Escape from Estonia

Alex Kovacs #11

by Richard Wake

THE WAR IS OVER, BUT THE FIGHT CONTINUES.
In the latest book in the Alex Kovacs thriller series, the site is a new one but the problems are old. Alex finds himself in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, doing the kind of Cold War espionage work — chronicling train arrivals and shipments and the like — that is mundane on the one hand but viewed as vital in the struggle against Soviet oppression. The complications are numerous, though, because of Estonia’s recent taken over by the Soviets, and then by the Nazis, and then by the Soviets again, all in the space of a few years. The result is a kind of national dizziness, as people who cozied up to the Soviets, and then the Nazis, and then the Soviets again, attempt to look their neighbors in the eye without tumbling over. And even years after the end of World War II, the fight against Nazism seemingly won, the Hitler-lovers remain as unkill-able as cockroaches.
In the midst of all of that, Alex is torn by his view of right and wrong, and his duty to the Gehlen Organization, his anti-Communist-at-all-costs employer in the espionage business. This pushing and pulling leads him to dilemmas unique to Estonia but universal in their understanding — such as his attempt to work with farmers and vodka bootleggers being strangled by the Soviet takeover of the country, and his determination to assist a man who finds himself trapped by the Soviet secret police. And then there are the Forest Brothers — thousands of Nazi sympathizers who spent years hidden in the woods, running hit-and-run sabotage operations against the occupying Red Army. Alex gets tangled up with them, too, and tangled up with his beliefs and his emotions along the way.
This is the 11th book in the Alex Kovacs thriller series. Through the years -- and the transformation from traveling salesman, to courier, to espionage agent, to French Resistance fighter, to Cold War spy -- Alex has wrestled with his past and with his conscience, and that continues in Escape from Estonia . That combination of action and humanity has resulted in nearly a quarter-million sales for the series. Pick up a copy of Escape from Estonia today and see what Alex Kovacs is all about.

Genres: Espionage, Fiction, Historical Fiction

236 pages, Paperback

Published March 15, 2023

About the author

Richard Wake's first career was as a newspaper reporter, columnist, and editor. Writing fiction was always an aspiration, especially historical fiction set in Europe during the inter-war period, and now it has become a reality.

Reviews

[Bruce L Fisher]

More please

Addictive and admirable. The Magyar spelling of the surname is curious but everything else, down to the most minute detail, is beautifully executed. I don't want to write about this author, I just want to read more of his work!

[Dennis]

I truly enjoyed this installment of Alex Kovacs. This one was interesting from beginning to end. Still hunting Nazis but with a new enemy in the Russian secret police. Great series overall

[Brent L Davis]

Good read and a Unique perspective

This entire series has been not only fun but provided a different perspective of pre-WWII in Germany and Austria. His life and death “adventures” with the French resistance and living in so-called neutral Switzerland during the war was eye- opening. Now with this book we see what the people of Estonia, and probably other Eastern European counties, had to deal with. First the Nazi and then Soviet brutality.

[Brandon Nordin]

If you've got this far in the series, you are most likely hooked. Here Estonia serves as the background for Alex adventures, working to make sense of the emergent post war Cold War - and the unsavory political necessity of using services of former Nazis to counter the Soviet threat. It follows the familiar thread of Alex's seemingly trivial mission for the shadowy Gehlen organization and a parallel set of more personal adventures that become increasingly entangled with this professional spying business. Some nice additional bit part characters her help drive the story forward - I especially like the old boatman that ferries Alex back and forth to his handler. A far number of loose ends or unexplained plot turns made me feel that this book was perhaps rushed to completion???

[Joseph Ullman]

good plots marred by adolescent characters

Now I don’t know if this is going to get published because Amazon has banned me for some obscure reason from leaving reviews. However, I’ve read all but the last book in the series. Interesting plots, some extremely intense stuff, but it is marrd by the adolescence of the main characters, Alex and Leon, who use profanity Far more freely than I suspect anybody in the 1940s ever did. That and their constant juvenile sexual banter. It really cheapens the books. It serves no purpose. If he left that out, the books would’ve been stronger for it. It’s not real life, it’s a cartoon.

[Deborah]

I enjoy both of Wakes’s series and have given 5 stars to each book except this one. I will happily change my rating with respect to this book, if wakes provides me with a sequel. I felt the end of the book was a cliffhanger. I can’t imagine the protagonist, allowing these Nazis to just go off into the wilderness without doing something about it. Otherwise, I enjoy the research that wakes does, although I occasionally disagree. The Estonian Jew-hatred was well known as were the camps in Estonia. Estonians served as guards in a number of concentration camps. I don’t believe there was only one mass grave of Jews in Estonia. Other than that, I like the book.

[Paul Sabine]

“jar of hand cream”, classic!

The 11th book in the series and a good one. Plenty of witty conversation at the beginning before it gets very serious. Alex remains likeable and you can empathise with the wretched and conflicted position he finds himself in, again. No easy way out, lives lost and truth shattered. The people in the story give it the highly believable atmosphere and thinking matter. But Alex is still bereft of hope or some form of idea of what he could be. Nothing to look forward to sadly. A good read.

[Julie Monzi]

Another fantastic book from Richard Wake

I enjoy this series so much and read this book quickly. Wake's books are very enjoyable with characters that feel so real. The plots are believable and each book is a page turner. This one is no exception. I can't wait for the next installment from one of my favorite authors!

[Debbie Trammell]

Good series

This is a good book/series. I have always liked the character Alex. And someone is always looking out from him above. These books are always fast moving and interesting. The only issue that I do not care for is the graphic sexual stories. But, maybe this is just the way these type people communicate??? On a whole this series is excellent.

[Janet Welsh]

Another great Wake story

I have read all 12 books in this series as well as all the Ritter books Richard Wake has written, and thoroughly enjoyed them. Wake is an excellent writer and I find Alex Kovaks' character to be very interesting. I enjoy all the quips and blunt humor. Looking forward to the next in the series!

[Caryn]

Review for Escape From Estonia

Richard Wake always makes his characters well rounded and believable. His main character. Alex Kovacs is a damaged, flawed individual but altogether someone who always tries to do right, despite extremely difficult circumstances. I have totally enjoyed reading this series thus far.

[Tom Shurling]

Great series

Alex Kovacs is one of the world’s great spy heroes. This series kept me interested over the long arc of the fight against Fascism in the 20th century. And thief just fun to read!

[Terry Ireland]

Gripping Read

Have enjoyed every part of this series, watching Kovacs grow in experience and knowledge. Move at a steady pace without any pretence of being a superhero. I recommend every episode of this series. Hope there is much gmore to come.

[Charles A. Morris]

Always a Tour in Europe, post-war Europe

What I've enjoyed in Richard Wake's books are the tours through prewar Europe, into the war, and it's aftermath. You meet the good and bad guys, but with a face. After a book or two, these guys are old friends who take you on a tour.

[Brian Seare]

East collides with the west

Really liked the story, an easy read as I do not know anything about the Baltic States other than ,they were quite happy to be free from Soviet rule during WW2.

[Lynn]

mmmm... Not really what I was expecting. I have never heard of the writer and didn’t know it was part of a popular thriller series. Could have been set in any ex-Eastern European country as the only references to Estonia were Tallinn, Tartu and the Forest Brothers, but I suppose like any fiction thriller it is for enjoyment of a good plot not accuracy of historical content.
Currently with family in Estonia, who have provided background of living here under German and Soviet occupations.

Interesting plot.

[Ken Sutherland]

Another wild story of Alex Kovac by

The language is gritty, the characters are gritty, but exactly what you should expect as people struggle to survive in post WWII Estonia. The story is fast pace, well written and humorous in classic Alex style.

[Ronaele Whittington, D.S.W.]

Interesting entanglements; Estonia in transition

How many challenges can a spy handle while immersed in a local community? Who can be trusted? Does pure truth exist? What's it like to live without a safety net?

[Jane Ingram]

Love all of Richard Wake’s Alex Kovacs books!

[Gene Lichtenwalter]

Great series of books

This book will keep you turning pages. Great plot. Great characters. I recommend starting with the first book and reading the whole series.

[linda custer]

Great story

Love the Alex Kovacs series and loved this book. Great story about post WW II . Can't wait for the next book in the series.

[JAMES KINCAID]

Ehjoyed

I have read all of this series and kept up with interest with each journey. He is a flawed man who somehow convince s me he is a good man.

[Sylvia Tylka]

book 11

As with all the previous books, this was enjoyable to read. I like how Alex is forever talking to himself ( obviously me).

[Brendan Kelley]

Frankly, I was disappointed. I think the character may have run his course. By the end I really did not care what happened to him. Perhaps he has just become too dark.

[EileenNH]

Excellent

Richard Wake has once again brought a believable story. The Cold War was dangerous and Alex Kovacs plays the cold war game well.

[David Cooper]

This was a really good read. Definitely recommend it.

[Mark Grove]

Excellent

More excellent than Wake’s usual excellent titles in this series. Hmm, might be my favorite of them all! All thumbs up. Bravo!

[Bobby Calder]

good series

This series has a good backstory and each one has a new setting in a different time and place. Looking forward to the next one.

[Robert Royer]

I am always disappointed when I finish one of his books. Can't wait for the next one. He is a great author, I have read them all.

[Chaplain Stanley Chapin]

Not for me!

I read the first ten chapters about twenty five percent. There was little story line, characters that could not talk unless using vulgarity.