A Shadow in Moscow

by Katherine Reay

As you can guess from the title A Shadow in Moscow, this book is about spies—two women in particular—and is told in two timelines with a third included in an epilogue.  I didn’t like the two timelines for a lot of the book, but by the end I understood why the author chose that style. She purposely does not reveal the connections between the two women operatives until late in the book. She, in fact, keeps a lot of clues from the reader. The whole book is interesting, but a little unsatisfying until the author reveals the relationships to the reader and to the characters themselves. At that point I was shaking my head at the courage, intelligence, and loyalty of these women.

Almost any summary of this work of historical fiction would include spoilers, so I will instead relate some of my impressions. I have read other books by Reay and appreciate her as a writer. She has researched her topic well and has shared information about the Cold War in a way that makes it understandable to the reader. It is hard to comprehend from our position in North America the length and depth of the spy organizations and culture that permeated the world during that era, especially as it involved the Soviet Union, the United States, and Great Britain. This is a story of intelligence agencies (CIA, MI6, and KGB) and counterintelligence agencies. We learn of the extent the KGB went to in their efforts to control the actions and even the thoughts of their people. We see this on an organizational level, but also a personal level as individuals and families are unable to express themselves or know who to trust.  As Reay states in her notes to readers, “only in truly understanding our pasts will we be able to navigate—with empathy, humanity, and wisdom—our presents well.”

At two-thirds of the way through this book, I would have given it a moderate stamp of approval. At the end I was overwhelmed with the writer’s talent, with the way the various threads were drawn together, and with the motivations and resolutions for various characters. It will transport you to a difficult time in history when choices, whether based on ethics or on greed, led to life and death decisions.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Historical Fiction

Notes: Discussion questions are included in the back of the book and Reay references other resources on her web page. If this is chosen as a book club selection, I would advise that the members read the whole book before discussing it.

Publication: June 13, 2023—Harper Muse

Memorable Lines:

Jamison’s cramped and stuffy book-lined office is my favorite spot on campus. Something about its dusty, ink-and-paper smell takes me right back to my bedroom and my all-night read-a-thons—because at home you get the best books in secret and only for one night.

Our conformity gives an illusion of power and peace as we are raised to believe our way of life is superior and virtuous. Illusions are powerful things. If you believe them hard enough, they can become one’s reality.

“They’re Americans, Sasha. They have constitutional rights agains that kind of stuff.” The memory is bright and convicting, blinding me with truth. That’s the difference, I think. Forget the bedazzled clothes, the neon colors, the malls, the plentiful vegetables. Forget it all. It’s window dressing hiding the truth. None of that matters because only one thing counts. Rights.