Red Romeo: Stasi Gigolos and the Spy Hunter of Germany

by Peter Bernhardt

This is a previously-published edition of ISBN 1518811523.

The summer of 1977 finds divided Germany locked in a fierce espionage battle. West Germany's premier spy hunter, ambitious SABINE MAIER, faces off against ruthless Stasi General WERNER HEINRICH. Sabine has filled half a prison with her prodigious arrests of communist spies. Heinrich is the mastermind behind a small army of spy gigolos who prey on lonely women working in the West German government's most secret divisions. Caught in the middle is ladies' man STEFAN MALIK, a reluctant Romeo, forced to do the general's bidding or rot in a Stasi prison. Just as she thinks she's gaining the upper hand, Sabine's worst fears are realized. The Stasi has infiltrated the highest ranks of West German intelligence and Heinrich's well-placed mole is watching her every move. With the number of women spying for love growing by the day, Sabine risks everything on a cutting-edge technology that promises to identify traitors. The ingenious system soon picks up the scent of Stefan, who is targeting the Chief of the Chancellery's secretary. But when Sabine discovers that Stefan has an agenda of his own, she lays a risky trap. With the security of the West at stake and Stefan's life hanging by a thread, she gives her all to unmask the mole and outwit the Stasi spymaster. German Edition: Roter Romeo―Stasi Gigolos und die Spionj�gerin von DeutschlandWhat Bernie Silver, author of Nathan in Spite of Himself, says about Red Romeo:
You've heard it all before but in Red Romeo's case it's true. The novel is fast-paced, suspenseful and features plenty of intrigue, to say nothing of intriguing characters. Plus it offers copious romance (though of a somewhat duplicitous nature). Suggestion: wear gloves so you don't bite your nails off. Also by Peter Bernhardt: The Stasi File―Opera and Espionage: A Deadly Combination (Diva Undaunted Book 1), 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Quarterfinalist
German Edition: Die Stasi-Akte―Oper und Spionage: Eine t�dliche Kombination (Diva Unverzagt Buch 2)Kiss of the Shaman's Daughter―Revolt, Lost Treasure, and Smugglers (Diva Undaunted Book 2)
German Edition: Kuss der Schamanentochter―Revolte, Verlorener Schatz und Schmuggler (Diva Unverzagt Buch 2)

491 pages, Paperback

First published November 7, 2015

About the author

As I approached my prime, I developed the powerful urge to write thrillers. My wife harbored the absurd suspicion midlife crisis had struck, because I was bound in those days to courtroom and desk at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. So my dream remained just that for a long time. As soon as I retired, though, we moved to Arizona and I took things in hand by enrolling in a workshop for wannabe authors. German is my native tongue, not English, and my experience as an author consisted of the publication of a couple of student papers and law journal articles, plus cranking out numberless legal pleadings and briefs. What was I thinking?

The workshop was a bust, but it did push me into tackling my first book, The Stasi File – Opera and Espionage: A Deadly Combination, in which, following the age-old advice to “write what you know,” I wove together the unlikely combination of a German upbringing, a lifelong love of opera and my experiences as an attorney. After a beginning that seemed to take forever, I was surprised when the challenge of creating characters and building a plot that was real and intriguing started to take over my waking hours, and a few sleeping ones too.

My skill and talent developed quickly, but there were many times they seemed almost superfluous--I was too busy holding on tight as my characters and their actions took over and went their own ways, leaving me to serve as their scribe and menial servant. What a journey!

The Stasi File was named a finalist for Book of the Year by the British-Arts-Council sponsored website www.youwriteon.com, and is ranked a bestseller by the site. The novel was a quarter finalist in the 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest. Reviews and reader comments on the book include “breathtaking roller coaster ride,” and “comparable to the books of Clancy, Ludlum and Follett.”

The sequel, Kiss of the Shaman's Daughter, pits The Stasi File protagonists, Sylvia and Rolf, against ruthless smugglers of Indian artifacts during Sylvia's engagement at the Santa Fe Opera, interweaving as subplot the story of thirteen-year old Indian girl, Teya, during the Pueblo Indian Revolt of 1680 that drove the Spanish from New Mexico.

The fierce cold-war espionage battle between East and West Germany inspired me to write my third novel, Red Romeo. The plot takes the reader inside the Stasi spymaster's ingenious method of unleashing his small army of spy gigolos on lonely women working in the West German government's most secret divisions.

Reviews

[Quirky Girl Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

** I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review. **

Sabine Maier, a West Germany government agent, has had her fair share of luck in catching STASI spies, but she has yet to make her biggest break. With her boss expecting more from her, she knows she has to step up and finally take down the STASI government that threatens the countries future. On the other side of the Berlin Wall, Stefan Malik has recently been "hired" by a STASI general to train as a "Romeo" - a spy groomed to seduce women that happen to have access to government secrets. Through the year 1977, we follow Sabine, Stefan, and a cast of characters who show the inside workings of the STASI Romeos and the spy hunters fighting to expose them.

When I say that I came into this novel with zero expectations, that is an understatement. Peter Bernhardt is an entirely new author to me, and while I love historical fiction, I had yet to read a story about this time period or area. Overall, I had a great time! The characters throughout the novel are unique and fully developed. Bernhardt proves his love of the opera as well as his fascination with German culture. The quick chapters, snappy dialogue, and sparks of romance kept me invested until the very end. Despite its length (clocking in at 496 pages!), this novel is written similar to what I would imagine a screenplay is written like - so it feels very fast. In fact, in the end, I wished that there was more!

There were two frustrations I found while reading Red Romeo. The first was the sheer number of perspectives. Honestly, Sabine and Stefan would have been plenty... One from either side makes sense, there was no need for the audience to hear from Heinrich, Monika, Horst, Helga, or Traude. My second frustration came from the occasional - very occasional - sexist and homophobic remarks made through the novel. I completely understand the time period and that people of the era were less accepting; however, the comments regarding a woman's weight, or level of attractiveness based on her size, were concerning. Additionally, the use of "the queers" or "the gays" used throughout was unnecessary.

All that said, Red Romeo was a great novel. I enjoyed my time spent in the world of 1977 Germany and would recommend it for lovers of historical fiction.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some years ago I read an autobiography by East German spymaster Markus Wolf entitled "Man Without A Face." In it he discloses the Stasi's use of gigolos who romanced vulnerable women with access to classified information on the other side. That was part of the inspiration for this novel, which I was given in exchange for my honest review. And honestly, I enjoyed it very much. Here's why: the plot is a different kind of spy story (I've read many.) The characters are mostly well developed and complex. What I particularly enjoyed was that you couldn't easily pigeonhole every character as a good guy or bad guy (some, yes, but not all.) Our protagonist, for example, is doing pretty deceitful work and you won't admire him for how cavalier he is with the feelings of the women he is "courting". Nonetheless you have this empathy for him and I found myself rooting for him after a short while despite his actions. I found the book very suspenseful at times and was not at all put off by its length, it was very fast paced with lots of shorter chapters (not always a good thing when I read before bed and promise myself just one more chapter, then another, then another!) I also really enjoyed the settings in Germany (the author was born in Stuttgart) and having visited Germany many times on business, but only after reunification, I was fascinated by the era (1970's) when there still was an East vs West. The contrast between the two was stark and that is evident in this novel. My only complaints are minor. The author uses a couple of expressions which he repeats throughout the book and sometimes the dialogue is a bit stilted. Also, there was one extraneous scene, a tennis match between two characters that went into detailed description of the rackets they used, how to improve backhands etc. I kept thinking "OK, this must play a part in some upcoming twist so I'd best pay attention so I'll understand how it plays into the story." I didn't need to. It doesn't. I think the author likes tennis and wanted to include it. What I do know is that he must love opera, and that plays a major role in the story, he skillfully weaves it in throughout the novel. I did get a bit confused as to which characters loved or disliked opera, towards the end it seemed like every character became big fans. Overall it's a good and very unusual thriller, oftentimes edge-of-your-seat quality. I'm glad I was introduced to Peter Bernhardt's work.

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of Red Romeo in exchange for an honest review. I knew it was a spy story and not much else. Since I am a fan of character driven plots, I wasn’t sure what to expect.
What a great surprise! This was very well written with an interesting premise that is based on actual events.
The story takes place in a post war divided Germany where intrigue and espionage between East and West rule the day.
At the onset, journalist Stefan Malik finds himself in an East German prison. He receives an offer he can’t refuse from Stasi General Werner Heinrich. Personal freedom can be bought by infiltrating West German intelligence by romancing lonely secretaries of key high ranking officials.
Action packed, with twists and turns, the plot evolves as a definite page turner. I stayed up into the night to see what would happen next. Characters are sharply portrayed and satisfied my need to clearly envision the story. What results is a suspenseful tale filled with interesting characters in a short chapter easy to read format. I highly recommend this book and give it four well deserved stars.

[Ashley Oates Stanfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

GREAT READ-THE COVER DOES NOT DO IT JUSTICE


*I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

East and West Germany are playing at a battle of wits to gain control. East Germany is employing Stasi romeos (sometimes by force) to prey on emotionally unattached women within West Germany’s governmental ranks. West Germany is trying to gather information to flush out the romeos and informants. Geographical, professional, and emotional lines are crossed. There is heartache, betrayal, lust, and love within the crossing of enemy lines.

Red Romeo has some intriguing twists and turns in plot and character timelines that make it hard to put down at some points. I enjoyed the unraveling of secrets that revealed informants as much as I enjoyed seeing romances grow.

The reason I gave this book 4 ⭐️ is because 4.5 is not available. My deduction of a star has nothing to do with the story itself, but the cover of the book. I personally never would have picked up this book thinking it was a raunchy romance novel. I feel like the cover should be going for more of a historical fiction vibe. This cover is misleading and a turn off but the novel itself is fantastic!

[Temple Dog · Rating 3 out of 5]

In full disclosure, I was skeptical of Peter Bernhardt’s Red Romeo. Don’t get me wrong, a novel about Stasi era Germany featuring a female West German agent on the hunt for a “Red” German Romeo who romances vulnerable German females who are strategically placed professionally to provide state secrets is so my jam, it wasn’t the genre, it was the cover. Yep, the cover. It featured a JCVDsque (look it up) lothario and a ginger haired slow-burn Bond-girl and not so subtly placed between these two was a red rose ala The Bachelor, cringe. Yes, I am a cover snob, and the cover did not bode well for the content on the other side.

Well, you know what they say about a book and its cover. I stand corrected, pleasantly so. Red Romeo features Sabine, the adept West German spy hunter on the heels of Stefan a moderately successful journalist who is conscripted into the East German Stasi Red Romeo program to use his JCVDsque attributes to schmooze unsuspecting West German women. They are coupled with a former agent turned cyber expert and a highly placed Western admin whose recent divorce makes her most vulnerable to the Romeo’s whiles.

But the most fascinating character is not even a sentient being, it is the Opera. Bernhardt has made Verdi, Wagner, and Puccini’s operas the central character and for anyone who loves those swooning divas and chivalrous heroes you will be utterly enthralled. It’s no coincidence he starts Don Giovanni and rounds out the repertoire with La Traviata. But I digress.

This is a novel heavy on intrigue, as each character works to thwart the other and all the while spiraling toward the inevitable conclusion, tragic love. It’s not original, but there are moments of genuine suspense. There were times that I was on the edge of my seat.

Bernhardt could have spared us about 100 pages, but despite his verbosity I was never bored.
It’s a novel about attractive people, the Cold War and how an appreciation for a rather pretentious yet awe inspiring art form can lead even a neophyte to love and heroic endeavors in the pursuit thereof.

TD recommends

P.S. In full disclosure, I was asked to review this book and as part of the asked the requestor was emphatic that I provide “…my fair and honest input” I have done so here. It’s a lovely book and I hope others will decide to enjoy it as I have.

[Bob Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, I received this from GR in exchange for a review.
I thought the book was entertaining. It's set in 1960's Germany when human spying between East Germany and West Germany was commonplace and escape over the Wall was a dream for most Easterners. There are two main characters, one a EG civilian who is coerced into service by the EG secert service, the other is a WG counter intelligence agent who is charged with identifying such agents. The book's title "Red Romeo" comes from EG's tactic of using male agents to romance WG clerical staff to obtain classified information.
In addition to the two main characters there are a number of supporting characters who Bernhardt adds to the mix. Family members, boyfriends and girl friends all add to the realism and intricacy of the plot. There are no black and white players in this story. As in most spy stories, you can be sure of ulterior motives of everybody.
Its easy to read, most chapters are less than five pages. Bernhardt handles the dialog well and the sex scenes with sensitivity. Bernhardt's love of opera is prominently on display. Several scenes occur during a performance and there's a lot of discussion about various operas. I'm not a opera fan, but I have to admit, I found it interesting. My only problem was I kept waiting for a bad event to happen to a character that would emphasize the danger the characters should have been feeling. The drama does come to a height at the end, but in the rest of the book I wasn't feeling it. Maybe too much Daniel Sliva in my previous readings.
I found it good enough that if I found another of Bernhardt's books, I'd consider it

[Amanda Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1977 the Berlin Wall was still over a decade from falling. East Germany and West Germany were still foes, and both countries' spy game was very active.

This is the story of one way the East Germans infiltrated the West Chancellery - through Romeos. Stefan Malik is an East German journalist who has been imprisoned because the government didn't like how he was doing his job. However, a Stasi general has offered Stefan a lifeline to get out of prison in exchange for culling state secrets out of lonely and vulnerable female Western government secretaries. Stefan's good looks makes him the perfect specimen for the Romeo division of the Stasi - lonely women will swoon.

On the Western side, a spy chaser named Sabine is working to hunt down Romeos and offer to help them defect in exchange for information. When she finally identifies Stefan as a Romeo, the game is on.

It took me a little bit to get into this story, but once I did I really enjoyed it. The only downfall was the misogynistic manner in which almost every female character was described, which I was really hoping was due to the nature of the Romeo organization. I was impressed at how well-written and edited this book was for being a self-publish.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Bill Keefe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book for free to review.

I know that 2-stars comes across as disliking a book but it means "it was ok," and that's what this book was, ok.

Red Romeo was literally the fastest read I've ever had. Just under 500 pages in an evening and the next morning. On the one hand, this is a positive; the author, Peter Bernhardt, has a good sense for plot. The book moves along, one thing leads to another, there are no detours and next thing you know, you're done. What the book lacks is any depth, at all. Every emotion is predictable and no action surprises. The characters seem almost cardboard. It may sound harsh but it wasn't entirely off-putting. The book is readable and the story, for the most part, credible.

The same is true of the setting. Mr. Bernhardt has done his research (and perhaps has lived and worked in Germany and Italy). I enjoyed his detailed treatment of the cities the characters inhabit, the streets and parks etc. This clarity adds to the believability of the story. But he doesn't manage to draw you into place, to make the location a character, to connect it events and people, and when he does attempt to do this, say, in Italy, it comes across as a bit of a cliché.

In short, if you picked this up in the airport on your way from NY to Tokyo, you wouldn't have spent a bad night reading. You just wouldn't rush out to buy the next one.

[Ed Bernard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a review copy of this book and felt I had to read it all the way to the end, but there were a lot of problems here (some good stuff too). It’s an espionage story, about a Stasi operation to extract information from lonely West German secretaries by seducing them (hence, Red Romeo), and the plot zings along nicely. The problem for me was the writing — it sometimes felt like a bad translation, clumsy at times, underwritten at others. That’s a harsh criticism for what is, after all, genre fiction, but it was enough of an issue for me that I found it distracting. Another problem was the author’s obsessions dominated the book in places — he obviously has a lot of interest in a) the geography of East Germany and b) opera, which is fine, but again, if these are not points of interest for you, he doesn’t provide enough insight or even description to get you as interested as he is. That’s not great. Again, the plot was sound and the characters, though thinly drawn, are interesting and easy to root for (or against, as the case may be). So there is the basis of a top shelf espionage thriller here — I just feel the author needs a few more writing chops or a more heartless editor to bring it home.

Grade: B-

[Christine Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Romantic Thriller?

So, for the pros:
-it is an easy read despite its length,
-most of the “good” characters are likable,
-the setting of East &West Germany is interesting,
-it ends satisfactorily so you don’t need to read the next one (which I am assuming he is planning based on the ending)

The cons:
-it is just far too long, there are so many unnecessary descriptions, for example, two characters playing tennis was so descriptive for no reason (and I’m a tennis player)
-the author despite having strong female leads consistently makes misogynistic comments that are so repelling to a female reader
-the Romeo disregards both women he is involved with when with the other, and though he ends with really wanting to be with Monika, he also comments that he can’t see himself waiting around for her call. What a jerk, and he has no real emotion for the woman he left behind who could be blamed for his escape.

By trying to make this both a thriller and a romance, the author did not do either very well. I would consider it a firm 3.5 though because I did read it relatively quickly despite the cons.

[Patty Lavalle · Rating 3 out of 5]

First let me say I am giving this book a 3.5 stars
Full disclosure I was sent this book to review. I had no expectations but was intrigued by the subject as I knew very little about 1970’s East versus West Germany spy history. I was intrigued by the use of Romeos in getting information by seducing high level single secretaries. I did learn a lot about this topic which I enjoyed. Also when the author decided to add opera as a “character,” I also learned a lot. I thought this was a positive addition. My rating is based on the fact I felt the story dragged a little too much in the middle and could have been shorter than the 486 pages. Also just a side note, I read the book versus a digital copy and when the book arrived I was very turned off by the cover. If I was at the bookstore or library I would not have picked it up. It looked a Harlequin romance novel.

[JZ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was gifted this book in return for a review.
While I did find this book unnecessarily long I did find aspects of it extremely compelling, especially as it includes a lot of historical details about a unique time period in Germany.
The preface of the novel, as it was described, sounds hokier than it is. While there are elements of that 70’s spy genre, the setting, both when and where, adds depth that makes this a novel that provokes consideration about the events, establishing a story that is not simple or formulaic.
I always appreciate learning about etas of history through narrative.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really a 3.5, which for me means- pretty good. I received this book free from the publisher in return for reading and reviewing.

This is a well written spy story of the two Germanies in 1977. The plot flowed easily, and I was caught up in it. While the characters were not especially well developed, the author created enough interest for the reader to care about their various fates. And to care about their romances!

Thanks to Katrina for sending.

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was initially hesitant to read this book as I was confused by the cover art and the title. Don’t judge a book by its cover is very apt this time. I l found the subject compelling, the escape scenes intense, and really rooted for several of the characters.

I think the author did a good job of researching the story as I am aware that the Stasi era was extremely brutal. I visited Berlin just a few years after the reunification and the contrast between East and West was shocking.

[Nancy Burton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought at first it might be difficult ..... since it was set in Germany with lots of German references, but I was quickly engaged. This is the first I have read that was set in the "Cold War" with the Berlin wall still in place. The plot was predictable, but possible.

[Sam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not my type of storyline. I only skimmed through this book. More of a 10 cent romantic style novel.

[Libby Fletcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was asked to review from GR. It was a page turner.
I enjoyed the story and the characters.

[Keith Bornmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good thriller, but…

I’m very impressed with this author. I’ve been reading about 5 books per month for several years and this one is probably the best written one so far. The author took their time with world building and character development. The plot was fantastic and I loved how it turned out in the end. I would love to read more by this author.

I was offered a free copy for an honest review. I’ll probably read it again, but this story about East Germany using spies to infiltrate West Germany through seduction included more sexual situations than I’m comfortable with. I wouldn’t be able to recommend it to my kids. I mean, the author wasn’t very descriptive there and it wouldn’t be considered erotic.

An innocent man finds himself in prison and offered an ultimatum; stay in prison to be abused by the inmates, or work as a spy seducing high level West German secretaries for secrets. He chooses the later. But West Germany suspects what’s going on and is hunting for spies like him.