An atmospheric literary thriller set in the Berlin of 1946. Political intrigue, murder and a love story all find their place in this cleverly plotted novel.

Synopsis

Berlin, 1946. During one of the coldest winters on record, Pavel Richter, a decommissioned GI, finds himself at odds with a rogue British Army colonel and a Soviet General when a friend deposits the frozen body of a dead Russian spy in his apartment. So begins the race to take possession of the spy's secret, a race which threatens Pavel's friendship with a street orphan named Anders and his budding love for Sonia, his enigmatic upstairs neighbour. As the action hurtles towards catastrophe, the hunt merges with one for the truth about the novel's protagonist: who exactly is Pavel Richter?

Reviews

‘A gripping espionage thriller very much in the uncertain, paranoid vein of The Third Man … It keeps you hooked on its mysteries by rationing the truth more severely than its characters’ coffee … an entirely guilt-free treat’ Independent
 
‘An espionage thriller, complete with double-crosses, torture, prostitution, a monkey and summary executions … There is much to like about this book’ The Times

About the Author

Dan Vyleta is the son of Czech refugees who emigrated to Germany in the late 1960s. He holds a PhD in History from the University of Cambridge. He lives and works in Edmonton, Canada. Pavel & I, published by Bloomsbury in March 2008, is his first novel. More books by this author Author 'Like for Like' recommendation