I have mixed feelings about Our Woman in Moscow. I was intrigued by the subject matter, particularly since it's set during the Cold War and based on an actual Russian spy ring that was in England. I was also intrigued by the way the story was presented from the perspectives of twin sisters, one of whom, Iris, is married to a spy and has defected with him to Moscow, while the other twin, Ruth, has decided she needs to rescue her sister from Moscow and bring her home. There is also a unique third perspective, which is that of a female KGB officer.

The story unfolds in a multi-time line that shows how Iris met her spy husband and the troubled trajectory of their relationship, which alternates with chapters that show Ruth's journey, with particular focus on how she comes to be involved in a mission to extract Iris and her family from Russia. I was fascinated by the actual history presented in this book and I loved the twists and turns and constant sense of danger lurking around every corner because of the KGB, but at the same time, since I was so unfamiliar with the real life spy ring the story is based on, I just felt like I wanted more history and less focus on the personal and romantic relationships of the characters, etc.

I did really enjoy how readable Beatriz Williams' writing was though and how distinct her characters' voices were. I wouldn't hesitant to read another book from her, especially if it was based on a historical event I was a little more familiar with so that I didn't find the relationships as much of a distraction.

Not a huge fan of this title. I usually enjoy Beatriz Williams' books but this one fell flat, and I'm not sure why. May try it again at a later date.

I appreciate the opportunity to read a galley.

I was excited to receive an ARC for this book. I love the author and have heard so many good things about the book. However for me the book feel short. I could not get into the story. It is about a Russian spy ring from the UK that is based on true events. The timeline changed from the present to the past. I loved the writing style and plot but I think my mind was just not into a spy novel. I hope many others enjoy the book.

I received an advance Kindle copy of this book from Netgalley for a fair and honest review. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity.

With the premise of Beatriz Williams’ latest offering of estranged twins, and the extensive research she offers combining her tale of these women with Cold War espionage on two continents, coupled with the very real British Cambridge Spy Ring, I counted myself in on this literary adventure! This link to a real spy ring, which was the author’s catalyst for the book, was the perfect reason for me to sit back and enjoy another of Beatriz Wiliams’ historical fiction books.

Our Woman in Moscow features twins, Ruth Macallister, who runs a New York City modeling agency, and her sister Iris Macallister Digby, who defects after the war with her family to the Soviet Union. However, they have not been in contact in over 10 years. In 1952 Ruth receives Iris’ postcard featuring Russian onion-shaped domes and a desperate message to come to Russia to help her with another pregnancy. She has already experienced three difficult full term births and a couple miscarriages.

Williams’ chapters cover 12 years, alternating between three female characters in New York, Rome, London, and Moscow. Ruth tells her story from the 1950s perspective. Iris presents events in 1940, 1948, and 1952. Lyudmila Ivanova, a fictional KGB officer in Moscow who grew up in the Soviet Union, adds suspense from her standpoint in 1952. What a whirlwind journey we are now on with fast moving espionage!

Eventually with each new chapter I surmised the next event, only to be presented with a totally unexpected twist which caused me to adjust my prediction again and again. Toward the end the twists were coming too quickly to stop and regroup! Don’t miss Our Woman in Moscow!

Our Woman in Moscow
A Novel
by Beatriz Williams
William Morrow and Custom House
You Are Auto-Approved
William Morrow
General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Mystery & Thrillers
Also available as an audiobook
Pub Date 01 Jun 2021 | Archive Date 27 Jul 2021

The New York Times bestselling author of Her Last Flight returns with a gripping and profoundly human story of Cold War espionage and family devotion.
Great book! I will be recommending it. Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC.
5 star

Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow and Custom House for providing me with a free advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

If you have never read any of the books by Beatriz Williams you will wonder what took you so long, and if you are a longtime fan of the author you cannot wait to get your hands on her newest works. I must admit to be in the former category and have come way now wanting to go back and read her prior works.
This is a book that is based, in part, on the Cambridge Spy Ring that notoriously passed along secret information to the Soviet Union before many of those same people defected to the USSR. And why espionage and spy novels have become sort of old hat, I find that Beatriz Williams has put a new and fresh take on this fascinating time period in her newest historical fiction book.
To begin with, the story is told in alternating chapters by two sisters: Ruth Macalister and Iris Macalister Digby, with a few chapters written from the point of view of a KGB agent in Moscow. Not only do the chapters alternate between the sisters points of view, the book also rocks back and forth between 1940, 1948 & 1952.
Ruth Macalister is a former model turned modeling agency executive, while sister Iris is married to Sasha Digby, a former US diplomat who is an avowed Communist and whom from the very beginning you figure is not all he appears to be. All three of these characters meet while the brother of the Macalister’s is posted in Rome prior to the outbreak of WW2. Dinner parties and social gatherings abound and eventually after the outbreak of the war Ruth returns to New York, while Iris remains and marries Sasha and follows him on his diplomatic postings throughout the world. After the war Sasha defects to Russia and Iris follows her husband.
These are all the basic facts one needs to know other than that one day both Ruth and her aunt receive postcards from Iris asking that Ruth come to Moscow to help Iris with her 4th pregnancy. Iris has had 3 full term children, all with difficulties, and 2 miscarriages and eventually, despite the rift that occurred when Iris defected, Ruth is talked into going to aid her sister thanks to Sumner Fox, an FBI agent who goes along and poses as Ruth’s husband.

The book traces the sisters relationship, the events that led to Iris following Sasha to Russia, Sasha’s spying for the Russians, and the efforts of Ruth and Sumner to extract Iris from Russia. It is a well written book, that brims with details the author has gleaned from extensive research into the Cambridge spy ring, and some of the individuals who were part of that and whose names and experiences we no longer remember.
Character development is really well done in this book, especially with using the alternating chapter viewpoints, and using a period of 12 years so that we feel we know these characters so very well, but there are twists and turns and it makes the book a fast and enjoyable read. This book may be one of the top Historical Fiction offerings of 2021 and you want to get onboard for this wonderful work by Beatriz Williams, a book filled with strong women characters who will captivate readers of all ages and genders!

Wow, what an intense read. I don't think I've read any historical fiction quite like this. I love Beatriz Williams writing so much and I think the story, overall, is incredible. Also, bonus points for an awesome cover!

What a suspenseful, Cold War-era read! The world of espionage, with all its multi-layered complexity, is beautifully rendered in Williams's book, and the twist at the end is a delight.
I’m not sure that telling the tale in a non-sequential manner adds anything to the story, however.

Another excellent novel by Beatriz Williams!

Twin sisters Ruth and Iris couldn't be as different as night and day. When their Roman holiday is interrupted by WWII, Iris refuses to leave the side of her diplomat boyfriend Sasha. When Sasha turns out to be a Soviet Spy, life as Iris knows it comes crashing down. The sisters have been estranged for 12 years but when Ruth receives a postcard from Iris asking her to come to Moscow and assist her during the birth of her 4th child, Ruth knows that something is amiss and will stop at nothing to come to her sisters aid.

Our Woman in Moscow follows the same formula or pattern as her previous novels. There is a slow climb as she builds her characters and the world in which they live. Once you get to main events, you are already so invested in the characters that it's a race to the finish to see how it all works out. I also love that she continues to include characters from previous novels and building her own fictional world. I loved both Ruth and Iris. I couldn't even pick a favorite between the two. They are both so different yet fierce characters. I also loved the characters of Sumner Fox and Phillip Beauchamp. The novel itself did not focus on the acts of espionage but more on the characters and their lives and how that affected them. I could have used a few heart-pounding moments, especially on the part of Iris but I still enjoyed this Cold War era novel. While WWII plays a part in this book, it's always nice to find a historical fiction novel that isn't solely focused on that time period.

This is the second book I have read by Beatriz Williams, and after reading Our Woman in Moscow, I will seek out more. It is difficult to place this book in one genre; it is part historical fiction, part women's fiction, part spy thriller, part romance and maybe more. All in all, I loved it.

The pace of the book was very suspenseful and moved along quickly, as it was broken into short chapters alternating between Iris's and Ruth's points of view. The twin sisters were as different as night and day, with Ruth appearing strong, tough and chic. Iris appeared meek and dowdy, a mouse of a woman. However, as the story progresses, we learn that those descriptions were less true than they first appeared. I found myself cheering for both sisters as they grew and learned more about each other and themselves throughout the book.

I appreciated the historical research and author's note describing how the book came about.

I will recommend this book to fans of historical fiction featuring strong women, which has recently become a huge genre. This one stands out in that field.

I thank the publisher, William Morrow, and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Intrigue and family dynamics make this an compelling read. Iris Digby (nee Macallister) and her family disappeared from London in 1948, and were believed to have defected to Moscow shortly before her husband, Sasha, was outed as a Soviet Agent highly placed for years in the American State Department. Four years later, her twin sister, Ruth Macallister, recieves a visit from an FBI agent searching for contacts between the two, of which there have been none in a dozen years since the Digby's marriage on the cusp of WWII. When Ruth receives two contacts shortly thereafter, it sets in plan a motion to retrieve the family from the Soviet Union. Told alternately in the stories of each sister, as well as a KGB agent at Moscow Centre, we learn the sisters history, and how their falling out years before led them to the lives they live now. Well crafted, although the ending wasn't as surprising (the title is a giveaway!) as it could have been!

This espionage adventure revolves around twins Iris and Ruth. The action takes place in a present of 1952, with returns to the events of the 1940's and the lead-up to World War II. Because of their relationships with the men in their lives, both women are caught up in various aspects of spying and counter-intelligence, taking them from New York to Rome to London to Moscow. The sisters are very different from each other on the surface; Ruth is an ambitious single successful career woman, while Iris is a housewife with several young children. Their differences result in a 12 year estrangement, but when their paths cross in 1942 we realize just how close and similar they are. The intrigue is fast-paced, the suspense is nail-biting, and the alternating voices, settings, and times turned this into a quick read for me.

My thanks to NetGalley and to William Morrow for an advanced copy of this novel.

The love and loyalty of two twins are put to the test as they vie against their entrapment by forces in Soviet Russia in the newest book by Beatriz Williams, Our Woman in Moscow.

An American diplomat and his family disappears and is thought to have either been abducted or defected behind the Iron Curtain. Four years later, Ruth receives a postcard from her twin sister Iris asking for her help.

The setting is moody and claustrophobic. The story is more complex than my description and full of twists and turns, betrayals and heroic acts. The characters seem real, not pressed out of oh smoldering generic good guy, evil mustache twisting bad guy. Not cartoony, but not too good and not too bad, which most humans are. One of her best and quite enjoyable and educational read. Why Ms. Williams' books have not been picked up by a streaming service I don't know. This would be as fun to watch as it was to read.

This book is everything you would expect a book to be when it comes to espionage, the Cold War, and estranged sisters. Add Beatriz Williams to the formula and you have a winner! Readers will devour this book as it is fast paced and action packed. The multiple points of view and different timelines add texture and context to the overall plot. Overall a fantastic read!
I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.

Ever since I read Beatriz Williams book Overseas, I read her every chance I get. She writes amazing historical fiction and I love them all!

In Our Woman in Moscow each chapter flips back and forth between the lives of twin sisters Iris (in 1940) and Ruth (in 1952). They had a falling out in 1940 but when Iris writes to Ruth in 1952, Ruth is on a mission to help her. They have always been very different as sisters, but you can't help but want them to reconcile.

Lately there have been so many World War II books and I've loved a lot of them but it is nice to read about a different era. Once again Beatriz Williams has written a top-notch story!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and listen to this amazing book! I received both the e-book and audio versions. I really enjoy being able to listen to a book while driving back and forth to work and then sitting down to read when I'm home. The narrators were also amazing. I've heard Nicola Barber before and really liked her.

In my opinion, you can't go wrong with a Beatriz Williams book!

I love Beatriz Williams and all the books about the Schyler family. This book is a great spy novel, with lots of twists and turns. I thoroughly enjoyed the book!

The author of Her Last Flight returns with a riveting story of Russian espionage base on real events after World War II. Sister, Ruth and Iris have been left orphans after the death of their parents. They join their brother in Rome, Italy just before World War II breaks out. Ruth returns to the US and a glamorous life in New York City. Iris remains married to Sasha, an employee of the US embassy. Her life isn’t easy. Sasha drinks and is violent when he drinks. She has her children to keep her busy while in England. When her husband defects to Russia she and the children go with him. She’s struggled with the birth of her other children and writes to Ruth asking her to come assist in the birth. Ruth, along with her recently acquired husband, who is a US spy head to Russia to bring Sasha, Iris and the children back to the US. Its tense and at then end the reader is left stunned with the conclusion of the storyline. Its so complex a story that a review cannot do it justice. If you struggle with the book at the beginning, just hold on, you’re just getting set up for the roller coaster ride.

Espionage, glam parties, KGB rivalries, handsome men, romantic rendezvous, and unknown alliances: this dual timeline and multiple narrative book has a little bit of everything that makes it a great reading escape.

The year is 1952 and Ruth has been estranged from her sister, Iris, for the past 12 years when she stayed behind in wartime Europe for love. When Ruth finally hears from Iris in a cryptic postcard message, she teams up with an American agent and together they form a plan to help her sister and family escape from behind the Iron Curtain in Moscow.

Beatriz Williams is the master of historical fiction. This current story reads like a Cold War espionage thriller.
A few parts at the beginning were a little confusing for me, but as the story unfolded things made more sense and I became engrossed in the relationships the characters had with one another. It was a slow burn that developed into a read that I didn't want to put down! I also found it interesting that it was loosely based on the real people and events of the Cambridge Spy Ring.

If you're looking for a spy thriller set during the Cold War, I recommend this novel! It will be released June 1st.

This book started a little slow for me in the beginning, but then I was hooked.

Ruth and her sister Iris have become estranged. Ruth living in New York and Iris in Moscow. Until one day she receives a letter from her sister saying she needs help, because she has a new baby on the way. There is also a mysterious man who visits her asking about her sister's whereabouts. Spies, war, posh parties, and more come to light in this book.

Received from Netgalley.

Our Woman in Moscow is my new favorite by Beatriz Williams, and since there are so many of her books I've loved, that's high praise.

This one has all the hallmarks of Williams I've come to expect: confident and witty women, great chemistry with a handsome man who helps the heroine but gets helped in return, and a sense that I'm escaping to another time and place. Unlike the previous books, though, this almost reads like a thriller. Taking place during the Cold War, there are life and death stakes here, as some people spy for the Soviet Union while others are trying to catch them. I've not read many books set in this era, and this makes me want to read more.

Beatriz Williams is my queen of summer. If you already love her, you should read this. And if you've never read anything by her, this is a great place to start if you love page turning historical.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for a copy of this book!