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Nikolai's Secret
An ordinary man discovers a secret powerful enough to crumble an empire.
Behind the Iron Curtain, Nikolai Kovalenko lives an invisible life of obedience. Raised on Soviet ideals and quietly serving as an electronics technician for the Ministry of Communication, he never questions the system. Danger feels like someone else’s world, and he never imagines it could touch his own.
Until one routine day in February 1981 changes everything.
A secret never meant to be found. Where temptation leads to regret.
What Nikolai uncovers pulls him into the silent war brewing inside the Eastern Bloc, where power is traded behind closed doors and lives disappear without warning. As the Soviet empire begins to fracture and the Solidarity movement ignites rebellion in Poland, the choice is guard the secret and survive, or speak it and gamble everything, even his life.
Guided by the unlikely wisdom of his former history teacher, and torn between the woman he loves and the choice he made, Nikolai must out maneuver the ruthless East German Stasi in a desperate search for someone to unburden him.
From bestselling author Matthew Fults, Nikolai’s Secret is equal parts parable, caper and love story. It's a powerful companion novel to The Sunflower Widows, where inner courage and a moral compass are required passports to a future without a past.
Perfect for fans of John le Carré, Milan Kundera and Kristin Hannah.
Behind the Iron Curtain, Nikolai Kovalenko lives an invisible life of obedience. Raised on Soviet ideals and quietly serving as an electronics technician for the Ministry of Communication, he never questions the system. Danger feels like someone else’s world, and he never imagines it could touch his own.
Until one routine day in February 1981 changes everything.
A secret never meant to be found. Where temptation leads to regret.
What Nikolai uncovers pulls him into the silent war brewing inside the Eastern Bloc, where power is traded behind closed doors and lives disappear without warning. As the Soviet empire begins to fracture and the Solidarity movement ignites rebellion in Poland, the choice is guard the secret and survive, or speak it and gamble everything, even his life.
Guided by the unlikely wisdom of his former history teacher, and torn between the woman he loves and the choice he made, Nikolai must out maneuver the ruthless East German Stasi in a desperate search for someone to unburden him.
From bestselling author Matthew Fults, Nikolai’s Secret is equal parts parable, caper and love story. It's a powerful companion novel to The Sunflower Widows, where inner courage and a moral compass are required passports to a future without a past.
Perfect for fans of John le Carré, Milan Kundera and Kristin Hannah.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 12, 2026
About the author
Matthew Fults
6 books44 followersMatthew Fults is the author of five novels, including the award-winning Mathieu James trilogy, and two literary fiction books known as The Ukraine Stories. He is a former newspaper journalist and editor, a celebrated documentary filmmaker and accomplished brand photographer. In addition to his documentary work being selected to international film festivals, his visual storytelling has been praised by The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Detroit Free Press, Boston Globe and TV Guide among others.
As a writer, he is known for possessing a cinematic style and crafting scenes so rich with sensory detail that readers feel transported into the story. His thrillers have been compared to Vince Flynn and Frederick Forsyth; his literary fiction to Milan Kundera and Etaf Rum; and his travel essays have been humorously described as "the love child of Hunter S. Thompson and Ernest Hemingway on LSD." Fults's long-form storytelling is known for its poignancy, exceptional realism and literary style of journalism.
His debut novel, The Scotland Project, was named a finalist for best thriller of the year. Its sequel, Messenger for the Dead, was named Action Thriller of the Year for 2025. The final book in the series, The Consequence of Sin, has been called "a superb finale."
Meanwhile, his literary fiction debut, The Sunflower Widows, hit shelves in September 2025 as a multi-category bestseller and Top New Release. Heralded as "A quiet triumph" and "Masterful," Discovery says it's "A must read." The Book Commentary wrote, "Fults’s layered, empathetic portrayal of women living through war will captivate readers immensely."
His latest release, a Cold War literary thriller, is a companion novel to The Sunflower Widows. Nikolai's Secret tells the story of an ordinary man raised on Soviet ideals who uncovers a secret powerful enough to destroy an empire. Nikolai's Secret debuted May 12, 2026 in paperback and ebook formats.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Review of advance copy
I received an advance reader copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Alright now, this one pulls you into that cold shadow world folks made famous, and it does not waste any time getting its boots dirty. Set deep behind the Iron Curtain, you follow a regular fellow minding his business until he stumbles into something that could shake the whole system.
What I liked most is how real it felt. There is no over the top hero nonsense. He is not built for this life and you feel that pressure sitting on his shoulders the whole way through. The tension creeps instead of explodes and that slow burn works mighty fine especially with secret police lurking in the background like a bad storm you know is coming.
Now I am not going to lie, parts of it move a little slower than a Sunday drive especially when it leans heavy into politics and history. But if you have the patience, it pays off. The moral tug of war he is dealing with whether to keep quiet or risk it all that is where the story really earns its keep.
There is a touch of heart in here too. The relationships do not feel forced and they give the story some soul instead of just spies and secrets.
At the end of the day, this is not about explosions or flashy spy tricks. It is about choices, the kind that cost you something no matter what you do.
I give it a 4 out of 5 catfish!
Alright now, this one pulls you into that cold shadow world folks made famous, and it does not waste any time getting its boots dirty. Set deep behind the Iron Curtain, you follow a regular fellow minding his business until he stumbles into something that could shake the whole system.
What I liked most is how real it felt. There is no over the top hero nonsense. He is not built for this life and you feel that pressure sitting on his shoulders the whole way through. The tension creeps instead of explodes and that slow burn works mighty fine especially with secret police lurking in the background like a bad storm you know is coming.
Now I am not going to lie, parts of it move a little slower than a Sunday drive especially when it leans heavy into politics and history. But if you have the patience, it pays off. The moral tug of war he is dealing with whether to keep quiet or risk it all that is where the story really earns its keep.
There is a touch of heart in here too. The relationships do not feel forced and they give the story some soul instead of just spies and secrets.
At the end of the day, this is not about explosions or flashy spy tricks. It is about choices, the kind that cost you something no matter what you do.
I give it a 4 out of 5 catfish!
Review of advance copy received from Author
On the surface, Nikolai’s Secret is a high-tension Cold War espionage thriller and geopolitical drama. But it’s more than that. It’s also a literary novel and character study that details the personal reflections of Nikolai Kovalenko, a highly skilled electronics "fixer" for the Ministry of Communication and eventually the KGB.
Fults expertly blends a reflective, often melancholy voice with a mounting sense of dread, as readers begin to learn Nikolai’s secret and "the thing that I did."
The novel excels in the detailed and authentic portrayal of the Soviet system and its human cost. The story is firmly grounded in real history, detailing high-stakes assignments such as developing hidden listening devices for the Soviet delegation at the 1975 Helsinki Accords. Yet, the true power of the book lies in Nikolai’s struggle against the ruthless obedience required by the state and the fear of the consequences for stepping out of line.
Fults has crafted a compelling, cinematic, and intimate story that succeeds both as a tense geopolitical drama and a character study of a man shattered by his loyalty to a flawed system and his desire for a normal life near his family and the love of his life. The narrative masterfully maintains suspense, constantly hinting at the moment in 1981 when Nikolai’s life spins "out of control" and forces him into betrayal and flight. Highly recommend.
Fults expertly blends a reflective, often melancholy voice with a mounting sense of dread, as readers begin to learn Nikolai’s secret and "the thing that I did."
The novel excels in the detailed and authentic portrayal of the Soviet system and its human cost. The story is firmly grounded in real history, detailing high-stakes assignments such as developing hidden listening devices for the Soviet delegation at the 1975 Helsinki Accords. Yet, the true power of the book lies in Nikolai’s struggle against the ruthless obedience required by the state and the fear of the consequences for stepping out of line.
Fults has crafted a compelling, cinematic, and intimate story that succeeds both as a tense geopolitical drama and a character study of a man shattered by his loyalty to a flawed system and his desire for a normal life near his family and the love of his life. The narrative masterfully maintains suspense, constantly hinting at the moment in 1981 when Nikolai’s life spins "out of control" and forces him into betrayal and flight. Highly recommend.
Review of advance copy
I was keen to read this book by Matthew Fults, having appreciated his writing and research in an earlier novel, The Sunflower Widows. I received a complimentary advance review copy of Nikolai's Secret and am writing this review voluntarily. Nikolai's Secret is quite different from The Sunflower Widows although it shares the Ukrainian setting. This book is set in the early 1980s. Nikolai, having done his military service in the Red Army, has returned home to Ukraine where he soon finds his skills as an electronic engineer are called into service by the KGB. He also meets up at this time with Kathryna, a former school friend with whom he quickly forms a close and loving relationship. Nikolai is the narrator of this story, written after he has done something which changed his life. At times I found the writing a little plodding and repetitive but realised that this probably suited the style of Nikolai who was, after all, and engineer and not an author. It also suited the oppression and repetitiveness of life at that time and location. I think the book captured that time and location very well: the fear of living under Soviet rule, the terrors of the KGB and Stasi and the hopes for the Solidarnosc movement in Poland. Nikolai's fears and anxieties were palpable. I enjoyed and will recommend this book and would now like to read Kathryna's story.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Nikolai's Secret is a genre-crossing novel that bleeds from both the literary fiction and thriller categories. It's a tale of an ordinary man who stumbles into something sinister, which leads to the ultimate dilemma: stay quiet and watch the world burn, or stand up and risk everything and everyone in your life.
The writing comes alive with passages like "Instead, I open the door to the tiny balcony, barely the size of a coat closet. I’m met by the briskness of autumn’s breath and the pleasant smell of decay. I wonder how that is so." It allows the reader to stand next to Nikolai and experience his truth.
A wide range of characters are painted with an intimate brush, from his early romantic interest Mikaela to the the evil Stasi agent Dieter Werner. In between we meet instrumental influences, from his parents to his high school history teacher and, most importantly, Kathryna, the love of his life.
As the reader gets an insider's view of his life, we tag along on a journey that tests his courage, his will and his heart. I'd love more novels like this, where the character study stands above the plot, and the storytelling is inviting.
The writing comes alive with passages like "Instead, I open the door to the tiny balcony, barely the size of a coat closet. I’m met by the briskness of autumn’s breath and the pleasant smell of decay. I wonder how that is so." It allows the reader to stand next to Nikolai and experience his truth.
A wide range of characters are painted with an intimate brush, from his early romantic interest Mikaela to the the evil Stasi agent Dieter Werner. In between we meet instrumental influences, from his parents to his high school history teacher and, most importantly, Kathryna, the love of his life.
As the reader gets an insider's view of his life, we tag along on a journey that tests his courage, his will and his heart. I'd love more novels like this, where the character study stands above the plot, and the storytelling is inviting.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The story centers around a man named Nikolai Kovalenko, an ordinary Soviet citizen with a somewhat boring job as an electronics technician working for the Ministry of Communication. As he rises through the ranks, he gains access to sensitive materials within the communist regime. There comes a point where temptation wins over moderation, and he uncovers a secret that ultimately will dictate the rest of his life: pretend like it never happened and watch the Soviet Block potentially crumble, or speak up and risk all that he loves.
What I liked most about Nikolai's Secret was the first-person narrative. The voice was alive with emotion, and it felt like living inside his head allowed me to ride along on his journey.
The narrative is filled with tension, tenderness, and angst. Although set in the Cold War, it's a timely story of a man who has to make the hardest of choices, and he searches in all the right places for guidance. Thoroughly enjoyed this read, and thanks to the author, Matthew Fults, for the advance copy.
What I liked most about Nikolai's Secret was the first-person narrative. The voice was alive with emotion, and it felt like living inside his head allowed me to ride along on his journey.
The narrative is filled with tension, tenderness, and angst. Although set in the Cold War, it's a timely story of a man who has to make the hardest of choices, and he searches in all the right places for guidance. Thoroughly enjoyed this read, and thanks to the author, Matthew Fults, for the advance copy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Nikolai's Secret delivers a story filled with intrigue, personal reflection and stark choices set against the Cold War. I read the companion novel, The Sunflower Widows, where Nikolai makes a brief appearance. It was really interesting to learn his story, and to learn what happened to him.
Written in first person, the story is told through a combination of present day (which is 1983 in the book) and flashbacks to important events in Nikolai's life that ultimately led him to the secret that would change his life.
It was easy to root for him as a character even as he faced two horrible choices, and his nemesis from the Stasi came to live in a very vivid, evil way. There's also a nice, unexpected twist at the end that really brings the story full circle in some ways.
Nikolai's Secret is beautifully crafted. It's an easy read, engaging read. I definitely can recommend it!
Written in first person, the story is told through a combination of present day (which is 1983 in the book) and flashbacks to important events in Nikolai's life that ultimately led him to the secret that would change his life.
It was easy to root for him as a character even as he faced two horrible choices, and his nemesis from the Stasi came to live in a very vivid, evil way. There's also a nice, unexpected twist at the end that really brings the story full circle in some ways.
Nikolai's Secret is beautifully crafted. It's an easy read, engaging read. I definitely can recommend it!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to the author, Matthew Fults, for the advance copy.
Nikolai's Secret is an old-school tale of a good guy who finds himself in a bad situation by making a simple mistake. Nikolai must choose between staying silent, and living with a potential humanitarian and political catastrophe, or speaking out, and risking everything, including those he loves the most.
I found the first-person narrative extremely engaging, giving a true sense of Nikolai's angst, peril, humor and affection for those around him. This story isn't "superhero special forces dude saves the world all by himself." Not even close. It's relatable, enjoyable and a worthy read.
Nikolai's Secret is an old-school tale of a good guy who finds himself in a bad situation by making a simple mistake. Nikolai must choose between staying silent, and living with a potential humanitarian and political catastrophe, or speaking out, and risking everything, including those he loves the most.
I found the first-person narrative extremely engaging, giving a true sense of Nikolai's angst, peril, humor and affection for those around him. This story isn't "superhero special forces dude saves the world all by himself." Not even close. It's relatable, enjoyable and a worthy read.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
An old-school, slow burn literary thriller that puts an ordinary man in harm's sway through a simple mistake.
It's tense, filled with memorable characters and offers plenty of intrigue. A bit of history and politics to get through, but it helps the reader understand the stakes, which for Nikolai turned out to be high.
It's literary fiction but reads like a thriller in the same way as Graham Greene, where character study is essential to the story.
It's tense, filled with memorable characters and offers plenty of intrigue. A bit of history and politics to get through, but it helps the reader understand the stakes, which for Nikolai turned out to be high.
It's literary fiction but reads like a thriller in the same way as Graham Greene, where character study is essential to the story.
May 12, 2026
Filled with tension and word-smithing that brings to life Soviet Ukraine, Nikolai's Secret is both a literary thriller and an old-school character-driven tale of espionage.
Nikolai is an ordinary Joe, minding his business and doing his thing, when he makes a bad decision at work, which cascades into his life, forcing him to make choices nobody wants to make.
With vivid detail and characters that jump off the page, this first-person narrative is a ride to be enjoyed.
Nikolai is an ordinary Joe, minding his business and doing his thing, when he makes a bad decision at work, which cascades into his life, forcing him to make choices nobody wants to make.
With vivid detail and characters that jump off the page, this first-person narrative is a ride to be enjoyed.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews