The Anna Puzzle: Spies, liars and lovers. Who can Anna trust?

by Justine Gilbert

Finalist in the Page Turner Fiction Awards.

“Thoughtful, informative, and deeply moving”

Samantha Ward Smith, best selling author of historical thrillers.

The end of the Cold War; the beginning of a new war.

Unbeknown to Anna, her mother has had a long affair with a Russian spy. When Sasha Vronskiy, a former Ukrainian soldier, saves Anna from a mugging on a London Tube platform, the attraction is instantaneous. But she knows nothing about her deceased parents’ past, and as 2022 unfolds bringing war to Europe, the past is about to catch up with her.

“An enticing and timely tale of love and espionage.”

Tom Bromley, author and tutor.

“a really enjoyable novel which immerses us within living history”

“compelling and emotionally layered”

398 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 3, 2026

Reviews

[Rosie Sheppard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another absolutely brilliant novel from Justine Gilbert! I have loved every single book she’s written. Educational, emotional, relevant, moving and absorbing, I gobbled it up in 6 days. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Robert Ogle · Rating 5 out of 5]

My third novel by Justine Chan and her best by far. Interweaving the cold war with the present to highlight the flight of Ukraine in its war with Russia. A thoroughly good read for all those who enjoy a spinal, a romance novel and the Thriller combined! I highly recommend this novel to you!

[Steve Sheppard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired by Anna Karenina, Justine Gilbert’s third novel is not only a love story – two love stories in fact, separated by thirty years – but a spy thriller and a modern historical novel all rolled into one. The two interwoven stories are superbly crafted to form a completely gripping narrative from start to finish. If you have read either of Ms Gilbert’s two previous, very different, books (Daisy Chain and Montecatini), you will not be surprised to find that The Anna Puzzle is full of brilliant descriptive prose. The author is as good at this as anyone: she certainly knows how to turn a phrase.
All the major characters are beautifully rounded and the short chapters help to keep the two timelines fresh in your mind as they gradually converge. The research, too, is faultless, so much so that I’m not convinced that Ms Gilbert was not, in fact, an espionage agent in Berlin in the late 1980s.
Whether or not you are a fan of Tolstoy, a student of the fall of the Berlin Wall or the present conflict in Ukraine, this book is a must read. It’s not only a brilliant modern novel but an important one.

[SAMANTHA SMITH · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Anna Puzzle, Justine Gilbert crafts a compelling dual-timeline novel that moves between the Cold War of the 1990s and the present-day invasion of Ukraine. The research is superb, grounding the story in historical and political reality without ever slowing the pace. Gilbert interweaves the timelines with precision, allowing past and present to illuminate one another in ways that feel both natural and gripping.
The prose is elegant and assured, and the plot consistently engaging. At its core, this is a love story—between individuals, but also a profound love letter to Ukraine itself. Alongside the emotional pull, the novel offers genuine insight into the history and realities of both eras. Thoughtful, informative, and deeply moving, The Anna Puzzle lingers long after the final page.

[Jami Lowry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book so hard to follow. The love story was good and the ending was nice but every character has the same name. Also characters names randomly change without an introduction. I understand that is the point, that it’s a puzzle but I spent more time trying to figure out which storyline I was following, than I was enjoying the story.

[Pauline Blackley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book. It has a bit of everything.... danger, mystery, romance and faith in human nature. Read it in one sitting 😁.

[Katy Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a page turner! I absolutely loved this. I can't wait to read others by Justine Gilbert. Brilliant writer!

[Ann Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and enjoyable.

[Patricia Román · Rating 4 out of 5]

Justine Gilbert's The Anna Puzzle provides readers with a well researched and perceptive take on the politics of Ukraine, merged with a fascinating love story. However, this reader became more puzzled than perhaps the author intended. It took some time for the various elements to gel especially in early scenes. Only much later, at the end of the book, did they become relevant. I know it was meant to be a puzzle but small reminders in the approach to the denouement would have helped this information to stick - for me at least. That aside, there were excellent descriptions of the atmosphere in the lead up to the Russian invasion, and the secret service elements seemed so authentic that one might conclude that the author had once been a spy!