The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay

This book reads like a spy novel because, well, it is!  Luisa Voekler remembers very little of her childhood in East Berlin.  And she knows only that her parents died in an automobile accident and her grandparents cared for her as she was growing up.  Then she finds something that turns everything that she knows about her family upside down.  Secrets-- or are they lies-- cover her past and now she must return to East Berlin to uncover the truth.

This novel is set in East Berlin during the tumultuous years prior to the wall being torn down.  No one is what they seem and danger looms around every corner.  The suspense keeps readers turning pages and wondering who Luisa can trust.

The characters are well-drawn and three-dimensional.  Luisa is strong and determined but not overly confident.  The supporting characters are much easier to understand as Luisa uncovers her past more completely.  There are also some unique characters who play a pivotal role in the plot.

This is my favorite type of book, with lots of action, interesting characterization and a satisfying conclusion.  I have enjoyed the author’s other novels, but this is my favorite.  I am grateful to the publisher for a complimentary arc in exchange for this, my honest review.