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Red Spy in Harbin: Book 1: In the Beginning
“The suspense felt real... I learned how a person became a top spy—and the level of intelligence, inventiveness, and desire they needed to possess.”
1935, Harbin. Under Japanese occupation, this Manchurian city seethes with spies, racketeers, and would-be revolutionaries. Chinese communist agent Chen Minghe is sent to infiltrate the Russian Fascist Party, led by the real-life White Russian leader Konstantin Rodzaevsky—a man whose vanity masks deadly ambition.
Born into a poor Hakka family in Fujian, Chen is shaped by the brutal purges of 1927 and the rise of Communist resistance. Under the guidance of spymaster Zhou Enlai, he trains in psychological manipulation, coded communication, and infiltration. When his rare command of Russian makes him indispensable, he is sent deep undercover—posing as a chauffeur to Rodzaevsky himself.
But as Rodzaevsky’s fascist movement aligns with Japanese intelligence and the city descends into chaos, Chen’s mission becomes more than espionage. It becomes a test of survival, loyalty, and belief.
Red Spy in Harbin is a literary spy novel set against the upheavals of early twentieth-century East Asia. Blending historical fact with psychological depth, it tells a gripping tale of double lives and dangerous ideals.
Perfect for readers of Robert Harris, Alan Furst, and John le Carré.
1935, Harbin. Under Japanese occupation, this Manchurian city seethes with spies, racketeers, and would-be revolutionaries. Chinese communist agent Chen Minghe is sent to infiltrate the Russian Fascist Party, led by the real-life White Russian leader Konstantin Rodzaevsky—a man whose vanity masks deadly ambition.
Born into a poor Hakka family in Fujian, Chen is shaped by the brutal purges of 1927 and the rise of Communist resistance. Under the guidance of spymaster Zhou Enlai, he trains in psychological manipulation, coded communication, and infiltration. When his rare command of Russian makes him indispensable, he is sent deep undercover—posing as a chauffeur to Rodzaevsky himself.
But as Rodzaevsky’s fascist movement aligns with Japanese intelligence and the city descends into chaos, Chen’s mission becomes more than espionage. It becomes a test of survival, loyalty, and belief.
Red Spy in Harbin is a literary spy novel set against the upheavals of early twentieth-century East Asia. Blending historical fact with psychological depth, it tells a gripping tale of double lives and dangerous ideals.
Perfect for readers of Robert Harris, Alan Furst, and John le Carré.
420 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 23, 2025
2 people are currently reading
1131 people want to read
About the author
Mark Oulton
4 books26 followers Mark Oulton is a world traveler and astute observer of international culture. Born in the UK, as a child he was moved around the world because of his father’s work in education and overseas development. He spent his formative years in Syria, Kenya, Malawi and Nepal as well as being educated in the UK from age 12. As an adult, he lived in the UK for many years working for the largest private company in the world and then as a company director in Bristol, UK. working in agriculture and related trading and marketing. He then worked in the US for seven years before finally settling in China in 2015. He speaks French and passable Mandarin Chinese and at least another ten languages badly.
His most recent work as the global market research manager for a leading Swiss corporation took him to every corner of the globe.
When not writing, his hobbies are cooking, painting, cycling, fishing and gardening.
He is married to Hu Yan Yan and lives in Suzhou, China, and has two children, Amy and George, both of whom live and work in London
His most recent work as the global market research manager for a leading Swiss corporation took him to every corner of the globe.
When not writing, his hobbies are cooking, painting, cycling, fishing and gardening.
He is married to Hu Yan Yan and lives in Suzhou, China, and has two children, Amy and George, both of whom live and work in London
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 28, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book, Red Spy In Harbin, grabbed me right out of the gate and did not let go. It felt tense and nervous, like somebody was always watching from the shadows. I could feel the danger breathing down the main character’s neck the whole time. I am no history professor, but this story made me learn without it feeling like homework. The suspense felt real, and I learned how a person became a top spy and the level of intelligence, inventiveness, and determination it took to survive.
Set in 1935 Harbin, the city feels dirty, loud, and packed full of people hiding secrets. There are spies, racketeers, and power hungry folks all mixed together, and none of them can be trusted. Chen comes from nothing and is shaped by hard times and even harder lessons. The way he is trained in psychological tricks, coded communication, and playing different roles feels believable and grounded. His command of Russian puts him deep undercover, working close to a very dangerous man who thinks highly of himself and has big ambitions.
What I liked most is how this book does not just focus on spy techniques, but on what that life costs a person inside. Chen has to balance fear, loyalty, and belief while everything around him keeps unraveling. The politics matter and raise the stakes, but they are not shoved in your face. This is the kind of spy story that feels heavy and thoughtful, not loud or flashy. It is a slow burn full of tension, like the classic spy stories that stick with you.
If you enjoy serious spy novels with history, depth, and intelligence, this one is worth your time. It is not fast entertainment. It is a solid, well cooked story that stays with you.
I give it a 4 outta 5 catfish!
This book, Red Spy In Harbin, grabbed me right out of the gate and did not let go. It felt tense and nervous, like somebody was always watching from the shadows. I could feel the danger breathing down the main character’s neck the whole time. I am no history professor, but this story made me learn without it feeling like homework. The suspense felt real, and I learned how a person became a top spy and the level of intelligence, inventiveness, and determination it took to survive.
Set in 1935 Harbin, the city feels dirty, loud, and packed full of people hiding secrets. There are spies, racketeers, and power hungry folks all mixed together, and none of them can be trusted. Chen comes from nothing and is shaped by hard times and even harder lessons. The way he is trained in psychological tricks, coded communication, and playing different roles feels believable and grounded. His command of Russian puts him deep undercover, working close to a very dangerous man who thinks highly of himself and has big ambitions.
What I liked most is how this book does not just focus on spy techniques, but on what that life costs a person inside. Chen has to balance fear, loyalty, and belief while everything around him keeps unraveling. The politics matter and raise the stakes, but they are not shoved in your face. This is the kind of spy story that feels heavy and thoughtful, not loud or flashy. It is a slow burn full of tension, like the classic spy stories that stick with you.
If you enjoy serious spy novels with history, depth, and intelligence, this one is worth your time. It is not fast entertainment. It is a solid, well cooked story that stays with you.
I give it a 4 outta 5 catfish!
January 4, 2026
Red Spy in Harbin is fascinating and genuinely original. If you enjoy historical fiction set in corners of history most people have never heard of, this novel is a real treat. A Russian Fascist Party operating in China in the 1920s and 1930s, led by Konstantin Rodzaevsky, a real historical figure, with ties to a rival movement in the United States, sounds unbelievable. It is true, and the author has clearly done his homework.
The settings are especially vivid. Shanghai is seen through the eyes of French diplomats, along with Xiamen (Amoy), Ruijin, and Harbin. History is woven so smoothly into the story that it is sometimes hard to tell which characters are real and which are invented, although a helpful list is included in the appendix.
If you are reading for espionage, this book delivers. The slow build toward Rodzaevsky’s “assassination,” orchestrated by the spy Chen, and the Japanese investigation that follows, is tight and gripping and stands alongside the best spy fiction. The earlier use of fireworks to signal enemy positions is inspired and distinctly Chinese. Without giving anything away, Chen uncovers intelligence so significant that it alters the course of the Second World War.
Readers should be aware that the novel contains some extremely violent scenes. They are never gratuitous, and are often moving, reflecting the brutality of the period. These moments are balanced by tender and occasionally humorous scenes, as well as a compelling love story.
The final pages leave the reader wanting more. Chen’s defining moment still lies ahead, but what will it be? The answer is not yet clear. A short teaser for a second book is included, making it clear that the story is far from overr.
The settings are especially vivid. Shanghai is seen through the eyes of French diplomats, along with Xiamen (Amoy), Ruijin, and Harbin. History is woven so smoothly into the story that it is sometimes hard to tell which characters are real and which are invented, although a helpful list is included in the appendix.
If you are reading for espionage, this book delivers. The slow build toward Rodzaevsky’s “assassination,” orchestrated by the spy Chen, and the Japanese investigation that follows, is tight and gripping and stands alongside the best spy fiction. The earlier use of fireworks to signal enemy positions is inspired and distinctly Chinese. Without giving anything away, Chen uncovers intelligence so significant that it alters the course of the Second World War.
Readers should be aware that the novel contains some extremely violent scenes. They are never gratuitous, and are often moving, reflecting the brutality of the period. These moments are balanced by tender and occasionally humorous scenes, as well as a compelling love story.
The final pages leave the reader wanting more. Chen’s defining moment still lies ahead, but what will it be? The answer is not yet clear. A short teaser for a second book is included, making it clear that the story is far from overr.
January 7, 2026
A compelling, five-star espionage novel steeped in history—much of it overlooked or half-forgotten—Red Spy in Harbin blends meticulously researched events with a gripping spy narrative. Chen is a fascinating protagonist, shaped by an unusual and vividly realized upbringing in a Hakka tulou in Fujian: a roundhouse community with its own traditions and rhythms. His early years feel almost idyllic, learning carpentry and even Russian from a Chinese tea planter whose past unexpectedly reaches as far as Georgia and the Tsar’s empire.
When politics fractures China in the early 1920’s, Chen’s life is shattered and he is drawn into a long, hard journey with the Red Army—learning codes, signals intelligence, and the practical craft of espionage. After the Long March, he is sent to Harbin in Japanese-controlled Manchuria, where he infiltrates the Russian Fascist Party, allied to Japanese intelligence. The secrets he uncovers are valuable to the Chinese Communists and increasingly vital to Stalin as he measures Japan’s intentions towards the USSR.
What makes this book stand out is the author’s ability to fuse true events with the human cost of the era, then balance the tragedy with evocative rural and urban scenes and moments of warmth that feel earned. It’s tense, intelligent, and surprisingly moving—historical thriller, spy novel, and human story all at once.
When politics fractures China in the early 1920’s, Chen’s life is shattered and he is drawn into a long, hard journey with the Red Army—learning codes, signals intelligence, and the practical craft of espionage. After the Long March, he is sent to Harbin in Japanese-controlled Manchuria, where he infiltrates the Russian Fascist Party, allied to Japanese intelligence. The secrets he uncovers are valuable to the Chinese Communists and increasingly vital to Stalin as he measures Japan’s intentions towards the USSR.
What makes this book stand out is the author’s ability to fuse true events with the human cost of the era, then balance the tragedy with evocative rural and urban scenes and moments of warmth that feel earned. It’s tense, intelligent, and surprisingly moving—historical thriller, spy novel, and human story all at once.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews