Berlin Red

Inspector Pekkala has been called to Stalin’s office, where he is introduced to the local member of the British intelligence.  This officer wants his help in extricating one of their members from Berlin before the city collapses under the weight of the Russian invasion. The operative in question is none other than his fiancé, Lilya Somonova, who Pekkala hasn’t seen since 1917!

Pekkala gets further information from a British double agent who has returned to Moscow.  Major Kirov is also able to glean some information from a German POW.  It isn’t long before Stalin orders Pekkala and Kirov to Berlin to extract Simonova.  However, the British inform them that Hitler has assigned a special detective to root out whomever is relaying information from the bunker to the outside world.  Pekkala knows that Leopold Hunyadi is a ruthless detective.

Can Pekkala and Kirov get to Lilya before Hunyadi, or will the Allied bombers kill her?  Or will the Russian army reach Berlin first?

Berlin Red is author Sam Eastland’s final instalment in the Pekkala saga. Once again, it is a perfect thriller full of action and tension. The complete series is an excellent read.  I recommend the series be read.