annieb123's Review of Union Station (John Russell WWII Spy Thriller, #8)

by David Downing

In this fascinating historical thriller, a British journalist (and former spy) is adrift in McCarthy-era Los Angeles—until his research into a wartime conspiracy brings him face-to-face with the perilous instability of a post-Stalin Berlin.

John Russell, an English journalist who specializes in human-interest pieces, had always been a reluctant spy. It’s a dangerous life—especially when you are tasked with being a double agent for Soviet and American intelligence, in a city as fraught with hazard as Nazi-occupied Berlin. But it’s been years, now, since Russell was finally able to extricate himself from his life of espionage—through a shady deal with a high-ranking Soviet official.

Now it’s 1953, and Russell and his family—his long-time partner, Effi Koenen, a burgeoning star on an American sitcom, and their daughter, Rosa, a young artist on the cusp of adulthood—live a life of relative comfort in Los Angeles. Feeling somewhat adrift, Russell has just begun work on a book investigating American firms that continued doing business with Germany during Nazi occupation. Then he notices someone is tailing him around Los Angeles. Has someone not taken kindly to his research? Or could it be that the deal Russell struck all those years ago has left him with unfinished business?

The answer may lie in Berlin, where John and Effi decide to return for the Third Annual Berlin International Film Festival. Braving the political disorder of a city that was once their home, the two are thrust into a perilous mission to protect the life—and safety—they worked so hard to build.

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Union Station is the 7th Russel & Koenen historical thriller by David Downing. Released 6th Feb 2024 by Soho Crime, it's 408 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is such a meticulously researched and realistically written novel. Post war 1953 Los Angeles in the grip of McCarthy-era blacklisting and communists in the woodwork, sees protagonist pair John and Effi investigating a WW2 conspiracy which has landed them in danger (again).

The author is adept and precise, the story woven around a framework of real history so skillfully that it's not always clear where fact shades into fiction.

A clear codicil, this is the 7th book in the series and emphatically does not work well as a standalone. It's brilliantly well written, but there is no spoon-feeding on the author's part and it won't be an easy or immersive read without an introduction.

The unabridged audiobook version has a run time of 11 hours 44 minutes and is expertly narrated by Simon Vance. He has a beautifully modulated light baritone voice and does a superlative job of delineating the characters, with an array of accents, ages, and both sexes. His voice is distractingly fine, and some readers may need to re-listen to the first half hour before he fades into the background (I did). Sound and production quality are top notch throughout the read.

This would be a great candidate for a long binge / buddy read, for public library acquisition, or a good long-term project for a mystery book club discussion.

Four stars for the story, five for the narration. Very good, complex, and well crafted. For fans of Forsythe, John Lawton, and Robert Littell, this will likely be a fast favorite.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Reading updates

7 February, 2024: Started reading

7 February, 2024: Finished reading

7 February, 2024: Reviewed