The Helsinki Affair is a beautiful blend of old-school and contemporary espionage, embracing the charm of classic spy stories while boasting a fast-paced structure that all but ensures that you do nothing but read and read and read until you’ve reached the last page.
When a Russian defector walks into the US Embassy in Italy and warns of an impending assassination of a US Senator, the general consensus is to send him out on his merry way. But CIA Officer Amanda Cole intuits an impending doom from the warning and sure enough, the Senator dies. Suddenly thrust into the spotlight, Amanda becomes the lead on an investigation spanning decades into the past when notes from the late Senator contain the name of another CIA agent back before he retired, and that’s none other than Charlie Cole, Amanda’s father. Can Amanda connect the Kremlin conspiracy to the assassination and to her father, and more importantly, does she want to, when this puts everything she’s known at risk?
Anna Pitoniak has written a strong embodiment of female strength and intuition in the espionage genre unencumbered by filler romance. Amanda Cole is a terrific CIA officer whose analytical skills lead her to uncovering a bold conspiracy by Russian intelligence, putting her on a dangerous path that requires her to use all her wits. The wrench in her investigation is her father also plays a pivotal role in setting the tone of this story, continuously evolving with each chapter as the narrative switches between the past and the present to form the complete picture. The switching is done elegantly and doesn’t detract from the storytelling experience even a bit. You feel part of the intelligence apparatus in employing sneaky spycraft along with Amanda and her team.
The Helsinki Affair is an intelligent espionage thriller that will appease hardcore fans of spy stories as well as those more accustomed to the faster-paced modern narratives. There’s so much to enjoy, from the characters to their dilemmas, all tie in for a shocking finale.
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