year old, I couldn’t truly grasp the significance. I feel as if I’ve met the characters in person and they took me back in time. At times, their feelings of despair felt as if they were mine. The twists and turns kept me turning pages late in the night. This is not a “light” read. But it was an enlightening one. Thank you to the author for this beautiful tale of family drama, suspense, determination, and desire for freedom

A trip to Berlin in February 2023 sparked the imagination of author Katherine Reay as she began work on her latest novel, “The Berlin Letters.” She wrote this roman à clef about a fictional family living in East and West Berlin, then the U.S., during the Cold War era. The novel begins in 1961 when Germany had an Allied portion in the West and a Soviet portion in the East. Refugees were crossing in droves from the east to the west. General Secretary Walter Ulbricht, a German communist leader, stockpiled materials and prepared troops to quickly put up the Berlin wall to keep the Western “fascists” out, he said. Really, they wanted to stop the flow of people fleeing to the West they saw as “fascists.”

Reay begins on a day that changed everything. Monica and Haris Voekler still in bed on Aug. 13, 1961, the day the Berlin Wall began construction. People were running as fast as they could to cross over the barbed wire barrier. Some lived in a building that faced West Berlin and used a window to climb down.

Journalist Haris runs off to cover the story about this “anti-Fascist protection barrier” going up for the Neues Deutschland, East Berlin’s newspaper. Monica wonders how anyone could place a barrier based on an ideology. But she soon sees thousands of soldiers have descended on the city. Monica with baby Luisa in her pram sees people panicking, some crying. She had planned a lunch meeting with family in West Berlin. She can see her mom, Gertrude, and dad, Walther, her sister, Alice, on the other side of this structure, but the guards won’t let her through. Fear takes over her when the guard speaks to her in Russian. In a split section decision, she launches baby Luisa over the barbed wire into her grandfather’s arms. Monica watches him run with the child away from the guards. It’s a gut-wrenching prologue.

Reay wrote from two perspectives in the novel, Luisa and Haris. I learned about life in East Berlin through Haris. He realizes too late the great lie he’s both fed and spread as a truly “fake news” reporter, writing propaganda pieces for the Socialist Unity Party’s paper. The people aren’t free in East Berlin. They have no way to escape the Soviet’s tyranny. No one who tried to go over the wall survived; in fact, a total of 171 people would die trying to go over or under it.

Until this story, I had never heard of the East Berlin secret police, the Stasi, short for Staatssicherheit. Formed after World War II, they were the “official state security service for the newly formed German Democratic Republic (GDR or DDR for Deutschland Democratic Republic).” They were similar to, but apparently worse than the KGB. The Stasi police spied on the population in East Berlin “to quash any discontent before it became a threat.” Reay’s depiction had me thinking often of George Orwell’s dystopian 1984, fiction that became fact for many in East Berlin. Surveillance became the norm. People who tried to leave often died mysterious deaths. They kept political prisoners in the worse of prisons. They tortured people to the point they would agree with the police or make up information. After the wall came down, people had access to their files, Reay said, and people saw which neighbors and friends had been spying on them all that time. People shared intel with the Stasi in an effort to save themselves.

In Arlington, VA, a now 27-year-old Luisa Voekler lives with her Oma, Gertrude, following the death of her Opa. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen at 18. Early on, Luisa set her sights on work as a CIA agent who goes on clandestine missions, but she didn’t pass at the “farm.” She blames the loss of her dream, the disappointment and embarrassment for the self-imposed isolation she expected would happen after. She cut herself off from the friends she went through training with as a result, even Daniel, a love interest in the novel who shows up when she least expects him.

Luisa breaks codes from World War II letters and memos as part of a team, which I found fascinating. She has a natural affinity for the work because her Opa made up puzzles and coded messages for her as a child. Her family thinks she works for the Labor Department, so Opa had no idea the kind of work she did for the government. On Nov. 3, 1989, a pregnant co-worker Carrie asks Luisa for help with 20 unsent letters she dubbed “the Berlin letters” that run from September 1945 to July 1961. Luisa recognizes an infinity sign on each of the letters. She is sure it is a signature and she tells Carrie, but then stops herself. Opa had received similar letters with the symbol, but he had wanted her to say nothing about those to her Oma.

That night, Luisa wars with herself, worried about betraying her Opa. She decides to ask her Oma if he had been a spy. She doesn’t answer her though, so when Oma goes to bed, Luisa searches for the letters. I don’t know that I needed to follow Luisa into every room, but I did and she eventually finds them in a surprising place. The next day Oma reveals more letters, but her fear pushes her to try to destroy them until Luisa stops her. The fear she faced in Germany still haunted her in the U.S. Luisa spends the weekend reading them in order before she has to turn them over to her boss at the CIA. The letters are coded correspondence between her father Haris to her Opa. All this time she believed a lie. She thought her father and her mother died in a car accident. But her father is still alive. And Luisa jumps into action to rescue him behind the Iron Curtain.

And it is here where the story takes off. I will not reveal too much, except to say I felt a sense of panic while reading. I felt like I became Luisa when she flew to West Berlin. She finds help is on the way as her personal mission continues. Reay jumps between Luisa and Haris, who take turns telling of the events of Nov. 9, 1989.

I didn’t think I would feel as nostalgic as I did when I read about the East Berlin youth in the punk movement who helped Luisa on this quest. I graduated high school in 1989, so I knew a little bit about the punk movement in the U.S. and the UK from their fashions to the music scene. East Berlin punks were on another level entirely. I admired their resistance and activism in the novel and in real life.

At the end, Reay shares some of the materials that aided her research for the novel that listed on my blog post. I finished reading this book thinking, “This is why I love historical fiction.” It’s a genre that both teaches history and entertains. This novel took me back in time to the first day the wall speedily went up to the day when the people helped tear it down at 11 p.m. Nov. 9, 1989.

Luisa Voekler is a CIA code breaker in the dying days of the Cold War, in the novel, "The Berlin Letters." by Katherine Reay. Although born in East Berlin, Luisa is curried away to the West by her grandparents just as Germany erects the wall. At the age of three, she leaves behind her parents who were not able to get to West Berlin, and several years later die in a tragic car accident.

Now secure in her job as a code breaker in 1989, Louisa comes across lost letters from her father to her grandfather. She quickly realizes that her father is still alive and languishing in an East German jail cell. So the adventure begins for Louisa to understand the nature of the letters from her father and race to rescue him.

The novel is quick paced, engaging and filled with characters that fill there own purposes. The historical context is riveting and gives the reader a feeling of what It might have been like to live in east Berlin through the cold war.

This novel is an excellent read where one can get lost in this fascinating historical period, while still rooting for a heroine who refuses to give up.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Muse for the ARC.

This story had me on the edge of my seat. Setting the scene in post WW2 Berlin and giving the perspective of how fast things changed for the citizens of Berlin was compelling. Seeing how the characters had to use secret ways to communicate and how many years later it all came into play was exciting! I definitely recommend this book!

I adored this book. It was fast paced and had me hooked from the prologue. The action starts right away!
Before I read The Berlin Letters, I had a broad knowledge or what happened in Berlin when the wall went up in the 1960's but Katherine Reay's writing transported me right into it. How the citizens were feeling? How awful and disconcerting it would have been for them living on either side. Separated from family and having life change as they knew it, so seemingly permanently almost overnight. She painted that picture very well and it was so heartbreaking and realistic.
This is a dual timeline book. It was told from the perspective of Luisa Voekler in the late 1980's in Washington D.C and her father Haris Voekler in 1960's East Berlin.
The Berlin Letters is a story of political intrigue but more importantly of family relationships and deep seated and necessary secrets. Reay does such a great job of revealing those secrets in an electrifying way from start to finish. I couldn't recommend this book enough. My first read of 2024 is a 5 star! I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to read an ARC copy before the books release. Thank you NetGalley for that opportunity.

#TheBerlinLetters #NetGalley

✨I have been a fan of @katherinereay’s books going all the way back to her first novel DEAR MR. KNIGHTLEY which I loved. It has been a true pleasure to watch her writing evolve over time.

✨I need my historical fiction to give me captivating storytelling while teaching me something I didn’t know. This one delivers in spades.

✨The dual timelines and points of view masterfully tell the story of a family divided by the Berlin Wall as well the disparity between postwar US and Eastern Europe.

✨I loved the nuanced storytelling, the historical references, the themes of resistance and redemption and the second chance romance woven into the narrative.

✨An excellent Cold War espionage historical fiction that I highly recommend.

Don’t miss it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read The Berlin Letters. Ms. Reay writes an incredible story set against the Berlin Wall. This is a story of choices, consequences and what we do for those we love. This story will keep you on the absolute edge of your seat!! You won't be able to put it down!!!

On my first trip to Berlin I had the privilege of listening to stories of people who experienced the wall going up and the wall going down while sitting at a breakfast table. In this book Katherine Reay has captured the essence of that experience in a page turner while transporting you to one of my favorite cities in the world. She has done so while creating characters that are real and match their time. I highly recommend this novel.

Washington, DC, 1989

Luisa Voekler misses her beloved Opa and her life before he died. The life where she lives alone works as a code breaker for a super-secret branch of the CIA and visits her grandparents. But she promised her Opa she would move back home to care for her Oma when he died.

While she doesn’t regret her decision, her grandmother’s hovering and worrying have restricted her life. Her friends want her to join them more often and revive her social life. Luisa doesn’t know why she resists—she feels close to no one, has horrible dreams, and feels like a failure because she didn’t make the cut as a CIA agent.

When a coworker brings her the Berlin letters—pieces of coded correspondence from an agent in Berlin, a small mark on one of the envelopes sparks a memory of a long-ago conversation with Opa. All the games they played in her childhood have a new meaning, and Luisa races to crack the code and discover the truth about her parents.

Does she still have time to save one of them?

East Berlin, Germany, 1961

Haris Voekler, star reporter for the party newspaper, mourns when his wife, Monica, does the unthinkable. Rather than stay in East Berlin as the party builds a wall separating the city, she passes their three-year-old daughter over the concertina wire to her parents. Haris and Monica cannot escape the ever-restricting community and the ever-intrusive Stasi.

After Monica dies of a broken heart, Haris begins a coded correspondence with his father-in-law, Walther. The game of hiding the truth in banal pleasantries gives him a challenge his job no longer provides. Demoted at work, watched on every side, and living with the devastating realization that he chose the wrong side, Haris needs the correspondence to maintain his sanity.

As friends and coworkers suffer through arrest and face death for their courageous decisions, Haris must decide what he will do.

By 1989, Haris had joined the resistance, and someone had betrayed him. His father-in-law hasn’t written for months, and he wastes away in a Stasi prison. Hope dries up. Then, the unthinkable happens in the middle of a prison transfer.

What I Loved About This Book

This book intrigued me as someone who grew up hearing about the Berlin Wall and reading stories in the Reader’s Digest of daring escapes over it. I don’t usually read historical books set in my lifetime (I feel like a relict), but The Berlin Letters quickly grabbed my attention and kept it.

Reay explores how the missing pieces of our lives impact us more than we realize. Luisa has no firm memories of her early life, and those missing pieces cause nightmares and a vague sense of loss. Only as she works to uncover her past does she start to awaken. Haris discovers a way to fight against the society he once touted as perfect by writing to his father-in-law. His small rebellion keeps a spark of hope inside him because it fills in the missing pieces of his daughter’s life.

Thoughtful, thorough, and swirling with mystery and intrigue, The Berlin Letters will take you on a journey through despair and hope.

My first Katherine Reay book was, “Dear Mr. Knightley,” which I adored. While the other titles written by Reay around this time didn’t grab me quite as much, last year I was blown away by, “A Shadow in Moscow,” my favorite book of 2023. When I saw that there was a new book coming out by this author, who is now a definite favorite, I was beyond excited to receive an advanced copy to read on NetGalley. I only hoped it lived up to her achievement of the previous year’s, “A Shadow in Moscow.” It did! “The Berlin Letters,” is (thankfully) a bit different than the many, many novels that have come out it the last several years surrounding the World War ll time period. I have heard a lot about the Berlin Wall over the years, and have read other novels on the topic. However, I learned many things that I had never heard before in this book. The overall concept of how a culture is infiltrated by Communism is very interesting and very relevant to our times. The story is engaging from start to finish, and is one I will definitely encourage others to read in the future!

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

Longtime readers of the Books About Letters series may recall our 2022 review of 'The London House' by Katherine Reay. When I saw 'The Berlin Letters' by Katherine Reay (HarperCollins, 2024) available on NetGalley for review, I had to jump at the chance! In this novel, we time travel from the 1960s to 1989 as a young woman learns the truth about herself, her family, and her country through the medium of coded letters during the Cold War. Read on for a review and thoughts on this month's Book About Letters.

(P.S. I cannot look at this cover and not think of Uma Thurman!)

Our main character, Louisa, works by day as a CIA code breaker and discovers through the course of a routine assignment a symbol she recognizes -- from childhood. So we begin the story of Louisa and Haris Voekler, the father she never knew now ominously imprisoned in East Germany.

So the fundamental question: Is this a book about letters? Yes! We learn thanks to Louisa's well honed skill for code breaking that letters containing news about life in East Berlin have been making it out from behind the Wall for almost thirty years. But it is up to Louisa to detangle to what extent these letters have shaped not only her life, but history generally. While not wholly epistolary -- there are at length letters 'reproduced' in the context of the story, however -- this novel qualifies as a Book About Letters because they are used as a key plot device and are referenced with regularity as the story progresses.

If you, like me, know very little about the history behind the construction of the Berlin Wall and the regime(s) that developed around it, I recommend this excellent video from TED-Ed to help contextualize the dense history:

Reay's well researched novel weaves the historical and the human together with evident craft. World building plays a huge part in this novel as Louisa learns about her background and the very real circumstances of not only her father, but the citizens of East Berlin just before the Wall 'came down' in 1989. Through the use of journalist characters in her plotting, Reay is able to explain and layer exposition which flavors the novel as her talent for human connection braids the narratives.

I first visited Berlin in August of 2023. Strangely enough, Reay in her acknowledgments writes that she spent February of the same year exploring the city for research. An eerie parallel. I had never been to Germany before and found it hard to visualize, or imagine, the trip in the lead up. I could have never pictured the city I found there. I had a wonderful, local tour guide -- my penpal, Alex -- who brought us around and showed us -- it felt -- like almost 'everything' in just one gloriously hot day. We saw Barenberg Gate, saw the remnants of the Wall, and visited Checkpoint Charlie among other spots.

It was that trip to Berlin that colored my experience of 'The Berlin Letters' so vividly. And I am so thankful for both the opportunity to travel there then and to return to the city through Reay's words. I believe that reading can transport us and to be able to map the Berlin I had experienced against the world Reay builds in her novel, added to my overall enjoyment while reading.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read and review 'The Berlin Letters' by Katherine Reay, out March 5th from HarperCollins publishing.

This is a fast-paced page turner taking place primarily in East Berlin just before The Wall came down in 1989. CIA codebreaker Luisa Voekler finds a symbol on some letters from just after the Berlin Wall went up that seem familiar. So begins her search that will lead her to uncover secrets about her family that ultimately send her to Berlin at the end of the Cold War. Excellent book about a time I haven’t read much about.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This was fast paced and I couldn’t put it down. I am a Gen Xer. So this was fantastic for me to remember these events. I loved having the pov from the dad’s side. I was nice to get all the view points from all the family. I did have all the feels for Luisa. I did tear up a bit. I felt for Monica and her family. I really feel like people dont remember enough about the Cold War and this is a refresher. It is incredible what the people did for their families good or bad. The punks I wan to read more about. I did have moments of flashback from the movie Gotcha.

'It's funny how easily you can convince yourself that the people you live with see the world like you do'.

The Berlin Letters takes on a journey back through recent history and the day Russia permanently detached East Berlin from the West by building a solid wall. A wall that unexpectedly and instantaneously divided friends, families, employees and even buildings. On that day in August 1961, Monika Voekler made a split decision, she wrenched her daughter Luisa from her stroller and threw her over the barbed wire into the arms of her father. Her father who, distrusting the increasing grip of the iron fist, had already moved to safety in the West. Eventually, Luisa moved to America. She grew up with her grandparents and believed her parents had died in a car accident when she was young. But in her new role as a decoder, at the CIA, she stumbles across a pack of letters that unsettle her. They seem familiar. In the true spirit of a spy game, full of secrets, she discovers the real truth about her family.

This dual-time, dual-narrated story ticks down from the building of the wall, a daring rescue before it's too late.

I really enjoyed this story. It has many layers to it and keeps building throughout and delivers at the end. 'The Berlin Letters' is not only for historical fiction lovers, and Cold War followers but also those who enjoy spy novels.

Three word summary: informative, complex and thrilling.

I loved this new historical fiction set in Berlin in the days of the cold war. There are plenty of books about WW2, but not so many about other periods related to it. I learned a bunch about East and West Berlin and how the wall came down in 1989. Fascinating story.
This was a compelling read which I finished in 24 hours; I had to know what happened next.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you so much NetGalley and Harper Muse, it was a treat!

I have read several of Katherine Reay's historical books and this one is now my favorite! Set in Washington D.C and Berlin, this story of what life was like in East & West Berlin is both heart breaking and amazing at the same time. It is suspenseful and leaves you wanting to know! This one will stay with me for awhile.

I know people who lived under this wall, and things were hard if you were on the wrong side! Loved Reagan's speech to Gorbachev!
This read has it all, such love and sacrifice, only to break ones heart and will to live. While others thrive, some pretend to be friends, so sad, and they do this right to the end.
This is a story of survival, and great love! Luisa is brought up in Washington D.C., when her Grandfather dies she learns that her father is still alive and behind that wall.
What a journey we begin and the sacrifices made to go to Germany and rescue her father! We travel with her with our hearts in our throat!
Keep reading the author's notes are great!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Harper Muse, and was not required to give a positive review.

I feel like l've entered my "historical era" and what I mean by that is that historical fiction now encompasses events that have taken place in my lifetime. While it's true that the Berlin Wall was erected long before my birth (1961), here is where *|* intersect with this chapter in history: born in 1987, the wall “came down” in 1989, and my family moved to Germany in 1990 (my parents used a mallet and chisel to chip away pieces of the wall to keep as souvenirs). It’s hard not to feel the enormity of this and Katherine Reay has written a compelling historical narrative to bring home the weight of what the wall meant and to remind us that in the midst of terrifying emotional and physical hardship, there were people brave enough to say this:

“It's letting go of what you're supposed to do be doing for whatever comes your way. It's about creating a future of our own making, not accepting the one they shove at us. And it's all risk. Every breath in every day."

I loved this story of a mother's sacrifice, a grandfather's secret, a father's evolution, and a daughter's determination to make it all worthwhile.

The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay is a historical fiction novel about the Cold War focused around the story of Luisa, a code breaker for the CIA, in 1989 and her father in East Berlin during the 1960s. Luisa discovers the Berlin Letters through work and finds a link to her grandfather which sends her on a mission to free her father from jail in Berlin as the wall is coming down. The last part of the book reads like a Mission Impossible movie! This story is intricately woven with turbulent history and the ties of family that span decades. Luisa’s family loves her fervently and she risks it all to save her dad whom she has never met.

I highly recommend this historical fiction book for the nonstop action, relevant history, and perspectives of living in East Berlin during the Cold War.

Thank you Harper Muse and Netgalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wow. This is a strong work of historical fiction, opening up the world of a divided Berlin and life alongside the terrible wall. I have never learned a lot about the Cold War and the wall, so being able to read a work of fiction about it was truly enlightening and makes me want to learn more about this terribly difficult and sad time in world history. The author brings her characters to life and gives us small glimpses into their past that allow us to see how the past has influenced who they are at the time of the story. With so much danger and intrigue going on in our world during that time, I appreciate the way the author shows those things through the lives of her characters and their experiences. Lies, deception, betrayal, fear, loss, loyalty, love, and courage are all components that compel the reader to read more and to wish the book was not over when the last page is turned. Luisa’s whole world is rocked when she finds her grandfather’s letters, and I was not able to put down this book until I knew what the end of the story was. I highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction, to those who know little about the Cold War, and to anyone looking for a well-written story.

I requested a copy of this book for review, but the thoughts expressed here are wholly my own.

This gripping Cold War narrative by Katherine Reay immerses readers in the heart of Berlin, capturing the tension and turmoil of both its early days and the historic fall of the Berlin Wall. Through the intertwined stories of CIA codebreaker Luisa Voekler and East Berlin journalist Haris Voekler, the novel delves into themes of sacrifice, identity, and the pursuit of freedom. As Luisa uncovers the truth about her family’s past and embarks on a daring mission to rescue her father from East German captivity, readers are taken on a journey of suspense and revelation. With its meticulously researched historical backdrop and compelling characters, this stand-alone novel offers a poignant exploration of human resilience and the enduring quest for truth and reconciliation. Plus, with discussion questions included, it’s sure to spark lively conversations in book clubs.

Luisa Voekler’s life is marked by significant historical events. As a small child, her grandparents fled with her when the Berlin Wall went up seemingly overnight. Her mother, seeing the writing on the wall, far ahead of her idealistic socialist husband, literally flung her daughter over razor wire to her father, so that she could have a better life. That one decision set the stage for the rest of Luisa’s life.

Raised in America, Luisa believed her parents to be dead, but her beloved Opa knew otherwise as he was corresponding via coded letters with her father Haris for decades. Luisa was destined to be able to read these letters one day, as growing up her grandfather would make her solve ciphers to find her own birthday presents. His training prepared her for her job as a cryptographer in the CIA.

When a stack of letters crosses her colleagues’ desk where they decode classified messages all day, she is shocked to discover a symbol similar to one she has seen in her grandfather’s office. As she figures out the cipher, she realizes everything she believed about her own family is wrong, and most importantly her father is alive and in danger.

Against her better judgment, and without any approval, Luisa heads to West Berlin determined to help her father out of a Stasi jail behind the Iron Curtain. Her operative training comes in handy, as she fights a clock to get her father out before it’s too late.

The Berlin Letters is a Cold War story that will keep you turning the pages long after its time to go to bed (trust me). Luisa and Haris’ story, like many families divided by the Berlin Wall, will leave you wondering “what if”. Both characters are defined by circumstances out of their control and only become more interesting the further into the novel you read. I was in elementary school when the Berlin Wall came down, and reading the Voekler’s story helped clarify history I was too young to understand.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Muse, and of course the author Katherine Reay for the advanced copy of the book. The Berlin Letters is out on March 5th. Go ahead and add it to your TBR pile, you won’t regret it. All opinions are my own.

Wow…what a story. I grew up hearing about the Cold War and the Berlin Wall but wasn’t taught much about either until I read The Berlin Letters. Katherine Reay’s story is compelling, heart stopping and so well written it kept me reading well into the night.

The Berlin Letters, set near the end of the Cold War, is more than historical fiction. Espionage, spys and code breaking, along with the twists and turns, keeps the story flowing and k3p5 m3 on edge. The dual timeline, which can be challenging for writers as well as readers, moves from one time period to the other without a hitch.

The story begins in East Berlin when citizens were free from repressive laws and limits. Luisa Voekler was about three when her mother, Monica, realizing what was happening politically, threw Luisa over newly constructed barbed wire fencing into the arms of her grandfather, Walther. He along with his wife and other daughter left East Berlin for West Berlin when it was still possible to do so. Eventually, Walther took his family to the United States where Luisa grew up believing her parents had died in a car crash.

Luisa works for the CIA as a code breaker, having been taught the skill by her grandfather who began her education in cryptology at a very young age. One day at work she recognizes a symbol on a letter she remembers seeing in her childhood. And, thus The Berlin Letters starts in earnest.

Reay’s use of letters written between Walther and Luisa’s father Haris is a brilliant method of recounting the history of that period of time in Berlin. The letters opened my eyes to what can happen to citizens when a totalitarian government takes control; when ones every move is monitored and people “disappear” after an interview at ‘Stasi’ headquarters. I new nothing of how the people lived behind the Berlin Wall or that there was an active Resistance movement fighting the tyranny of the Soviet regime as best they could - through music - until now. .

The events leading up to the destruction of the Berlin Wall and freedom for East Berliners kept me on edge…a very critical and exciting time in history brilliantly shared on the pages of this book. There is so much more I could say about The Berlin Letters but that would mean spoilers, which is something I prefer not to do. The Berlin Letters is one of the best books I’ve read in some time and I’m sure will be one of my top 10 books for 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for a complimentary of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When I was a child, I remember hearing about the Berlin Wall go up. There were stories on the TV news that showed people trying to escape over the wall from East Berlin to West Berlin. Years later, my husband, a USAF pilot, flew the "Berlin corridor" over East Germany and East Berlin to land in West Berlin. This book brought back so many of those memories.

This is a story of familial love, of spies and intrigue, of personal liberty versus state control, of change in people and politics. Katherine Reay has become one of my favorite authors, and I could not put The Berlin Letters down. I don't giver many 5 star reviews, but this is one of those 5-star books.

This is why I love historical fiction! Meticulously researched and filled with rich historical details and context about the Cold War, specifically around the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall and Soviet Union controlled East Germany. I’m appreciative of the author for writing a book that is equally intriguing as it was informative and provided much room for reflection and desire for further learning. It provides a deep exploration of communism as it led to political repression, cultural censorship, restrictions of human rights, etc. And gives readers an in-depth understanding of the danger, fear, and uncertainty of this time for those living in East Berlin and many parts of the world affected by their political system.

The Berlin Letters is a fascinating dual-timeline glimpse into East Berlin from the day the Berlin Wall was first erected to the day it began to be torn down. The first generation perspective takes us all the way from 1961 to 1989, giving us a glimpse of the heartache and the tears and the years. The second generation perspective spans exactly one week in 1989, providing a fast-paced style that makes you feel our heroine’s fear and urgency. And yet, with the two points of view interspersed with each other, it is somehow neither too slow nor too fast.

The Berlin Letters contains some of my favorite themes: epistolary and code breakers. Katherine Reay’s skilled research is evident in every page and coupled with the way she portrays family relationships, we have another 5-star read in The Berlin Letters.

I absolutely loved every minute of Katherine Reay’s latest, The Berlin Letters. Set during the tumultuous times of the Cold War, Reay does a fantastic job at making the sudden appearance and lingering effects of the wall personal through the stories of one family divided by time, distance, and beliefs. I learned so much from this book about life in Berlin after WWII and then as the wall is built overnight to separate families and friends, one side free and one side imprisoned. The details of life behind the Iron Curtain were heartbreaking and shocking, the fear palpable as there was no one to trust, nowhere safe.

As in her last book (A Shadow in Moscow which I gave five stars!), Reay explores the strong bonds between family members and how these ties can bring about change on a global scale. I was thoroughly invested in the characters from page one, racing through the tension-filled chapters to the thrilling conclusion. Reay is a master at crafting electrifying novels full of historical details and research.

This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about how the Cold War affected everyone behind the wall. Those of us old enough to remember this time period will be amazed at what was going on while we were living our typical American lives and those too young to remember the Cold War need to read this so they never forget.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Harper Muse. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Post-WWII Fiction, Germany
Spice Level: Low
Violence Level: Hard things are discussed or mentioned but not on the page.
Format: Dual POVs from different time periods and letters (The correspondence is more explained than shown on the page, but I felt like it was there.)

Here are words I thought I'd never say: I love spy novels! Yep, but specifically all the ones written by this author. Reay makes it approachable for me when I've never delved into this type of material before.

I think the reason THE BERLIN LETTERS works so well is because it's all about the faces behind the events. It's a human story.

We see loss, love, betrayal, secrets kept, and secrets revealed, and emotional turmoil in so many facets.

Somehow, this sucked me in and made me want to read more. I was equally vested in Luisa and Haris. This would make a great book club selection. And after reading this, I want to find out more about my relatives who visited from East Germany in the early 80s.

What a fantastic book! Yes, I highly recommend it!

Happy reading!

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Collins Publishing for an early copy of The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay

Non-stop character development and a captivating plot centered on the fall of the Berlin Wall make The Berlin Letters a "must read" in 2024. While the story has its roots in the post World War II tragedies of a divided Germany and a divided Berlin, the actual events of the construction and eventual destruction of the Berlin Wall are remarkably modern, and many readers will remember vividly watching television coverage of the reunification of Berlin in 1989.

Reay's story focuses on a young Luisa Voekler living in East Berlin until the day her mother thrusts her over a fence and into the arms of Luisa's grandparents in West Berlin. Luisa's father, a staunch believer in the ideals of the Soviets in power, begins a correspondence with his father-in-law now living with his wife, daughter Alice and granddaughter Luisa in the United States. Within their correspondence are hidden codes that aid the Americans in understanding events in East Berlin. When Luisa goes to work for the CIA, she will learn about her father and embark on a dangerous journey to rescue him from prison.

So many real-life situations of the time are embedded in The Berlin Letters: the plot to assassinate Pope John Paul II, the role that young people played in weakening the Soviet hold on East Berlin, and the neighbor-against-neighbor spying that was such a part of an East Berliner's life at this time.

With all of its sorrows culminating in the joy of the downfall of the Berlin Wall, The Berlin Letters is much like an automobile that accelerates with no brake pedal in sight. At the conclusion of the novel, readers will want to view video of the night in November 1989 when the unbelievable came to be. Real people whose lives were forever changed.

Wow! Katherine Reay has penned a very intellectual historical spy thriller that had me gripped from page one. I remember the Cold War era and the day the Wall came down in East Berlin. As a young mother of two at the time, I thought, God bless them!! They were finally free. They can choose and live a life without fear. This book follows a young girl from the time she was three when the Wall was erected until she was thirty-one when it came down. This is a book rich in historical detail in a duel time line that brought back memories of that era and allowed me to feel the emotions the characters went through. If you like spies, espionage, thrillers, and some romance in the mix, then you will absolutely love this novel. I know I did. 5 stars!!

When CIA codebreaker discovers a symbol she recognizes from her childhood on coded letters from Berlin, she embarks on a journey to learn more about the secrets of her childhood and her family as the Berlin wall was constructed during the Cold War and eventually torn down.

This is the first book I’ve read about the Cold War in awhile and apparently, even living through most of it, knew very little. Told through dual timelines and dual POV, Katherine Reay has crafted a thoroughly researched and engaging novel set in Berlin during the tumultuous Cold War. I loved the character development and growth that she achieved through the dual timeline. There were some times when there were some info dumps, but if you know me, I enjoyed those and don’t think they took away from the story, but added to the understanding and stakes in the story. This book achieved everything I want for historical fiction and I highly recommend.

As soon as I saw this, I knew I had to read it. Firstly, it is Katherine Reay and I have not read anything by her that I did not treasure. Second, the setting is Berlin. I lived there as a teen during the events in the story, so I knew it would have a totally different impact on me due to experiences. Once again, Reay demonstrates her ability to research properly to tell an accurate, compelling story. Luisa is a complex character who does not even understand her own layers. As more starts to come to light and she learns that her past and her family are not what she has always believed, she learns that she has been prepped and prepared for these revelations her whole life. The dual timeline perspective makes the events so real and helps the reader understand why some people reacted the way they did. The setting, the temperaments, the descriptions, and stage is cast perfectly. Details are spot on and enhance the experience. I was completely engrossed by the time Luisa made it to Berlin and could not put the book down. I have walked in those spots and to hear the story from various perspectives knowing where I was and what I experienced at the exact same moments was powerful for me. Reay did her homework, she got it right, and she told an exquisite story. There is a little romance sprinkled in to lighten some of the heavy moments, but even this is well done and brings great balance. Do yourself a favor and set some time aside to walk in Luisa and Haris’s shoes. You will be impacted, and you will never view the fall of the Berlin Wall the same again.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are solely my own, freely given.

This book was just what I needed. Historical Fiction set in Berlin and the USA after WW2. Dual timelines, spies, secrets, family torn apart, and badass female CIA agent? 😍

Seriously, reading how she broke codes and cyphers made me want to be her. Of course, thats impossible. The only code-like thing I am capable of is a sudoku puzzle 😆 but how freaking cool?

This book was flawlessly written. I both tried to devour and savor it. I loved every moment and learned so much.

There is something about bravery during oppression that speaks to my soul. It reminds me of what we, as humans, are capable of.

I loved how so many characters didn’t want to escape the iron curtain, but wanted to fix the root issue. It was absolutely beautiful and like… Daniel though 🫠🫶🏼

This book is a must-read! If you are looking for history, adventure, messy family relationships, or espionage, you will find it all in this story. Be warned that once you begin reading, you may not want to put it down! You also may find yourself thinking about Luisa's and Harris' story long after you read the ending.

This is a wonderful "inside" view of East Berlin beginning from the night the wall was erected to when the wall came down. Although a very up-close view of local and personal history to the characters, it is a piece of history that impacted the world but is little understood or known so intimately. It is the story of the cost and sacrifice of the freedom to help make home better.

The Berlin Letters is set during the Cold War when the Berlin Wall went up and when it came down. East Berliners could travel to West Berlin freely at the beginning of the novel. Suddenly one day Monica is trying to cross to visit her parents who live on the West Berlin side when she comes across barbed wire standing across the border area. She makes a split second decision that will change her life and her parent’s lives.

When Luisa, a CIA cryptographer, finds coded letters to her grandfather, she realizes her father is alive in East Berlin in a prison. She travels to West Berlin to hopefully find her father.

The novel is very fast paced and a great spy/ thriller story with the historical aspect of how East and West Berliners lived during that time period.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for my complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Summary:
August 1961 changed the life of Monica Voekler and her family. She planned on joining her parents and sister for lunch, but she's stopped by a barricade. One that arrives overnight and separates more than just parts of a city. The Berlin Wall changes history and the lives of the Voekler family. Sacrifices are made with devastating consequences. Lies that were once believed reveal their truth. Eyes that were blinded to the reality of the the wall are cruelly opened. Navigate the Berlin Wall with the Voeklers- from all angles- as it goes up, while it's up and the day it's torn down.

Katherine Reay has quickly become one of my favorite historical fiction writers for good reason. The Berlin Letters has sealed her place among my favorite writers. I LOVED this book. So very much. I was gripped to the story. There were several times I thought I knew what was going to happen only to be proven wrong. I was captivated. I was enthralled. I was rooting for each character. I didn't want to put the book down. This book has found it's way onto my favorite books of all time list.

Monica Voekler is a wife and mother in 1961. On this particular day she plans on joining her parents for breakfast. However, she finds a wired barricade stopping her from entering West Berlin. It doesn't take her long to realize the barricade has nefarious intentions. Nor does it take her long to realize she has to decide not just her future, but that of her 3 year old daughter, Luisa. As Monica watches events unfold at the barricade and the actions of the guards in charge of it, she knows the life she knew is over. The woman who set out to meet her family doesn't return home the same.

Monica's husband, Haris, is a reporter for a local newspaper and a member of the Stasi party. He's heard rumblings of a barricade going up and is positive it's for good intentions and not meant to be permanent. He's the last of his family to see things for what they really are and he stands to lose everything he has left. However, in learning the truth, Haris fights for the truth to be known. He finds help in the last place he would've expected it ands sets out to educate the world beyond the wall of what life is like for those living behind it. He has no idea the words and secrets he passes on become known by more than the eyes he wrote them for.

Luisa Voekler has been brought up by her Grandparents after her parents die in a car accident. Her Opa has died, so it's now just her, her Aunt and her Oma. Her family doesn't know that Luisa is one of a team who cracks WW2 and Third Reich codes and ciphers. When Luisa helps her coworker decode a set of letters from berlin, she notices small details like dots over paragraphs and an infinity symbol. The same symbol she's found on one of her Opa's envelopes. Thus begins the journey of uncovering secrets she has no clue of and no idea how deep they went.

As Luisa discovers more letters with the symbol on them between her Opa and someone she long since thought she lost. Once she makes the connection of who her Opa exchanged letters with, she's on a race against time to rescue them from the hell they're in.

I cannot tell you how much I loved this book. I'm not even remotely doing it justice here. Katherine Reay wrote a story that had me gripped to the very end. My heart broke over Monica's story. My heart felt despair over the path Haris found himself on and the consequences it had. I was shocked as Luisa learned the truth of her beloved Grandfather. By the time I read the last line, I had traveled all over the emotional map. This book was AMAZING!! Not only did you learn about the characters and all they endured, but you learned so much history. I haven't heard of any other book involving the Berlin Wall and Katherine did it perfectly.

If you love historical fiction, you will be a fan of this book. You get a real and in depth look at what life was like during the years the Berlin Wall was up. I cannot rave about this book enough. Katherine Reay, thank you for telling the story of so many. Thank you for bringing to light the events many people know nothing about.

The Berlin Letters was fascinating! I doubt I would have ever chosen to pick up & read a book about The Iron Curtain & The Cold War...but Katherine Reay's writing kept me coming back for more & anxious to see how it ended!

I loved the book. It kept me engaged & it was very hard to put down! I always appreciate aome good twists & turns and I wasn't disappointed!

One of the reasons I enjoy Katherine Reay's books so much is that they challenge me to read "outside the box", so to speak...reading books & genres I might not automatically choose.

Thank you to Netgalley & the Publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This well written, thoughtfully plotted dual timeline story of a father and a daughter will keep you reading late into the night. For those of us who grew up during the Cold War, this is a reminder of our freedoms and the ensuing protection of NATO. For this who learn about the Cold War in history class, this is eye opening and a wake up call to value democracy and our freedoms. I will be purchasing this for my high school library.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book immediately caught my eye. The cover is spot on, the author is one of my favorites, and the topic is not one I know much about. I was so excited to get my hands on a copy. I am so glad that I did. I knew nothing about the Berlin Wall. What lead up to it, who put it up, and the big questions...why? I am going to age myself and say that I remember President Regan saying, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." After The Berlin Letter, I am a little bit clearer on the topic, as usual I am still craving more knowledge. This book is phenomenal. You can feel the history oozing out of the pages and through the cover. I feel in love with the characters and the way in which Katherine Reay develops them, made me tear through the pages. I love a book that circles around a family and their complex histories. This one blew me away.

Luisa Voekler has led an astonishing life already. Born in Berlin, German during a volatile time. Luisa and her mother, Monika visit her grandparents. Easily making their way between east and west Berlin. This all changes in a blink of an eye. Overnight a wall is erected and no one can pass. Keeping families, friends, businesses, everything separate. Monika has a gut feeling to throw young Luisa over the wall and into her father's waiting arms. He catches her and makes his way away from the police and from Monika's watchful eye. Did she make the right decision? The book is told in a dual timeline when the wall is erected and until a few days before it comes down. Luisa is now a CIA Code Breaker. Thanks to her grandfather's entertaining codes that he always sets up for Luisa on special occasions. He always kept her on her toes, thinking, learning, and looking for differences in the most minuscule ways. When one of her coworkers brings her a stack of letters to help her break the code. Luisa has a feeling that she has seen that infinity symbol before. Could these letters somehow be connected to her grandfather? As Luisa digs deeper into her grandfather's past. She is met with a realization that her life and what she was told was not what happened. She is left with more questions, than answers. She decides the only way to move forward, is to go back to where it all started...Berlin.

I was completely absorbed and enraptured by this story from the beginning. Code breaking, spies, the Berlin Wall, all of it. I have not read much about this time and I am now determined to find more books centering around this moment in history. Thank you to Katherine Reay and Harper Muse for this phenomenal read!

Another captivating, compelling historical novel from Katherine Reay! I love everything I read by her and The Berlin Letters is a fascinating addition to her fantastic body of work. Reay tells her story with poignant details and incredible heart. I was engrossed in the story and the fate of these characters.

The Cold War Berlin setting was incredibly fascinating as I learned so much about post-WWII Germany and the Berlin Wall. Getting a glimpse of life behind the Iron Curtain was so interesting. Learning about how the world worked in East Berlin was so intriguing. People thought differently, accepted things differently, revolted differently, and fought for freedom. I came to this book with my American experience and the German and Soviet experience surprised me. The way the wall came up so quickly was surprising. I couldn't believe they had collected so much barbed wire! Then I found it fascinating how the Party controlled the news, the border, peoples jobs and homes, churches -- everything. But that control couldn't hold forever. The ending was the most compelling part of the novel as the wall comes down and the world changes forever.

I loved the dual perspectives in this novel giving us the story from different times. The letters that Luisa reads were clever and intriguing. The codes were even more compelling. We read Luisa's grown up perspective in 1989 and Haris', her father, perspective through the 1960s-1980s. I appreciated the similarities between their voices and also how they both change and grow through their stories. Haris is absolutely fascinating because of his growth. He begins the novel a very different man than who he becomes at the end. Seeing his opinions of the party and their platforms shift was an intriguing journey. I also enjoying getting to know him and Luisa better through their shared perspectives. They both are surprised by the secrets they discover and their abilities to create and decipher codes were impressive. I love their reunion at the end and the ways they experience such a poignant moment in history together.

The storytelling is exquisite as Reay creates a compelling and vibrant story. Although I have not yet visited Berlin, I was transported there though Reay's writing. I could see the creation of the wall and the many additions to it's intensity. I could see the abandoned churches, the sterile block housing, the dying trees, the simple apartments and sophisticated Stasi center. I also felt the emotions of the people -- the fear, the anger, the determination, the courage, the strength, and the overwhelm. Reay so expertly balances the experiences of the masses with the experiences of individuals. In many ways, Reay puts us at the center of the conflict and I was impressed by how much I felt I understood this time in history after reading The Berlin Letters.

Another absolutely fantastic novel from Katherine Reay. The characters are complex and endearing. The storytelling is fantastic. And the historical moment is unlike any other. I was fascinated by all I learned in this novel and grateful for Reay's many notes and sources that she mentions at the end of the book. A must read for anyone interested in understanding the Berlin War years and anyone who appreciates a compelling story showcasing the best of the human spirit during a unique time in world history.

Wow. Just wow. This book sucked me in and wouldn’t let go. I was a teenager in the 80s and grew up during the later years of the Cold War. This book took me back to that time period and all the things that I’ve heard and read about happening in Berlin came to life in its pages. It has it all— secrets, intrigue, healing, hope. Can’t recommend it enough.

****Publishing March 5, 2024****

From the writing to the characters to the story, this book will captivate you from the start!

In Katherine Reay’s latest book, The Berlin Letters, this dual timeline book is from the point of view of Luisa parents, during the era of the Berlin Wall and Luisa during the end of the Cold War in 1989. Luisa is a CIA code breaker, and she is assigned to the Berlin Letters Project where she makes discoveries about her own mother and father, whom she never really knew, since she was raised by her grandparents. She even finds matching letters written by her father and grandfather at her grandmother’s house where she lives. When she learns her father is alive and in prison, can she save him in time? How will she react? What will she discover? How will this change her life?

Katherine Reay is one of my favorite authors because you can tell she meticulously researches her books, which turns into a fascinating and well told story that is informative and entertaining! Katherine Reay perfectly captures the emotions and hardships of the time period. If you love Historical Fiction, then this is one to add to your TBR list!

Thanks to Harper Muse, I was provided an ARC of The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley #TheBerlinLetters

"I have found over the years that I fare better being surprised by hope rather than being fooled by reality."

I've unwittingly taken a hiatus from Katherine Reay's books and am so glad that I'm back to reading them again. Katherine Reay has a magical way of transporting the reader to wherever and whenever her characters are. The "past" component of the beautiful story starts in 1961 East Berlin and quickly makes its way to 1989. The "present" component of the plot takes place in one week of November 1989. The past is narrated in third person whereas the present is in first person and I loved how Haris and Luisa's voices mingled together to create a rich and complex tale of sacrifice, loss, regret, betrayal, secrets, and power of love.
I had not given much thought previously to how East Berlin functioned after WWII and during the Cold War years. The vivid descriptions of the conditions were eye-opening and heart-breaking. The codebreaking was truly fascinating and I loved how Luisa's mind worked. How the past collided into the present in the end was masterfully done and I'm still mulling over the details of the story a week after I've finished it.

It's an adrenaline and intrigue-infused race against time to find the truth and save a life - a fast-paced historical fiction that will have you thinking about the Berlin Wall in a new way. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Harper Muse via NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

A compelling and gripping story about the hardships of living in East Berlin during the Cold War and the measures that the Stasi took to keep the people suppressed and surveilled. One daughter's perseverance to save her father from a lifetime in prison goes above any concern for her own survival. This is a must read.

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

The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay is such a fascinating read. The author does such a wonderful job of writing about the Iron Curtain and The Cold War. I think this is her best book so far. The characters are well developed and makes the story totally engrossing. I learned so much about this period of time in history. This is a fast paced spy story that will stay with you long after you are finished reading it.

The story is about Luisa and her family, who get separated when the Berlin Wall is erected, their struggles and how they cope to survive. It shows how opinions we thought to be true can change over time. This book will keep you on your toes until the very end. The story will evokes many emotions in the reader from hatred, sadness to joy and even love. I would highly recommend this book to everyone. One of my favourite reads.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for an advanced copy of this book.

Such an amazing book. Totally engrossing novel set in East Berlin and Washington DC during the Cold War era of the 1960s, 70, and 80s.. I was completely caught up in the story of Luisa and her family, all victims of the Soviet domination of East Berlin during that time. So well written and researched, I would have read 24/7 if I had been able to. It’s a different view of an era I remember very well but did not fully understand. Highly recommended—my first five-star book of this year.

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



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Terrific story based on real history! A page turner, especially towards the end as the tension escalates and lives are at stake. History buffs and fans of spy stories will want to grab this one.

Covering the Cold War era in Berlin from 1961, when the Berlin Wall was erected, to its demise in 1989, it brought back memories from news stories of the time, with names of political leaders and events that rocked the world. A good look at the effects of strict communism on the culture and lives of people under its control.
Well-written and researched, perfectly paced, with just a touch of clean romantic interest towards the end. Highly recommend!
5 stars!

I read a lot of historical fiction but this period of time and set in East Berlin is new to me and I loved it. Katherine Reay managed to evoke the terror and confusion of Berliners the day the wall went up. It is extraordinary how the GDR managed to project manage that task so quietly! The image of the little boy trapped on the wrong side from his parents will stay with me for a long time.
I always love a dual timeline and thought she did a great job of giving them a distinct voice. The history felt part of the narrative rather than added information which can happen when an author needs to include all their research and lose the story.
And I really liked that this book wasn’t bogged down in romantic love. This was about the love a father has for his daughter, and family love that becomes distorted by the past. It shows the reality of how hard it is to move forward from such trauma and how that impacts the next generation.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Katherine Reay whisks to life behind the wall. Compelling, heart wrenching, humbling, leaves you that much more thankful for freedom.

A special thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the honor of reading an ARC.

This book is a history lesson masterfully encased in a top-notch spy thriller. The story is told in a dual timeline. Haris Voekler's story begins in 1961 Berlin with the construction of the Berlin Wall. Luisa Voekler's story begins in 1989 in Washington D.C. I was hooked from the first page. The secrets, lies, snitches, secret codes, and tension of living in East Berlin under the watchful of the Stasi kept me reading way past my bedtime.

Katherine Reay is a new author to me. While I am waiting for next book, I will definitely check out her backlist. Thank you, Harper Muse and Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book.

Excellent!!! I could not put it down. The Berlin Letters is a fantastic story of family, of separation, of secrets, a story of codebreakers and spies, of living in Berlin during the years when the Berlin Wall was up, a story of courage, hope, resourcefulness, with a dash of romance. I cannot recommend this story enough. It has everything I love reading about.

Side note-there is one real world event from 1981 that has a bombshell secret revealed about it that left me speechless. I was dumbfounded. I immediately googled it and sure enough, found the same facts that the author so flawlessly wrote about. I had not known! This is why I love historical fiction. Had I been able to learn history through story in high school, I would have learned so much more!

Thank you to Harper Muse and Net Galley for allowing me to read an early ecopy. All opinions are my own. I can't wait for my own copy to arrive for my keeper shelf.

The story of a family torn apart by the Soviet policies in East Berlin and the building of the wall between East and West Berlin. Luisa was smuggled out the day the wall went up, and was always told her parents were dead and raised by her grandparents. Her grandfather teaches her cryptology through games because he has his own secret life. Her journalist father is behind the wall, dealing with its oppressive policies, and longs to make contact with his daughter and the world.

What is not spoken between the members of this family becomes huge walls, separating them from truth and true contact. All the walls, both the mental and the physical are finally breached together.

The history of the wall, the culture of East Berlin behind the wall is detailed and really interesting. Great blend of history and story.

Reading <i>The Berlin Letters</i> was like reading a historical novel and a mystery/suspense novel all in one. Honestly, it kind of reminded me of <i>The DaVinci Code</i>! The story takes place over two timelines that ended up merging into one by the end of the book. It's a story of a young girl, Luisa, who was born in Berlin just before the wall went up. Through a series of events, she ends up escaping just in time and being raised by her grandparents in the United States. Now as an adult, her career and her grandfather's recent death play a role in opening a Pandora's box of secrets, codes, and mystery that ultimately lead to a wild adventure back in Berlin in 1989.

This historical fiction is an interesting look at a period and events in history and how those on both sides not only interpreted the events as they were happening, but also came to see how they impacted people on a grander scale and what they meant for society and the human race as a whole. A fascinating and exciting read!

Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the ARC.

Publish Date: March 4, 2024

I almost didn’t read this book and I’m so thankful I did. I knew very little about East and West Berlin. This story is told from the perspective of Luisa and her Dad, Haris. The timelines and perspectives are easy to follow. The story begins prior to the Wall going up. It was shocking that the segregation and barbed wire went up over night. I had no idea. Luisa is about 3 or 4 at this time. Her grandparents and Aunt had already moved to West Berlin. Overnight, they were cut off from their other daughter, granddaughter and son in law. Haris comes to have several regrets as his eyes are opened. There was so much snitching and betrayal by West Berliners. It might have even been worse than during the Holocaust. The CIA becomes involved, I won’t reveal more than that. The story takes us through the night the Wall was opened. This was well written and quite emotional. Made me cry. I enjoyed all the characters and the plot. Highly recommend. I was blessed with a free advance reader copy, and I am submitting my review voluntarily. Looking forward to more by this author.

In my opinion, this would make a great selection for a book club, that loves history, and intrigue. Outstanding questions at the end to guide a book club.

It’s weird to read about historical fiction events that you remember. I was a kid when the Berlin Wall came down and, at the time, I didn’t understand its significance. While I’ve read other Cold War novels, this is the first I’ve read that took place in East and West Germany. The dual narrative grabbed me from the beginning and didn’t let go. The characters and the plot were well-developed with just enough mystery to keep me reading. It was truly hard to put down! This may be my favorite Katherine Reay book.

Another winning piece of historical fiction from Katherine Reay! Set during the cold war we meet Luisa Voekler who was raised by grandparents who immigrated from Germany and now works for the CIA. In the 1960s, we meet Luisa’s father Haris, living in East Germany behind the Berlin Wall. The tension and fear in Haris’s everyday life was palpable. I learned so much about that time period through Haris.

I can remember President Reagan’s “Mr Gorbachev, bring down the Wall” speech but I knew very little about what life was actually like in East Berlin. I loved seeing references to the attempted Reagan assassination and learned how it impacted Soviet aggression toward uprisings in Poland, Czechoslovakia and other countries behind the Iron Curtain.

Highly recommend this to historical fiction readers and anyone who loves world history.

Book description: “Near the end of the Cold War, a CIA code-breaker discovers a symbol she recognizes from her childhood, which launches her across the world to the heart of Berlin just before the wall comes tumbling down.”

This is my first read by Katherine Reay, and my first historical fiction about the Berlin wall. I knew nothing about the Berlin Wall other than that famous quote from President Reagan, and I found it fascinating and very sad. I love how she put the story together and will look for more books by Reay.

The story alternates between Luisa, a CIA Cryptographer, and Harris, her German father living in East Berlin. Luisa grew up in the United States with her grandparents and was told that her parents had died in Germany when she was a baby. However, while working she finds letters that seem familiar to her, which leads her to hunt for more information. As she reads through the letters she unravels the truth about her family.

The rescue at the end seemed a little unrealistic, but I really enjoyed this book and finished it quickly!

My thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for this ARC.
#TheBerlinLetters #NetGalley

Thank you AustenprosePR and HarperMuse for my advance copy via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

MY REVIEW:
Luisa Voekler has always loved solving puzzles, and her dream was to one day become a field agent at the CIA. But ever since she was yanked from training for no discernable reason and assigned a desk job in budgeting, she has felt like a failure. Even being moved to a covert code-breaking team wasn't enough to make her feel worthy. But when, in 1989, she stumbles on a secret cache of letters written by the father she thought died when she was little, she starts to unravel a twisted skein of secrets and lies that takes her on her first international trip, and to the dangerous heart of East Berlin.

This dual-point-of-view historical spy thriller was immediately gripping and tragic. From the moment that Luisa is handed to her grandparents to the final heart-stopping finale, I was hooked. Seeing the entire length of the Cold War both from the experience of a journalist within the German Democratic Republic and then from the epiphanies of his daughter, a 1980's CIA codebreaker gave the story a broad perspective. I learned so much about the achievements of women working on deciphering Nazi and then Soviet codes (Verona I & 2), the groundbreaking and dissent of East German punk music, and the volatility of East Berlin throughout the 20th Century. The narrative had clear imagery, a sense of place, and vivid (often conflicting) emotions, including loss and hope. I can't help thinking that this would be a fantastic movie!

Triggers: child separation, the horrors that were World War II and the repression in East Germany (death, torture, kidnapping, rape, manipulation, etc.)

I loved this book. Growing up during the Cold War, so much of the content of this story unfolded in front of my eyes but this book gave me a whole new perspective. It was clearly well researched and just so well executed.

1989 and the Berlin Wall-we saw it fall on television but what was going on behind the scenes ? Spies and Secrets and Intrigue abound!
This story tells you about one family living in Berlin in 1961 and what happens to them when the wall goes up and their family is separated for decades. The protagonist is Luisa, who is now working for the CIA in the 1980s, but was thrown over the barbed wire fencing by her mother to her grandparents to keep her safe in 1961. Luisa finds a secret cache of letters between her father, who stayed in East Berlin, to her grandfather, who lived with the family in Washington, DC. Being trained her who life to solve puzzles and ciphers by her grandfather, she figures out the secret messages that were sent from her father. Her grandfather passed those secrets behind the Wall to a newspaper reporter in DC. The intrigue continues with a clandestine trip to East Berlin as Luisa desperately tries to find and save her father.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story as it unraveled the secrets of that tumultuous time in Berlin's history. Luisa was portrayed as a brave, bright young woman who had to deal with family secrets and I was rooting for her success. This book gives you some context and personal connection to the Berlin Wall and the history surrounding it. If you are looking for more recent historical fiction, I recommend this one!
Thank you Harper Muse and Net Galley for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I absolutely adored Katherine Reay's newest novel, The Berlin Letters! This book was gripping, engaging, and so well written. Told in dual timelines, this is the story of a father and a daughter, and a family as a whole, whose lives are transformed by the Cold War. The author must have spent a ridiculous amount of time researching this novel - the level of details given to life in East Germany in the 1960s-1980s, as well as life in the States in 1989. it was heartbreaking reading about how families were torn apart thanks to the Berlin Wall...and with the wall coming down during my lifetime (I was 4!), it is amazing how much things have changed. I really liked Luisa as a character - she was so driven, so committed to her family, so smart. What a strong woman and you couldn't help but root for her. My only complaint (even though I LOVED this book) was that everything tied up so nicely and her career path just happened to put her in a place where she could engage in a dramatic conclusion. But what is a novel without some coincidences. :)

Highly recommend this book!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a very interesting story. Luisa has been raised by her grandparents after the Berlin Wall went up. She now works for the CIA as a code breaker. She has been groomed since she was a kid to figure out coded notes from her Opa. While at work she notices the codes letters her co-worker is working on are the same as the ones she found hidden in her old room. She started decoding the letters and found out they were from her father in East Germany. She had been told her parents were both dead. She figures out the whole story and decides to help her father. There is a lot of suspense in the story. There is also a lot of history about the Wall and what went on in the years following. I don't want to go into too much detail, but it is a good story that's moves across the present and the past with Luisa's father's letters. Having all the backstory really helped ratchet up the suspense towards the final chapters. Good book and worth reading. I will be looking for other books from this author.

I received a free copy from NetGalley for an unbiased review.

This was a really fascinating look at the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall. I enjoyed the back-and-forth in time and perspective, as it really brough the eras and events to life for me. Reay did a fantastic job setting the stage for the paranoia and hysteria of East Berlin, and I was drawn into her worlds from the opening pages. The characters and pacing were spot-on - well developed and consistently engaging. I searched a slew of her references on Google, further deepening my interest in the story and history. This was a fabulous read and I'm definitely recommending my library pick up a copy!

Amazing! Captivating! I loved this book. The characters were people I could feel for and learn from. I learned so much about a time from my childhood that I don’t remember.
Wow!

This was a thrilling read that simply wouldn’t let me put it down! Riveting on so many layers - intense family dynamics, unique moment in history, thrilling CIA details . Luisa is such a likeable character. Almost an orphan, almost a success. I love the closeness she shared with her Opa/grandfather, balanced against the pain when she realized he hadn’t been totally honest with her. And yet, had she been candid with her family about her career? The way Opa prepared Luisa for both her job and the ultimate revelations about her family was incredible. I finished this book amazed at the courage and cleverness of these three generations . Reay writes with such precision that every emotion, every scene, comes alive. I was grateful to receive an early copy of this book from NetGalley, and was not required to post a review.

The Berlin Letters was one of those books that only a few chapters in I just knew it was going to be good to the end and it did not disappoint. I think this is Katherine Reay’s best novel yet. I enjoy historical fiction and love that this one was set against a memorable event in my lifetime although that does start to make me feel old if I think about it. This is a great family story told with bookends of the beginning and end of the Berlin wall. Other real-life events are woven in and it makes me want to go read more about that time period. Thanks to Harper Muse for an early copy to read through NetGalley, I am leaving this review voluntarily as my honest opinion because I love books and authors. This book will release on March 5, 2024.

Keeping secrets is a family tradition

At 31, Luisa Voekler works in an off-campus division of the CIA using her codebreaking skills on files that are decades old, rather than as the covert operative she had hoped to be. She lives with the newly-widowed grandmother (Oma) who raised her, which hasn’t done much for her social or. romantic life. When a colleague comes to her for assistance. In deciphering documents from what she calls her “Berlin Letters” file, Luisa sees a small mark….an infinity symbol….that seems all too familiar. Years earlier, she had seen just such a symbol on a letter that her. Grandfather (Opa) was reading. What could her grandfather, the most honest man she’s ever known, have to do with the letters of a spy from East Germany? Soon all that she has been told about her parents, her childhood, and more come into question. Her parents, she had been told, had died in a car accident back in East Germany, and her grandparents brought their other daughter, her Aunt Alice, and Luisa to the US for a better future. But her father, a journalist, is actually still alive and may be imprisoned behind the Iron Curtain. Calling on her skills as a crypto analyst as well as skills she was taught years ago but never used in clandestine operations, Luisa must discover what is the truth about her family and find a way if she can to save the father she hasn’t seen since she was a young child.
As she did in a previous novel, A. Shadow in Moscow, author Katherine Reay delves into the world of. Cold War espionage from an interesting perspective. What leads an ordinary person to enter the world of spies, especially to spy against their own country? And what effects does this have on that person and on those around them? Luisa, who as a girl was dubbed “a girl of infinite possibilities” by her Opa, was raised by people who had not only escaped from East Germany just before the Wall would have prevented such an act, but also had lived through the actions the Soviet military took in the final months of WWII as they marched into Germany, which in turn has impacted her own development. Told in alternating chapters from the point of view of Luisa in 1989, when freedom is percolating in Eastern Europe, and that of her father Haris starting in 1961 and continuing to the present, The Berlin Letters is both an engrossing tale of espionage and one of family, both of which are impacted by secrets, courageous acts, and betrayals. I found the book hard to put down once I picked it up, and enjoyed the lore of codebreaking as well as a glimpse into what went on in East Germany both when the Wall went up and in the time leading up to its coming down. Readers of Ms Reay’s earlier works will enjoy this novel, as will fans of authors like Paul Vidich, Joseph Kanon and Alma Katsu. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for allowing me access to an early copy of The Berlin Letters….I look forward with great anticipation to the next book by Katherine Reay.

In The Berlin Letters , published by Harper Muse on 3/5/2024., journalist Harris Voekler and his daughter (Louisa) each tell their stories. When the Berlin Wall went up it forever changed their family. The letters were written by Harris and his father in law, from opposite sides of the wall that separated them. And when Luisa, now a CIA cryptographer, finds her grandfather's stash of correspondence and news stories, she begins to realize they are written in code. And in them she recognizes a symbol from her childhood, having been raised by her grandparents due to the separation. Now it is 1989, near the end of the Cold War, and the letters raise a question. Is it possible that her father is still alive in an East German prison? As the storylines alternate between Luisa and her father, you will experience first hand the trials of this family. They struggle with hard decisions and fight to survive during the early days of the wall and during its continued separation of families. The story of the family becomes a marathon of secrets and lies. Luisa continues to unlock the coded clues and mysterious revelations in the writings, but is literally blocked by that iceberg of a wall separating her from the truth that she needs. Luisa's adventure is assisted by brave journalists and the timely resource of a plan she pieces together with a friend in time of need.. Behind the scenes her father's struggles are real, so Luisa must get past the shivering realities of the Cold War - even if her bosses at the CIA will have nothing to do with helping her. Katherine Reay once again masterfully awakens you to experience history in the moment, as it unfolds. If you love history, mystery, codes, or heroines, this book will be sure to draw you in and Reay, with her masterful storytelling, will become a favorite author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the eARC of this absorbing historical fiction documenting the first days of the Berlin Wall and more. I'm a new Katherine Reay fan. The story is told with thoughtfulness and tenderness and weaves in an engaging mystery. The characters are multifaceted with believable motivations. I like Katherine Reay's writing style, and I appreciate what I learned about this part of history.

Wow.

I've read several of Katherine Reay's post-WWII novels and this is her best yet.

"The Berlin Letters" is a remarkably researched and executed story of a father (Haris) and daughter (Luisa) in separate worlds, fighting for what is right on either side of an oppressive wall.

I read a lot of WWII fiction, so loved experiencing "the next phase" in history, even with all its dark, horrific details. I was so sad for Luisa's mum being suddenly separated from her family, and understood her reaction and response to her husband, Haris. She was justified to have responded as she did, and though things didn't turn out well for her, I'm so glad Haris was redeemed through decades of letters. I felt like I travelled Luisa's journey of discovery beside her, mourning her losses and anxious to know what happened next.

Luisa was so believable and lovable. Such strength and brokenness in one small package. I felt so many emotions as she journeyed this story, but my favourite "extra" bit was her hinting at her past infatuation with Daniel. Such a great set up for things to come.

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

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Muse, and Katherine Reay for the opportunity to read, The Berlin Letters. This book was a fantastic historical fiction story about Berlin during the Cold War. I never learned much about the Berlin Wall when I was in school and I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about that time in history. Reay did an amazing job keeping the story fast paced and full of adventure.

The story went back and forth between a young German woman named Luisa who was born in Berlin, but escaped with her grandparents to America when she was a young child and her father who stayed in Berlin and struggled to find his way back to his only daughter.

For many years Luisa thought her father was dead, but then one day she found letters proving he was still alive and living in East Germany, the most dangerous side of the Berlin Wall. Luisa had to use all of her resources to try and find him. When she finally knew he was in East Germany, she realized he was in serious trouble and needed to go there immediately to try and rescue him. She took all of her money and boarded a plane to Germany just as Berlin was becoming extremely dangerous.

This story was incredibly captivating and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. It was full of secrets, spies, and extremely dangerous situations. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves reading historical fiction. It's a story that will stay with me forever.

The Berlin Letters
by Katherine Reay

A riveting, tension filled spy adventure set in the final days of the Berlin Wall.

CIA cryptographic Lisa Voekler finds a secret stash of encoded letters that link her family across the Iron Curtain and she becomes convinced that her father who she was brought up to believe was dead, is still alive in a Stasi prison. In a bid to free him she travels to Berlin, naively underprepared, and must use her wits and her few contacts to navigate the deeply paranoid and dangerous world that was East Berlin in 1989.

This story is structured in alternate timelines between Luisa and her father whose letters bring to life the early days of the social experiment, the fallout from WW2, the incremental changes that turned an idealistic future into an totalitarian dystopia. It feels well researched and authentic which is something I appreciate in my cold war reading.

I like Reay's writing style. Her characters are three dimensional and nuanced and she creates a compelling urgency that favourably compares to Ben MacIntyre's " The Spy and The Traitor" which is my gold standard for spy thrillers.

My one gripe is with the cheesy epilogue. I wish the book ended without it. The romance was less shoehorned in, and more rammed in with crowbar. Apart from that, a thrilling tale, sure to get the heart pounding.

Publication Date: 5th March 2024

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #HarperMuse

This book was phenomenal! I devoured every word! I am a history buff anyway, but I can't say that I have read much about this part of history, the Cold War, especially from the perspective of an East German. I loved how the author used a dual timeline at times to tell the story since the main characters were a father and daughter but then other times, the timeline was concurrent. I felt the story flowed very well and I could always tell what was happening. I never felt confused! Luisa was 3 years old when her mother realized the Berlin Wall was going up and she needed to get her daughter out of there to be able to grow up in freedom. She took a risk and sacrificed everything. I felt her anguish! Luisa's father was a reporter for the "state" newspaper in East Germany and he never thought it would get as bad as it did, so he and his wife stayed. However, he missed his daughter every day - he didn't, however, know what his wife had planned regarding their daughter! Luisa is raised by the grandparents and thinks her parents died but years later, when she finds out her father is still alive, she determines to get him out of prison, no matter the cost. The history of East Germany, the Berlin Wall, the CIA during that time and world history in general, was so fascinating to me! I grew up during all of this and don't remember most of what the author wrote about! I appreciate the fantastic research she did and the amazing characters, even though they are fictional. I loved everything about this story and was fascinated from page one.

"The Berlin Letters" by Katherine Reay is a compelling work of historical fiction that follows the story of Luisa Voekler, a CIA codebreaker with a unique background. Raised by her German grandparents in the US, Luisa finds herself yearning for more excitement in her life despite enjoying her work. When she uncovers a connection between the letters she is decoding and those her grandfather received before his death, Luisa embarks on a journey to unravel the secrets of her family's past and discover her true identity.

Set in Washington DC and Berlin, Germany, the novel delves into themes of self-discovery, family loyalty, truth-seeking, and the fight for freedom. The narrative is engaging and the characters are well-developed, drawing readers into Luisa's quest for answers.

Overall, "The Berlin Letters" is a captivating read that explores complex themes with depth and insight. I highly recommend this book for its impactful storytelling and memorable characters.

I don’t read a lot of historical fiction but I really enjoyed this book. The author did a great job. It is a dual point of view narration. I found the book fascinating and the story compelling. I highly recommend it.

The Berlin Letters is everything a historical fiction should be! Here are all the reasons I loved this book:

-The setting - I was immediately drawn into post WWII Berlin, and all the turmoil that occurred there over the following decades. My knowledge of this time was limited, so it was fascinating and heartbreaking to learn of the events taking place in Berlin. It's almost impossible to comprehend how quickly the wall went up and how few people were able to escape. I could feel the fear and tension in the people living there. It is truly devastating that they had to endure those years of fear.

-The pacing of this book was perfect. Once I got into the story, I couldn't stop reading as new information kept unfolding. The secrets just kept coming, and it is such a compelling read.

-I loved Luisa. Her strength, her loyalty to her family, her resolve to find answers. It was so amazing to go on the journey with her as she discovered her family and herself.

Katherine Reay is a favorite already, but she really amazed me with her storytelling and research in this book.

Thank you to Harper Muse, NetGalley, and Katherine Reay for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

By about halfway through, I became suspicious of every character. By the end, my breathing was shallow. And this was a book. I cant even inagine how terrifying it wouldve been to live in Berlin suring this time.

If you like historical novels, interested in The Cold War, The Berlin Wall, the CIA, books that infiltrate you, read this one. Its entirely fascinating and I can’t wait for you all to read it so we can chat!

The Berlin Letters so beautifully written so emotional so moving.The characters came alive drew me in from the first pages .Historical fiction at its best.#netgalley #harpermuse

Synopsis: “Now I’m crossing a line. What I’ve done so far can be laid at the doorstep of curiosity. If I take this flashlight outside and open the crawl space beneath the house, I am doubting Opa’s integrity, his honesty, his very soul…I am committed.” Luisa Voekler has always been told that her parents died in a car accident when she was young, but when her coworker discovers a series of letters with ciphers from behind the Iron Curtain, all that she knows to be true comes crashing down. In a dual point of view, Luisa and her father tell their stories of fighting against the Soviet Union. Who can be trusted, what is true, and is freedom really possible?

Analysis: This gripping Cold War novel is one to immediately add to the top of your tbr! Katherine Reay tells an emotional tale of a daughter and father both seeking freedom in their own ways. I absolutely loved the historical detail and the writing style. The characters are bold, realistic, and captivating. I realized as I was reading how little I actually know about the events of the Cold War and the Berlin Wall, and this book makes me want to dive deeper into that history. The unique perspectives told here are ones I think every person would benefit from reading. You’ll find yourself completely immersed in the secrets, ciphers, and twists of this story!

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Content Rating: Clean

*I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Katherine Reay weaves a fascinating, well researched novel filled with historical detail in a smoothly flowing dual-time, dual narrator format. The setting is the Cold War leading up to the fall of the wall dividing East Berlin from the rest of the world. Spy adventures aren’t my first choice of novel but The Berlin Letters is so much more than a spy story. It is compelling, heart-wrenching, emotional and suspenseful with memorable characters that provide rich perspective on life on both sides of the wall. I was young enough during the Cold War not to comprehend the complexity and pain that were involved in this difficult and tumultuous time. I was completely drawn in to the characters and story line on page one and devoured the rest of this enlightening book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the opportunity to read for my honest review.

The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay

Heartbreaking and emotional historical fiction. The Berlin Letters has a mixed emotions story setting. I truly enjoyed it a lot and this is one of the books that I will read it again and again.

The dual timelines and POVs make the story even better. The author did a great job on history researching. I could easily imagine those hard days at that time. The author just brought the readers into her fiction world!

I can’t wait to read more of her works. Highly recommend!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Muse and the author for my copy.

Pub date: March 5, 2024

What a gripping tale! I read 'til dawn to find what happens to CIA code breaker Luisa Voekler and her father. Makes the scary Cold War era come alive, and will definitely grab histfic lovers of the 20th Century, as it did me. Unputdownable!

Luisa has a complicated background, most of which has been hidden from her. Her origins are East German, her grandparents fled after her parents were killed in a car accident. That’s the story told to her and she never questioned it as it was a plausible one. She works as a CIA operative now and a chance symbol on an envelope led her to a stash of letters hidden under a floorboard. Written by her father, who is alive, but languishing in prison, she discovers a trail of espionage, coded and secret in innocuous terms of accounts of daily life.

That accounted for half the story. The rest was the planned rescue of her father, the obstacles, the betrayals on the way, the many ways used by the general population to circumvent the suppression by the Stasi and the Soviets to create fear, dissension in families and keep people subservient and living under a dominant government.

Combining the story of espionage along with the travails of an ordinary family’s immense courage this was brilliantly accounted in detail.

This is absolutely top tier historical fiction! While I don’t know enough about Berlin to gauge the accuracy, I felt like I learned so much about this important part of history while also becoming enamored with many relatable characters!

In the prologue, readers are introduced to Monica Voekler, who lived in East Berlin, Germany, on August 13, 1961. Her spouse, Lucia Voekler, is a reporter. He knows that things are becoming heated politically, so he sets out to get the inside news. It never occurred to him that things might get so terrible that barbed wire walls would need to be constructed overnight.

Monika Voekler felt there was trouble brewing. In an instant, she made a decision to pull her daughter Lucia from her stroller and hurl her across the barbed wire into her father's arms. Then she set out to scale the barbed wire. She didn't anticipate what would happen next. It was an event that changed her family forever.

Next, the readers learn about CIA code-switcher Lucia Voekler, who was raised by her grandparents. Carrie, Lucia's friend and co-worker has requested assistance in deciphering what she calls the "Berlin letters." Carrie wants to clear off her desk before she goes on maternity leave. While helping her friend, Lucia spots a symbol that she recognizes. She remembers seeing them in letters she received from her grandfather.

This is an emotionally charged story that touched my heart. I appreciated the rich detail, and depth that made me feel as though I was there with the characters. I also like how this narrative was told in two distinct times by two separate narrators. It made for a comprehensive experience.

I was astonished by a few of the twists and turns. I wasn’t prepared for this dramatic, thrilling conclusion that brought tears to my eyes as I turned the pages, hoping for Lucia and her family's best outcome.

If you love stories set during the time of war, complete with cryptanalysts, code breakers, translators of the Berlin letters who work together to stop enemy communication. You will cherish this captivating novel that covers the Berlin Wall before and after it was built. It's a gripping page turner that had my heart racing during the story's climactic moments and resolution. I had no idea how this would end.
The author’s website features videos from her trip to Berlin, I found them fascinating. This is a fantastic book to choose for a book club. If you haven’t read a novel by this author, I highly recommend you start with this one. In my opinion it’s her best.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher and NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

Imagine that it is the weekend. You (Monica) are a mom with a three year old little girl (Luisa). Your husband (Haris) is a journalist and needs to work even though it is not a weekday. You live in the eastern part of Berlin. You are meeting your parents for lunch. They have moved a few blocks away and are just a few blocks into the western part of Berlin. Imagine that you go out with the stroller to meet them and find barbed wire! You cannot go for lunch but you do something big and impulsive that will have reverberations (no spoiler so no exact details here). This is the beginning of the story, the division of Berlin and the subsequent erection of the wall.

This start of Reay’s novel really captured me. I couldn’t stop thinking about what it must have been like for ordinary people when their lives were transformed by a wall and an ideology. It is to Reay’s credit that she sets the scene of the novel so well.

The book goes on to be largely told by two characters. One of these is a grown up Luisa and the other is Haris. There is a lot to find out about both of them (and others) but I do not want to give anything away. A few things to think about: an infinity symbol, truth and lies about family, codes. This should be enough to intrigue prospective readers.

Reay’s last book, A Shadow in Moscow, was a compelling read. Here Reay has again created a book that I both simultaneously could not walk away from and did not want to end. I recommend it very highly.

A note on the audio: There are multiple narrators which gives a true sense of the characters and story. Those who prefer their books as listens can’t go wrong with this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Muse for the e book and audio versions of this title. All opinions are my own.

“Don’t die in the waiting room of the future.”

This was an absolutely phenomenal read by Katherine Reay. It's written in this fabulous new voice that she has found since "The London House," and I cannot get enough.

In this story, Luisa was quickly passed over a barbed wire fence when she was three years old into West Germany. This would eventually become the Berlin Wall. It separated her from her parents, and eventually for the safety of her family, she was moved to America. As an adult, she works for the CIA, but feels like a colossal failure as she isn't an operative, but a code breaker sitting behind a desk. It turns out that her grandfather had been preparing her for such work her whole life. And not just that, but it would lead her to the truth about life in Berlin and what happened to her parents.

If you like:
✔️Intrigue
✔️History
✔️Details
✔️Betrayal
✔️Strong FMC
✔️Dual timelines

...then you will love this story. There is a teensy bit of romance, too, but the Letters are the star of the story.

I personally adored Luisa and her character arc. Things weren't as they seemed for her, and it moved the story along spectacularly. The amount of historical detail had me captivated, and even a little saddened. I've been able to touch a portion of the Berlin Wall and I've seen in-person the car that Pope John Paul II rode in after his assassination attempt. Those moments feel so much more significant for me after reading this incredible story.

This thrilling cold war story pulled me in right from page one and kept the adrenaline pumping through to the very end. With great research Katherine Reay brings East Germany and Berlin into sharp focus from the end of WW II the the fall of the Berlin Wall. The reader can feel the bleak existence the people were allowed, the despair and fear of being reported for any perceived infraction. The stark difference from East to West was brilliantly portrayed. The characters put life into the story, feeling the desperate despair and fear left from the war and how far it reached into the future for each person. Also how far a person will go to help another and erase a past that needs to be left in the shadows in order to move forward into the light. Luisa must face a past filled with lies in order to move herself and her family into a future free of the fear and danger those lies put there. The adrenaline barely has time to fade before the next threat emerges to kick the heart rate up again.
Katherine Reay has become a new favorite author. Her ability to convey historical information with detail and entertainment always leave me wanting more. Her research adds such dimension and realism to her writing, the story leaps off the pages like a movie. Then the characters fill every spot in to pull the reader personally into the story, like you are a part of the movie going on around you. The emotions felt by the characters become the readers' which makes the story pop even more for this reader. The jumps between points of view and timelines flows easily and adds to the entire story. I can not recommend this story more. It is thrilling, entertaining, and informative making for a terrific read that ends far too quickly. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you, NetGalley and publishers.

A new Katherine Reay book is always exciting, and The Berlin Letters is just as exciting and interesting as A Shadow in Moscow was. If you enjoyed the London Bookshop Affair, A Shadow in Moscow or the Diamond Eye, you’ll enjoy this too. Luisa discovers that her beloved grandfather was involved in getting the truth out from behind the Berlin Wall, and that her father, instead of dying as she was always told, is very much alive but in danger. She has limited time to try and get him to safety. But will courage and basic training in espionage be enough?

Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” ~President Ronald Reagan

The Berlin Letters is page-turning historical fiction focused on one family’s trauma as they experience the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall.

In 1989, Louisa works for the CIA as a cryptographer (code breaker). In one secret cache of letters, Louisa spots a symbol she recognizes from her childhood. From additional letters and a few newspaper articles that her grandfather saved, she is suspicious that her father wrote the letters and that he might still be alive in an East German jail. In alternating chapters, we gain her father’s perspective and glimpses into the early days of the Berlin Wall and how the wall separated the family. After Louisa’s attempt to convince the CIA to intervene fails, she takes matters into her own hands and orchestrates a daring rescue.

I always love a complicated family drama! Some of my favorite histfic reads include a generous side of suspense and/or thriller. In the Berlin Letters, I especially admire how the author skillfully balances family themes, historical details, political intrigue, and suspense. One does not overshadow the others. The Berlin Letters is an example of perfectly balanced character-driven and plot-driven fiction, my favorite! Do you prefer character-driven or plot driven? Or do you enjoy a balance? Do you appreciate a story with a side of thriller/suspense and a daring rescue?

For those who need a break from WWII histfic, this story with its focus on the Berlin Wall (Cold War era) might interest you! For some of you, the Iron Curtain and the fall of the Berlin Wall is your lived history! I’ve seen a section of the Berlin Wall at the Reagan Presidential Library here in California. Do you remember the fall of the Berlin Wall?

I enjoyed both perspectives in this well-told and well-researched story. The father’s perspective provides rich historical details of the beginning of the Berlin Wall and his reflections on being caught on the East German side, gradually reevaluating his ideals, and losing his daughter to the West side through his wife’s impulsive, sacrificial action. The daughter’s perspective supplies the intrigue and suspense as she risks a daring rescue behind the Iron Curtain.

If you enjoy well-researched histfic, you will appreciate the vivid descriptions and historical details provided here about the beginnings of the Berlin Wall, life behind the Iron Curtain, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and a family caught in the political turmoil.

I highly recommend The Berlin Letters for fans of compelling historical fiction, for those interested in the Cold War era, for those who appreciate a complicated family drama, and for readers who enjoy a side of intrigue and suspense. As a bonus, there’s also a hint of romance!

Content Consideration: grief

Thanks @AustenProsePR #NetGalley @HarperMuseBooks for a complimentary e ARC of #TheBerlinLetters upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Spanning from the construction to the eventual destruction of the Berlin Wall, The Berlin Letters follows the saga of a family torn apart and their efforts to fight for freedom.

Thoughts: This book could be a spy movie! I was enthralled from the beginning, and I binged it in one day. I enjoyed the dual timelines sharing the stories of multiple generations of the same family. I haven’t read much historical fiction about more recent history like this, and I found it fascinating. The author clearly did very thorough research, and it showed via the careful details throughout. The story was at times triumphant and at times heartbreaking, with lots of action in between. Highly recommend this book!

Incredible to look at how a city was split and their people trapped within literally overnight.

I remember as a kid hearing over the radio of the Wall coming down, so it was even more interesting to me, being able to relate a little to some of the events then and shortly after - not just reading about a historical thing generations back.

I loved the infusion of codebreaking, family secrets, and the history of East Berlin behind the Berlin Wall. I thought it was well done, intriguing, and was difficult to put down thru most of the book. The plot unfolded in a believable manner and the fear and paranoia of living in East Berlin was well portrayed.

The concept of forgiveness and reconciliation were also fantastic and fused with emotion. I loved how each family member had to work thru their own issues, that it wasn’t simple, but that they ultimately chose love anyways.

All in all really well done, believable and loved learning more of the history and what went on for those behind the Wall and for family members outside of it. And I really love anything codebreaking and espionage too, so all the wins on this one.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

As a baby, Luisa was tossed over the barbed wire that separated the East and West sectors of Berlin in 1961. Her mother wanted to give her a chance at freedom, so Luisa was given over to the care of her grandparents on the Western side of what would become the Berlin Wall.

Decades later, she works as a decoder of letters that hold important governmental information. After something seems familiar about one of them, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, family history, and a bit of espionage.

I really enjoyed this! It was a page-turner for sure, but also had enough character development to round it out. The story is compelling and one I’d recommend. But I think my favorite part about this book was learning so much about the history of the Cold War and the Berlin Wall. I was born one year after the wall came down, so while I knew it was a significant event, I never really knew much of the history leading up to it.

Within these pages we get a big picture view of the wall and the political context surrounding it. But through the experience of one family, we also get a glimpse of what it would have been like to live through all of it: the wall, the fear, the separation from loved ones. I found it to be the perfect balance—never bogged down in historical details, but never swaying into sappy or overly emotional.

This was a great reading experience and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it, especially for fans of Kristin Hannah or Ariel Lawhon.

Thank you to Harper Muse and Netgalley for the advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

The Berlin Letters offers an exciting glimpse into the start and end of the Cold War. Of course I learned about the Berlin Wall as a student and remember the captivating news when the wall came down, but after reading about Luisa’s family’s story, I got a real feel for what life was like during this era.

Luisa’s character is admirable! She was raised by her grandparents believing that she was an orphan, but when she learned there was more to her upbringing, she was fully committed to unravel the secrets that had been kept from her.

This book opened my eyes as to how divisive the Berlin Wall was, both physically and socially. I enjoyed learning about the issues, and the code breaking references were fascinating! I loved that the author incorporated the punk scene into the narrative!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harper Muse Books, UpLit Reads and author, Katherine Reay for the e-arc of this book to read and review!

This book right here is why I LOVE historical fiction! The spies, the secret codes, the espionage, the suspense and the letters … this one has it all! I was completely hooked from page one! As a young college student when the Berlin Wall came down, I vividly remember President Reagan’s famous speech … so of course I got chills while reading more about this infamous part of our world’s history! It absolutely came to life in these pages! The amount of detail and research that went into this book is incredible and the writing just grips you! Do not miss Katherine’s notes at the end … fascinating!

And the cover!?!?! Perfection!!

The Berlin Letters is a big recommend from me!

The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay was incredibly hard to put down. The book through a dual timeline begins the night the Berlin Wall went up, cutting East Berlin off from West Berlin and spans to the wall coming down in 1989. The stories of Luisa Voekler and her father Haris Voekler are woven together so well, with Luisa not even realizing at first her father was alive. The jump between points of view and periods of time was well done and easy to follow. The detail about this period in history and the picture painted of Easter Berlin were incredible, fascinating and even a little bit surprising to hear about, given that neighbours were coerced or incentivized to snitch on each other to ensure compliance. An excellent read!

Thank you to Harper Muse, Netgalley and the author for an eARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been a Katherine Reay fan for years but this by far is my favorite of hers. I quickly became fascinated by this subject and time period rarely written about. I paused throughout to do a little research since I found it so intriguing. Her meticulous research and grasp of the different time periods flowed flawlessly rather than being confusing. Her characters were developed and believable with their own flaws and humanity. Unexpected twists throughout left me on the edge of my seat. I’d love to see this made into a movie, but in the meantime I eagerly look forward to her next book!

I was fascinated by the events depicted in The Berlin Letters, which is set between 1961 and 1989, the period during which East and West Berlin were divided by a wall erected by the Russian controlled government in East Berlin. Author Katherine Reay has done a marvelous job of creating an atmosphere of fear and suspicion amongst the population of East Berlin right from the first pages where Monica Voeckler, stranded in East Berlin with her husband and toddler, throws her little girl over the barbed wire dividing the city to her parents who have moved to the other side. While I was aware of the Berlin wall, I had never before thought about the livesof the people living on either side, nor of their extended families. I loved the insight this book, through superbly crafted characters, provided into those lives. The plot was beautifully developed and intriguing. It kept me guessing to the end. I was fascinated with the code that Walther taught to both Luisa and Haris and the way that the letters Haris wrote were used. This story is emotionally harrowing at times, shocking and yet gripping and immersive. I’ll definitely be putting it on my keeper shelf.

This is my first novel by this author of historical fiction and I already know I will be reading her backlist and future releases. Centered around the rise and collapse of the Berlin Wall, the wonderfully researched and written novel is told from alternating timelines of the present day life of Luisa, a CIA agent working with coding and written correspondence between her grandfather and father. Being old enough to just remember some of the events captured in the story, along with a mystery/spy element really held my interest until the last pages.

The font and stylized photograph on the cover (The outfit! The car! The graffiti!) perfectly portray the era of the Cold War

The Berlin Letters receives a 5 out of 5 for me! I’ve read a lot of historical fiction but this was my first one based around The Berlin Wall. I honestly don’t feel like this time period is written about enough. It’s written very well, factually accurate and overall absolutely amazing. I highly recommend!

This winter I read (well listened) a book called The Portrait of Emily Price. I absolutely loved it. I loved the author’s writing style and how she can paint a picture in your mind that you can see. So when I was approached by a publishing house asking if I would read her newest book that she has coming out, I was over the moon and answered with a hearty yes. It did take me a bit to get to reading the book (my life is so busy right now) but when I started to read I am pretty sure I binged 68% in one sitting at work.

Luisa is merely 4 years old when her world is turned upside down. Sprouting up overnight is the Berlin Wall in the form of barbed wire, for the moment that is. Every Sunday her mother would take her to her grandparent’s house for lunch, that is until that day. For one reason or another, I guess I am not still 100% on I suppose her mother tossed her over the barbed wire to her grandparents. Her grandparents take her and eventually, a year or so later move to America to find a better life for themselves. Luisa grows up and goes to college and eventually finds work at the CIA as a decoder. One thing leads to another and she begins to find out about the life that she left behind. This book was so well written. It gave me a view of the war that I guess I have never read before. I usually read books on the receiving end of the issues ie Jews, etc. This book is from the point of a young German woman who is now a naturalized American and a German who used to write propaganda and now has the Stazi after him.

I will admit that at times I was enjoying Luisa’s story so much that I honestly hated to leave her story and go to her father’s point of view. It wasn’t enough to lower my star level because it doesn’t take anything away from the story if I am being honest, it would just throw off my groove a little bit. The book is well researched I can tell. The author took her time researching various codes that people would hide in letters. I loved the character of Luisa, she seems scrappy I guess is the word I would use. She is intelligent and knows what she wants and when she puts her mind to it she does it. I am happy that the author managed to squeeze in some romance, because honestly sometimes a book isn’t complete unless the main character finds love in the process. I was so happy that the father got the happy ending that he deserved. I would definitely read more books by her, I have several on my Amazon Wish List to price watch.

Received this in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley.
What a sunrise that the book opens with the date Aug 13, 1961 as I was there on vacation with my parents.
The book is well done, and and is about a family that is divided by the wall that then divides Berlin. As a young girl grows up thinking that her parents are both dead in East Berlin she finds all is not to be believed.

Wow! I can't begin to describe how much this book pulled me in from the beginning to the end. I was totally invested. Luisa Voekler's story is full of heartache, love, discovery, family, unknown, sacrifice, and much, much more! This story ranges from the beginning of the Berlin Wall to the end of the Cold War in November 1989. As the reader we start off our journey with a brief glimpse of Luisa's life right at the time the wall started to appear. Then we jump into her life as an adult in 1989. Luisa is unaware of much of her history and it all starts to unfold before her eyes as she is working and sees a symbol that leads her to dive into a search of her own.

I loved the code breaking and spy aspect of this book. It was truly incredible. Katherine Reay has woven an incredible story of Luisa's life and family and codes and spies that hooked me and had me not wanting to set this book down for anything. I had moments that I was holding my breath, sitting on the edge of my seat, getting very nervous for the characters and hoping that all would turn out well.

Luisa's journey is pretty incredible. She is willing to risk her life to save the life of the father she's never known. And it was truly a ride! Being pulled into Berlin during the Cold War had me feeling for those who truly lived during that time. I remember very well as a kid hearing about living conditions in Berlin during that time, seeing news stories about the Berlin Wall, and listening to President Reagan on TV saying to "Tear down that wall!" I remember watching in awe and with chills as the wall came down and the cheers and freedom and relief that was being restored to the people living there! It is something that I will never forget. I was young at the time but it left such a strong impression on me. So I always find it very interesting to learn more about it and to read these fictional stories based on it. And this one was very well done!

Grab a copy! And make sure to clear your schedule to read it!

Content: Clean. There are some moments of mild peril and discussing of the wall and the fear and heartache from it. And there are many aspects of spies throughout the book.

I received a copy from the publisher, Harper Muse, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

I absolutely loved it! Another delightful read from Katherine Reay. Fast-paced, dual narrators, easy to follow. Historical fiction at its finest—the details don’t bore and the storyline keeps you wanting more. I’m also a sucker for a neat and tidy happy ending. 😍

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

Cold war, code breaking, the CIA, the Berlin Wall.... This is a period of time that seems to be under-represented in historical fiction, the era of the separation of East and West Berlin and Germany. I absolutely loved this book and I look forward to more from this author. And hopefully more authors will take up this period of time.

** “Infinity doesn’t mean endless or simply eternal. It means there is nothing lacking. It is all-encompassing. Complete. Self-determining. We are that when we do the right thing.” **

Katherine Reay delivers another incredible Cold War novel with “The Berlin Letters,” following the story of two generations greatly impacted by the Berlin Wall.

In 1961, as the Wall begins to go up, separating a German city, Monica Voekler, who lives on the eastern side with her reporter husband Haris, moves swiftly to literally toss her 3-year-old daughter Luisa over the barbed wire to her parents who live on the other side.

Eventually relocating to America, Luisa grows up to become a codebreaker for the CIA. When she stumbles upon some coded letters in her home in 1989, her world is quickly rocked. She learns of family secrets and unknown relationships and decides to take action.

Reay does an incredible job of fictionalizing a very real and horrible time in history. She develops great characters that are inspiring and full of moxie. She also fills “The Berlin Letters” with some great themes, like finding forgiveness, even when it seems impossible; doing the right thing; we have infinite possibilities; and the power of hidden secrets and lies.

Fans of historical fiction and stories with strong women characters will love “The Berlin Letters,” as well as fans of authors like Kate Quinn, Rachel McMillan and Kristy Cambron.

Five stars out of five.

Harper Muse provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book!

Such a good book! I didn't know very much about the Berlin wall and I learned so much from this book. Everything the Luisa goes through kept me on my toes and wanting to read more. Also getting to see the story from her father who lives in East Berlin helped to have you really feel what it was like during that time. I loved this story and would highly recommend it to historical fiction lovers and anyone who likes to figure out codes and CIA type things!

Luisa Voekler is a unique character I grew to love and cheer on with her every decision. Luisa suffered much in her early life, being moved from Berlin to Washington D.C. This clever young woman is brave and loving but lacking in belief in herself. I rooted for her on every page of this consuming novel.

What a trip to return to the eighties when East Germany was a mystery. At first, Luisa knows very little about her childhood in Germany, having been whisked off to the USA when she was barely four. Living with her grandparents provided a loving childhood, but the darkness of her dead parents always haunted her.

When Luisa gets some information at work, her life changes quickly, and with it, the novel speeds up (I started speed reading) to resolve all her questions. Overall, this story was superb in its telling, and the writing was excellent and substantial. I loved The Berlin Letters and look forward to reading more by Katherine Reay.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

I really enjoyed reading about this time period because I haven’t read many novels set during the Cold War. I enjoyed taking the time while reading to do some research about the Berlin Wall to better educate myself about the history behind this beautifully written story. Katherine Reay does an amazing job using the dual timeline, dual perspective to take us through the journey of Luisa breaking the code of the letters to discover not only secrets for the CIA but also the secrets of her past.

One of my favorite quotes from the books is “It’s funny how easily you can convince yourself that the people that you live with see the world like you do.” It really stuck with me because it is so true.

*Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. * I absolutely love this book. I will be adding a more in-depth review ASAP.

I always love Katherine Reay's writing, but this one stands tall for me as one of her best books since her stunning debut with Dear Mr. Knightley. When Reay is at her best, she strikes just the right balance between history and faith and life's difficulties and romance, and I thought she nailed it in this one! Dual timeline stories are hit and miss for me, but I absolutely loved this one and thought it was woven together perfectly, and no spoilers were given by the more recent timeline (which is a major pet peeve of mine!). I also think Reay is a master of epistolary fiction, and her use of codes in the letters in this book was brilliant and made it even more masterful! This is a book I will read again and again! I absolutely loved it! I will say the prologue absolutely gutted me - so much so that I didn't start chapter 1 for almost a week after reading it. I felt like I needed to prepare myself emotionally for the rest of the story. I'm glad I came back to it though. It will undoubtedly be one of my top picks for the year!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, and I also checked out the audiobook from my library. I loved the use of two narrators and thought the male narrator's German-accented English was excellent and added a lot to the story for me. I was also impressed that the coded letters worked in audio format. I do want to look at the letters a little more closely and see how the codes worked, so I've also ordered the paperback and am excited to experience it in that format.

“Don’t die in the waiting room of the future.”

Another phenomenal historical fiction from Katherine Reay! I was in high school when the Berlin Wall seemed to come down overnight. The Berlin Letters swept me back in time to 1989 when punk rock was at its height and the Iron Curtain was finally coming down. This powerful story of a father and daughter separated by a wall of information and a literal wall kept me on the edge of my seat.

Luisa grew up loving cracking the codes her grandfather created for her. Now a code breaker for the CIA, she uncovers a link to her own past while decoding letters from the WWII era.

After once being a proud Soviet East Berliner, journalist Haris Voekler is now disillusioned by the unkept promises of the GDR. After losing his daughter and wife, he begins writing coded letters to his father-in-law who lives on the other side of the wall. He shares what’s happening as neighbor spies on neighbor and the underground youth punk movement begins working for freedom.

After her grandfather’s death Luisa discovers hidden letters from her father. Learning he’s alive and in prison, she attempts a daring rescue to free him from East Berlin.

This book was such a touching, suspenseful snapshot of what was going on in Germany 1989. The intensity is palpable especially when Luisa is in East Berlin trying to rescue her father. When the borders are suddenly opened, I loved the feeling of both euphoria and fear as the people wonder if it’s real and lasting or if East Germany’s iron fist will close them again. When Luisa & Haris meet for the first time, it’s such an emotional yet intense moment after being separated for 20 plus years.

The twists and turns, complex relationships, powerful historical details woven throughout, suspense and even a hint of romance kept me eagerly turning the pages. Definitely recommend this amazing book to historical fiction lovers. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author and publisher through TLC Booktours. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.

Just wow!
What happens after the Berlin Wall?
Haven’t read many books on this part of history- Cold War and Russia!

The only thing- I needed a little bit more! A little bit more is the characters, a little bit more of their story, a little bit more of History.

Reay does an amazing job in her research! Can I just read her research?


And caveat I finished it three days before I go hear her!!

💬*𝙈𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠.*⁣ Thank you Net Galley for the first look!
💬 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘵:𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴/

Luisa Voekler's family is originally from East Berlin, but all she remembers is life in America. Some of her favorite memories of her Opa were all of the hidden clues, scavenger hunts, and codes he would create for her. This serves her well in her job as a codebreaker for the CIA. Only she wants to do more than decode old and obsolete WWII codes. When her coworker shows her the "Berlin Letters", her current project, Luisa is taken back to her childhood and something familiar she has seen with her Opa. Luisa quickly discovers that Opa and her father, Haris, (who she thought was dead) were in communication together for years. Haris Voekler is still alive and lives in East Berlin. Luisa is left with more questions than answers as she finds evidence that the letters contain coded messages between her father and Opa. Will Luisa be able to save her father? The Berlin Letters is a fantastic book that is told by both Luisa and Haris at various points. I learned so much through this book about East Berlin and the Cold War. Highly recommend this book!

Just an incredible story!!
Vividly brings to life the days of unrest and the time
Behind the Berlin Wall.
Dual times, both intriguing.

This one takes you to the Cold War days in Berlin. I appreciated and enjoyed greatly learning about this era and place in time.

It also takes you to a more recent time period of 1989, and the days when Luisa is grown, and trying to figure out exactly what happened to her family in her early childhood days.

I think my favorite time period of the two is the more recent one, in the 80s. As a young child in those days, I remember hearing about the Berlin Wall, and then it's collapse. I especially enjoyed reading this story, set in those tumultuous days.
I loved seeing how the two time periods came together, and watching Luisa make sense of her early years, and what happened to her parents and grandparents in those days back in the 60s.

Highly fascinating, intriguing and much more!

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

The Berlin Letters is a compelling novel about the Cold War. In 1961, as the Berlin wall was going up, Monica Voekler threw her young daughter Luisa over the barbed wire to her parents on the west side. She was unable to cross herself. Luisa grew up in America, believing that that her parents died in a car accident. She works at the CIA cracking codes in secret. After her grandfather’s death, she finds a secret stash of letters from her father. Reading them, she discovers that her grandfather and father had been sending each other coded letters. Her father is still alive, and she will stop at nothing to rescue him.

My thoughts on this novel:
• The first chapter was gripping and pulled me right into the novel. I never thought about how sudden the wall went up and how families could be separated forever.

• This was a page turner and I kept wanting to read/listen to this book to find out how it would all end.

• The story kept me engaged throughout. I liked the narrative with the chapters alternating between Luisa in the present, and Haris (her father) in the past leading up to the present (1989).

• This story had everything – mystery, suspense, family drama, codes to crack, spies and even a bit of romance.

• The characters were all compelling and I particularly identified with Luisa and her story.

• I thought it was remarkably interesting to read about how the communists were very unhappy when John Paul II became the pope as they had spies in the Vatican before that time.

• Also interesting was a tidbit that the Soviet Union was on the verge of invading Poland until President Reagen was shot and the United States put itself on alert. The Soviets decided to back down at that point.

• I always find it so strange how different east and west Berlin were from each other. Haris has a time where he is walking the streets looking at buildings that were bombed out during World War II and how they still are not repaired after almost forty years. He thinks about how there are certain areas that tourists are allowed and how they are kept looking nice.

• Speaking of the present, I was a child of the eighties and felt old remembering the events of 1989 and 1990 in this historical fiction novel.

• As I have been doing with a lot of books this month, I started this one as a physical book and then switched to the audiobook as I have had a lot of driving time to listen to audiobooks. I really liked the different narrators in this book to narrate. I especially liked P.J. Ochlan’s accent as Haris Voekler.

• I enjoyed the author’s note at the end of the novel that detailed her research into this time period.

• There are also terrific book club discussion questions at the end of the book. I think this would provide a book club plenty of good tidbits to discuss at a group meeting.

• I would love to see this book made into a movie.

Overall, The Berlin Letters is a fascinating historical fiction book on the Cold War. The story of father and daughter, Haris and Luisa put a face on the heartbreak that so many people had to endure during that time period.

Phenomenal!

Katherine Reay has written an inspirational story set during the Cold War. With her signature attention to detail, she transports her readers to Berlin and the life-altering crucible that followed the seemingly overnight construction of the Berlin Wall.

Well-written and expertly plotted, readers follow the story of Luisa as she uncovers secrets from the past that lead her on a dangerous mission. This story can be labeled as a spy novel, filled with intrigue of code-breaking and espionage. Yet readers will also find it a story of family, love and forgiveness. It follows one family's journey on both sides of the wall from 1961-1989.

I was not born when the Berlin Wall went up and I was too young and sheltered by the freedoms the Western world takes for granted, to fully grasp the significance when the wall fell. Through Ms. Reay's poignant story and its strong sense of place, I found myself immersed within the pages of the story, feeling the paranoia and horrors that many behind the wall experienced daily. But immersed within the story is a strong message of resilience.

I absolutely loved this story. Definitely one for the keeper shelf!

***I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my review.

I have read a lot of historical fiction in the past, but none of it focused on the Cold War or the Soviet Union. While it may not get as much literary attention as WWII, the effects that WWII had on eastern Europe is staggering. I thoroughly enjoyed getting a glimpse of what life may have been like for those in East Berlin who were under a strict regime and possibly separated from their friends and family on the other side of the wall. Luisa was a wonderful main character and I loved the other characters as well. This was an amazing story about a family's love and determination to do the right things during a tumultuous time. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

The Berlin Letters has a fascinating premise with complex and intriguing characters. The reader is immediately transported to 1961 Berlin as it was being divided and also to 1989 Berlin as the wall comes down. This is a captivating and compelling look at Cold War history.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

After reading The Berlin Letters, I am super intrigued with the Cold War era and I love how much this book expanded my understanding. I was truly fascinated the entire time I read this book. It just sucked me in and wow! I was so invested not wanting to stop reading, while also kind of wanting to go and google all about the fall of the Berlin Wall. I can’t even imagine what it was like for families like those represented in this story, where they were cut off from one another and lived in fear of being honest with how things really were.
One of my favorite things about this book was the letters themselves and all the intrigue and secret intelligence. I guess I just really like spy stories or those in the secret intelligence genre. It was so well crafted with the alternating points of view and points in time. I truly enjoyed this book and recommend it for fans of historical fiction.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I haven't read much about the Cold War era, but I was immediately intrigued by plot of The Berlin Letters. Reay immediately deposits you into the story of a family separated in so many ways - necessity (for a myriad of reasons) and through a variety of cultural barriers. The story moves along quickly so that you get to know the characters on a deep and intimate level very quickly. You feel their pain, their frustration, their fears, and their uncertainty throughout the book. There is powerful imagery of what it must have been like for Haris navigating East Berlin for many years, from the beginning until the end of the Cold War.

While some parts of the book seemed to move more slowly that the timeline they represent, with a smooth pivot, you become immersed in the speed of urgency and a feeling of racing against the clock when appropriate. The author gives away no secrets until it is time to do so, which I suspect is what many people in East Berlin found in the people and Stasi snitches that surrounded them for so long. When the story turns, Reay does so with such clear language that it is easy to imagine the feelings of fear, fatigue, and cautious triumph of the characters that you have intimacy with throughout their journeys.

The resolution of this book came far too quickly for me. I was left with lingering questions about Haris and Luisa's life post-East Berlin, which I suppose is the mark of a truly exceptional book - it always leaves you wanting more for the characters that you become attached to through a connection of shared humanity.

This was a fantastic, epic story! I have not read many books set during the Cold War if any. I really enjoyed learning about that time period. The characters had quite the journey and quite the ending--those last couple of chapters had me on the edge of my seat! (the Epilogue was also fantastic!). Highly recommend!

The Author's Note really makes me want to visit Berlin.

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

This was my first book by Katherine Reay and WOW! I loved everything about this book! Even though the book had twists/turns and complex relationships, it was written in a way that made it easy to follow and to empathize with the characters. This is the perfect book for anyone that loves historical fiction and wants to see what it was like for Germans post-WWII. And the cover art is one of the best I've seen! I look forward to seeing what Katherine Reay's backlog looks like!

The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay

This book reads like a spy novel because, well, it is! Luisa Voekler remembers very little of her childhood in East Berlin. And she knows only that her parents died in an automobile accident and her grandparents cared for her as she was growing up. Then she finds something that turns everything that she knows about her family upside down. Secrets-- or are they lies-- cover her past and now she must return to East Berlin to uncover the truth.

This novel is set in East Berlin during the tumultuous years prior to the wall being torn down. No one is what they seem and danger looms around every corner. The suspense keeps readers turning pages and wondering who Luisa can trust.
The characters are well-drawn and three-dimensional. Luisa is strong and determined but not overly confident. The supporting characters are much easier to understand as Luisa uncovers her past more completely. There are also some unique characters who play a pivotal role in the plot.

This is my favorite type of book, with lots of action, interesting characterization and a satisfying conclusion. I have enjoyed the author’s other novels, but this is my favorite. I am grateful to the publisher for a complimentary arc in exchange for this, my honest review.

This was a page turner. Luisa lived and worked in Washington, D. C. and after her grandfather died, moved in with her grandmother, who also live in Washington. Luisa's grandparents brought her form West Berlin when she was a child, and she assumed that her parents were dead. After her grandfather died, Luisa discovered her father was still alive because she found letters he had written to her grandfather. They were written in code, and because Luisa's grandfather had taught how to decipher puzzles and code, she was able to read them. When she discovered her father was in prison in East Berlin, she decided to rescue him. A good story with an enlightening look at life behind the wall in Berlin. I recommend, and will probably purchase it for my high school library. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc and no pressure for a positive review.

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. Her book, A Shadow in Moscow was an incredible Cold War novel that was so sophisticated and compelling that I highly recommended it. Therefore I simply could not wait to dive into her latest, The Berlin Letters and it did not fail to impress me all over again.

‘I don’t want to leave the DDR. Like my father before me, I want my hometown to change so it is a place where I can live, and thrive, and make choices, and share with my family and friends. Father’s opinions cost him his life. I wonder if mine will cost me my life too.’

On this occasion there are alternating storyline’s between Luisa and her father. This starts with Berliners waking up to find a wall has been erected dividing not only their city but also their loved ones. My heart was aching when I read this passage of families awakening and finding themselves separated. The way Katherine weaves the history of Berlin and the Cold War throughout (her research is amazing!) is truly incredible. This is pulse racing, edge of your seat writing as courage commands the heart on more than one occasion.

‘It’s letting go of what you’re supposed to be doing for whatever comes your way. It’s about creating a future of our own making, not accepting the one they shove at us.’

Alternating between Luisa in the 1980s and her father Haris in the 1960s, this book is a superb example of not just key moments from history but a true emotional rollercoaster from parental sacrifice, to grandparents care to a child determined to uncover the truth at any cost. Berlin Letters is about family and choices, secrets and lies, courage and bravery. Katherine Reay has moved into my must read author list with this compelling tale. Do yourself a favour as you make the journey with Luisa and Haris as they take on a totalitarian regime in an effort to find the truth. The Berlin Letters is a book all lovers of historical fiction should read.

“Don’t die in the waiting room of the future.”






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.

This is my fourth read by this author. A Shadow in Moscow made my Top Ten of 2023 and I’m sure this one will make my next Top Ten list. This book immediately grabbed my attention depicting the fear of a desperate mother as she shoved her three-year-old child over and through barbed wire towards her family to prevent the child from being raised in the increasingly oppressive regime in East Berlin. And that was just the prologue!

The audiobook is narrated by Saskia Maarleveld, Ann Marie Gideon and PJ Ochlan. They did a fabulous job giving life to the characters in this story. I was enthralled. I was glad that I had a digital copy of the text for name verification, but the publisher’s summary can aid with this as well.

The story alternates between dual timelines of the 1960s when the Berlin Wall was built and subsequent events and devastation the parents face with the loss of their child and 1989 when the child, Luisa, who was raised by her grandparents is now living in the US and working as a code breaker for the CIA.

From a young age, Luisa was taught by her grandfather how to work with codes. He would leave her codes to break to get her gifts on special occasions. This love for breaking codes leads to her working at the CIA, though her frustration with her stagnant position leaves her feeling like she’s not good enough. When a coworker shows her the project that she’s working on, Luisa recognizes a symbol in the letters and searches the family home for reference. What she finds is a secret that shockingly launches her into a harrowing adventure and revealing truths about what happened to her mother and her father, who wrote propaganda for the GDR sanctioned newspapers.

The growth and development of characters, especially Haris, was incredibly moving. There’s a moment when he talks about smiling and how it hurts that made me cry. I cried multiple times through this story from the prologue to the end. It really pulled at my heartstrings. I did find at times that switching between narrations, there was a little repetition, especially at the end of the story. However, the emotions attached to those events from a different character were all the more powerful for it, so I didn’t mind, but others may find it unnecessary.

Highly recommend this historical fiction story that covers a family affected by the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Muse for a copy provided for an honest review.

The Berlin Letters is the reason I love historical fiction so much. It's educational and completely fascinating. Katherine Reay is a phenomenal author who can masterfully craft a story.

📖 Book Review 📖
📱 “The Berlin Letters" by Katherine Reay

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Published March 5, 2024
Starting in Washington DC in 1989, the brilliant, logical, puzzle solving Luisa Voekler moves back in with her Oma after her Opa passed away. She works as a code breaker for a secret branch of the CIA, and when a coworker asks her for some help Luisa notices a small mark on the envelope that brings back a memory of her Opa and the same mark. These are letters from Berlin dating back to the 1960s and Luisa recognizes the codes hidden in the words.
In 1961 in East Berlin, Haris Voekler is shocked when on a Sunday morning his wife returns to their apartment without their 3-year-old daughter. A wall of wire was built overnight separating East and West Berlin, and when his wife met her parents at the concertina wire , she made a split second decision to toss Luisa over to her grandparents. Haris is a reporter for the German Democratic Republic communist newspaper and at first doesn’t believe that worse is to come and the Stasi (East German state security) will build a permanent wall so no one will be crossing over. The Stasi (similar to KGB in Soviet Union and Gestapo of Nazi Germany) maintained authority with civilian informants and harsh punishments for anyone who didn’t fall in line. Monica dies of a broken heart after she is no longer able to see her daughter when her parents move to the US. To cope with the loneliness and keep in touch with his daughter, Haris writes coded letters to his
father-in-law, Walther. The game of hiding the truth in pleasantries gives him a challenge, as his job becomes more
mundane. He is demoted at work, watched every where he goes, and is living with the realization that he chose the wrong side. By 1989, Haris has joined the resistance, his father-in-law hasn’t written back in months and someone close to him has betrayed him and turned him. He now waits in a Stasi prison.
This book intrigued me as I have never read much about the Berlin Wall and was a toddler when he was finally taken down. It was thoroughly researched, filled with mystery, and yet also so much hope.
#givemeallthebooks #books #letsread #bookfriends #homelibrary
#somanybooks #readsomemore #audiobooks #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #readersofinstagram #readmorebooks #booklover #bookishlove #readersgonnaread #bookishaf

All I can say is "wow"! Katherine Reay has written a marvelous book about life in Berlin from the time the wall goes up to the time it comes down. Absolutely fascinating and I loved learning about this time in history. You don't read many books about the Berlin Wall and this is not only well-written but also educational. Kudos to the author on a great book!

Thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for this ARC.

The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay is my number one read for 2024. Yes, I’m calling it. This story is utterly outstanding and I will never forget my time with this read. In fact, this book should be required reading for every human on this planet. My most favorite aspect to this impeccable novel is the history. I learned more about the Cold War, Berlin, the Soviets, Punk music, and the insanely tumultuous powder keg known as Eastern Europe circa 1958-1989 from this one book than I ever learned in all the history classes I’ve taken. The best part is how Reay weaved this authentic learning experience into her highly engaging, seriously suspenseful father-daughter storyline. I wasn’t just a reader during the course of this story, I was also a student and I LOVED every minute. From chapter one, I was hooked and HATED when I had to put this book down. This was a story that had me reading well past my bedtime. The characters are superb. I loved journeying with Louisa as she not only discovers who her father truly is, but in the process realizes who she truly is as well. I enjoyed watching her grow and change and turn into the woman God always meant her to be. SO good!!! I also really loved Haris. Well, at the beginning of the story I wanted to pop him in the nose, but he quickly becomes one of the best characters I’ve ever read. And he is such a good dad…to the punk kids he takes under his wing, to Manfred, and to the daughter he loves with all his heart, but couldn’t be with for 28 years. I really loved the father-daughter dynamic of this story. I loved that Louisa fights for her dad. Not just fights for him, but crosses into terrifying East Berlin to attempt to free Haris from a Stasi-run prison. If this isn’t a beautiful illustration of Christ-like, sacrificial love then I just don’t know what is. I also appreciated Reay’s caution about judgement. It’s a subtle message, but it really punches the reader in the solar plexus…at least it did to this reader. It is SO easy to sit back today and judge the happenings in East Berlin all those decades ago — to judge the neighbors who snitched, the bosses who snitched, the friends who snitched — and find those people wanting. But those of us in 2024 who sit in the securities of our Western homes have no clue what the people of East Berlin went through. The depravity, the losses, the torture, the fear, the threats — I truly do not know if I would have survived. I appreciate this reminder from Reay not to judge others. God judges hearts, not us. This is a truth I hope never to forget.

The Berlin Letters is an excellent story. One I won’t soon forget. If you are a fan of excellently-detailed, highly engaging Historical Literature then I highly recommend checking out this story.

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Harper Muse, via NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Muse for my copy of The Berlin Letter by Katherine Reay in exchange for an honest review. It published March 5, 2024.
Wow! This book has got to be Reay's best book to date! It was written with such honesty, and care, I could not stop reading it! I drank it in and did not want to stop. I learned so much about the Cold War, and especially about the Berlin Wall, and the surrounding politics, I truly did not know about before. I feel like this is such an underrepresented historical event in fiction, and I am so grateful that the time was spent researching this to teach the public about it!
I cannot say enough good things about this book! The most surprising part about this book for me was the punks. I especially loved learning about them and the church behind the Iron Curtain.

The Berlin Letters is a heart wrenching story of a family in Berlin when they wake up one morning to find barbed wire put up between East and West Berlin. Luisa’s family was in East Berlin and her Grandparents were in West Berlin. Luisa’s mom saw what was happening and threw Luisa over the wire to her grandparents. Soon after, the grandparents moved to the US. Luisa grew up being told her parents were killed in a car accident. Her grandfather, Walther, always gave her puzzles to decipher so she could find her gifts. Luisa thought it was a game, but when her grandfather was teacher her how to be a spy. When he died she found letters with an unusual mark in the corner. She soon found out her grandfather was sending coded letters to her father who was still alive in East Berlin. She decided she was going to rescue her father from an East Berlin prison. The story line between two time periods flowed together nicely. A must read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Muse for my copy of The Berlin Letter by Katherine Reay in exchange for an honest review.

The Berlin Letters is my first read from author Katherine Reay, and based on my reading experience, it is readily apparent why she is a beloved author to so many people. Although I was a teen during the 80’s, I was pretty much oblivious to the Cold War and the events occurring in Germany and Eastern Europe--I knew about the Berlin Wall, but not much else. For that reason, this book provided both education and entertainment. With a 1960s setting featuring the wall’s construction, and a 1980s setting featuring the events leading to the wall’s demise, the book is pretty much un-put-downable. Between the multigenerational relationships, political intrigue, and surprising heroes, this book has everything I look for in a great book. (Not to mention that the language is clean, which I GREATLY appreciate as well!)

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Luisa moves to America with her grandparents in to start a new life. She is working as a code breaker for the CIA when her grandfather dies, and she finds out that her father is still alive and living in Communist controlled East Germany. On a mission to reconnect with him and get him out from behind the Iron Curtain, Luisa puts everything at stake.

This historical fiction book has one of the best opening scenes I've ever read- a baby being flung over the Berlin Wall as it is being built.

I had never read a book about the people who lived on both sides of the Berlin Wall and about the secret building of it and how it came down. I was riveted by this book from the beginning to the end. This felt like what we should be learning in history class, but in an enjoyable way.

Tidbits that I learned: Communist held East Berlin had neighbors spying on each other to control them. Punk bands were part of the Resistance. The barbed wire that was the predecessor to the Wall being built went up secretly overnight, then the Wall was built quickly because supplies had been readied outside of town. Families (and sometimes even the houses) were divided and never heard from again. America, in not wanting to start another war, stayed out of it. A plot against the Pope was involved! Needless to say, if you like the Cold War Era, read this book. This a great example of how valuable it is to read historical fiction.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

The Berlin Letters
Author Katherine Reay
Available now!

Thank you, @uplitreads and @katherineray, for my #giftedbook and for the opportunity to be on another of Reay's tours, and thank you, @harpermusebook and @netgalley, for my #gifted e- arc!

I loved The Berlin Letters, and Katherine Reay is now an auto- buy author for me! This one had such a unique plot based on the Cold War and told in dual timelines. I was equally immersed in both suspenseful timelines and loved the back and forth between Luisa in the late 1980s, who is a CIA code breaker that was taught her skills by her beloved grandfather, the man who raised her, and the details of the letters that she discovered that were written after the Berlin Wall was constructed between her grandfather and journalist, Haris Voekler.

With time and patience, she learned the truth about her grandfather's identity, her parent's past, including her father's identity, and even why she has not been advancing in her career. Luisa is a strong protagonist filled with courage and determination, and I loved her moving and suspenseful story that brought readers to Berlin on a rescue mission during the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Berlin Letters is truly an unforgettable story of truth, family, and freedom.

Words are just not sufficient… so I’ll write a letter…

Dear Ms Reay,

I truly love your writing. You make history come alive and I’m grabbing onto every word, every feeling, every emotion. There were times when I just couldn’t imagine the terror, the heartbreak, the suffocation, but you could and you gave them voice.

Your descriptions, your knowledge of the time and place created each vivid scene inside my head. You are so good at creating tension and giving leading clues that I literally could not put your book down.

But most of all, I love that your story is not just about the Berlin Wall. It’s about hope and despair, trust and lies. It’s about humanity, human nature and relationships—and it is beautiful.

—A Fan for Life

Wow! I absolutely LOVED this book.

Katherine Reay books are fantastic because she is incredible at research and always manages to teach you so much while sharing an amazing story with you.

The Berlin Letters is a Cold War era novel, written in dual POV. One POV is from a man living behind the Iron Curtain and the other POV is from his daughter, raised in the US by her grandparents. The daughter’s timeline is set in the 1980’s, while her father’s is more broad from the 60’s to the 80’s.

I loved the writing style and the characters in this story so much. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. You know I love an amazing historical fiction, but I also find the CIA and code breaking so fascinating! This book had it all. I learned so much and loved every minute of it.

Bonus points: this is another clean historical fiction!

Beautifully written. Highly, highly recommend The Berlin Letters to you.

Thank you to @netgalley for my gifted e-copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

More than 5 stars is deserved for this book! It totally blew me away. From the very beginning, I was invested in the lives of the characters.

The characters are absolutely amazing! The tenacity and courage that were displayed by each one was admirable! My favorites were Panzer and Willow! I used to be in a punk rock band, and punk is its own universe!

Katherine Reay's writing is extraordinary! I could picture each place in my mind where the story was taking place. My heart raced as Luisa and Haris ran from their perpetrators.

This time in history is bleak but also full of hope. The author's note at the end is worth the read.

I was provided a copy of the book from Harpur Muse via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As usual, Katherine Reay delights with her story about life on both sides of the Berlin Wall and all of its pain, joys, and other complexities. I really don't even have a lot of interest in historical narratives of this type, which obviously take a great deal of research to reach this level of authenticity, but I love Reay's writing so I will read whatever she writes. The Berlin Letters did not disappoint; it took me on a journey along with its characters and left me much enlightened and moved by the story. I can't wait to see what she writes next.

I loved this book by Katherine Reay this is my first time reading this author and I am excited to check out her other books .
The book is a dual timeline between the main character Luisa and her father Harris and her Opa. Luisa is a code breaker for the CIA and is asked by a coworker for help breaking the code of letters from the past. That letter leads her to discover her life is not what she has believed it to be.
Katherine Reay does an excellent job of capturing the essence of East Berlin and the lives of the people who lived there. This is one of my favorite time periods to read about and Katherine Reay has given us another view of this world and how people survived and fought it in their own way.
I truly enjoyed this book and highly recommend.

The book covers a very tough period in history and the effects it took on a family, but it does it throughly and with a lot of heart.

The best part of the book is the language — Katherine Reay uses beautiful phrases and words and changes voice effortlessly when telling the story through each character’s point of view.

The story, beautiful language, and thorough research all make for a wonderful read!

Edge of your seat intrigue and espionage set in the first days of November 1989 in East Berlin as decades of spy intelligence comes to a head just as the Berlin Wall is about to fall. Louisa is at the heart of the story- now an adult codebreaker for the CIA she discovers secrets about her family and her childhood in Berlin where on the day the wall went up she was handed across to her grandparents, never to see her parents in East Berlin again. Exciting, engaging, and informative story about the shocking reality of life in East Berlin and those who sought to change it for the better.

A spellbinding tale that transports the reader to the tumultuous days of the Cold War. Rich in historical detail, the story is a masterful blend of espionage, family secrets, and the power of love.
Many thanks to Harper Muse and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was incredible, and it should rank for one of my top reads this year. The rich history and sense of place gave a background to this story, while the beating heart is found in the father-daughter relationship neither expected they could have. A story of Cold War spies and family secrets, framed by the history of the Berlin Wall. This book did such a good job helping me to see what this time period was likr and giving a sense of what it was like to survive in East Berlin.

Cold War, historical fiction, multiple timelines, CIA...espionage...code breaking...this was a great one! I don't think I've read any historical fiction novels specifically around the Berlin wall before - always love digging into a new time in history. I particularly loved the end being tied up with a bow (tho not always realistic, it's my favorite!).

I received a complimentary copy of this book (thank you!). Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay – Fascinating, Compelling, Filled with Intrigue

When I read the description about Katherine Reay’s new book, The Berlin Letters, I wanted to read it. So glad I had the opportunity. It was a great book.

Monica Voekler loved her husband Haris and enjoyed their life together in East Berlin with their daughter Luisa. But she did not share Haris’ appreciation for the GDR government. The day came when the wall went up, guards would not let people pass through to West Berlin, and razor wire deterred citizens trying to escape. That day Monica was desperate and would resort to the unthinkable to ensure her daughter would be safe. She tossed her beloved daughter to her father on the other side of the wall. Their lives changed that day, for Monica and Haris, and for three-year-old Luisa and her Grandparents who later moved to America.

The Berlin Letters is a wonderful read. The novel takes place during the Cold War and spans 28 years, from 1961 to 1989. It tells the story about a family divided and torn apart by the oppressive German Democratic Republic and the Berlin Wall. It is filled with mystery, intrigue, secrets, spies, snitches, encrypted letters, and code breaking. It tells the story of people who risked their lives to get the truth out the world with the hope of change and freedom.

As fascinating as the intrigue is the story was made even more compelling by the characters and their relationships. The characters came across as very real as we learn about their experiences and what they are thinking and feeling. The characters grew and changed over the years.

I enjoyed reading historical fiction and Katherine Reay did a fabulous job making the characters come to life during the fascinating time of the Cold War. The Berlin Letters is a is compelling, thoughtful novel, and filled with intrigue.

The Berlin Letters is the first novel I have read by Katherine Reay and I am so glad I discovered her work. I was reminded when reading this book, what an incredible time we lived through when we saw the Berlin Wall come down and freedom come to those who were oppressed. I look forward to reading more of her books.

I would like to thank Publisher Harper Muse and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complementary copy of The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay. I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.

I'm loving these Cold War stories Reay is writing. Her first, A Shadow in Moscow, was tremendous and this one is equally good. The story starts with the Berlin Wall being erected ... effectively overnight, firstly with barbed wire (how much of that would have been needed?) and after a few weeks, concrete slabs which had already been made, were shipped in and became the permanent solution.

In exploring the impact of the wall, the Soviet influence, and the Stasi police, Reay uses a family torn in two by the wall's erection. Literally! Monica Voekler's parents and sister have moved to the Western side of Berlin only a few weeks prior. They are 'free' but Monica is devastated and makes an impulsive decision that changes her family's lives.

Most of the story is told by Luisa Voekler, Monica's daughter, who in 1989 is 31 years old working for the CIA in Washington. She stumbles upon letters that her father, Haris, had written to her Opa for over twenty years. These are the 'Berlin letters' of the title. They provide a fascinating firsthand perspective of how the Soviet influence took over East Berlin. Knowing that under this regime every letter will be read before being shipped to its destination, Opa teaches Haris how to write codes in his letters that would pass the scrutiny of the Stasi readers.

What's also interesting is what Luisa's Opa does with the letters and who he passes the information onto in America. Unbeknownst to her Oma, Luisa's Opa has been an American spy since the 1950s. It's fabulous reading especially if you enjoy a good spy story like I do.

The pace of the story keeps you turning pages quickly and I was always keen to get back to reading it at the end of a day. The last hundred pages are enthralling, keeping you on the edge of your seat, as Luisa impulsively visits Berlin. Knowing some of the dates around the Wall, Reay times Luisa's visit perfectly for one of the biggest moments in the Cold War coming to an end.

There's a little bit of romance, and some wonderful flawed characters who bear the consequences of their actions. It's tremendous story telling.

I'm excited for what Reay does next in these Cold War stories.

I feel very fortunate to have received an early ebook copy of the story from Harper Muse via Net Galley. However, this has had no influence on my review.

A slow start led to a thrilling conclusion - I was completely hooked once I got about 50 pages in. Told in alternate timelines and perspectives, this is the story of Haris Voelker in East Berlin and his daughter, Luisa in 1989 Washington D.C. It starts with the wall coming up seemingly overnight and Luisa escaping to the US with her grandparents, leaving her father behind. As a grown woman, she works as codebreaker, believing her father dead long ago. Upon finding a secret stash of letters, Luisa discovers that her father is alive and is trapped by the Stasi in an East Berlin prison. What commences is her quest to find out more in an effort to reunite with her father. The other perspective is from Haris, from various points during the 20+ years he is stuck in East Berlin.

Utterly fascinating piece of history and incredibly well paced. Well done!

Thank you to the published and Netgalley for providing me a digital ARC of this title!