Review: Safe Houses by Dan Fesperman

Safe Houses

by Dan Fesperman

Publisher: Knopf

Pages: 416

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  West Berlin, 1979. Helen Abell oversees the CIA's network of safe houses, rare havens for field agents and case officers amidst the dangerous milieu of a city in the grips of the Cold War. Helen's world is upended when, during her routine inspection of an agency property, she overhears a meeting between two people unfamiliar to her speaking a coded language that hints at shadowy realities far beyond her comprehension. Before the day is out, she witnesses a second unauthorized encounter, one that will place her in the sightlines of the most ruthless and powerful man at the agency. Her attempts to expose the dark truths about what she has witnessed will bring about repercussions that reach across decades and continents into the present day, when, in a farm town in Maryland, a young man is arrested for the double murder of his parents, and his sister takes it upon herself to find out why he did it.


Kritters Thoughts:  What an interesting book.  This is a combination historical fiction, mystery/thriller and this was one of those books that you had to read closely for many reasons.  For one there is a large cast of characters and some of them have two names as they are spys, field agents or have identities for one reason another.  You also have to read closely to make sure you know who works for whom and what side they are on.  

One thing that made me realize that I was really into this book and loving it, was my wonderment if any of this was based in truth.  I love when I go into a book with little back story and wonder the whole time if there is any truth behind the book - such a good feeling!  I wondered if the Sisterhood and almost hoped that there was some truth for these women in this moment in time had each other as a support system in this crazy male centric job field.  

After reading this, I decided that I really want to see this as a movie.  I don't think that often and don't care for my books to have a life outside of the book form, but this one really struck me as a great book to adapt and for it to hold up to the transfer from one art form to another.  

This was my first introduction to Dan Fesperman.  I was so excited to see quite the backlist when I finished this book.  I don't even know where to go next!  Where should I go if I liked this one a lot?


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Knopf Publicity.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.