The Helsinki Affair

Amanda Cole is a young CIA officer on the rise, following in the footsteps of her father Charlie (a spy during the Cold War). One day, a Russian defector walks into her office, warning Cole and her team of a senator’s imminent assassination. No one but Cole takes the man’s warning seriously and hours later, the senator is assassinated. Cole is promoted and given the case of a lifetime, but there is one scary thing: why is her father’s name in the senator’s notes? As Cole + another spy (the fearless, older Kath Frost) race to understand what is happening, they discover corrupt oligarchs, financial manipulation, and a terrifying way that Russia has discovered to manipulate not only the markets but world policy. Where does her father fit in with all of this? I liked but did not love this, whereas I loved Pitoniak’s last book (Our American Friend). At times the plot felt a little bit over complicated; I had a hard time keeping up. Still, I tore through it in just a few days and found myself thinking about Amanda and Charlie long after I’d finished it. If you are looking for a fast paced spy thriller, I think you will really love this!