Welcome to the Hotel Yalta: Six Stories of Cold War Noir

by Victoria Dougherty

An heiress who can’t seem to keep her legs closed. A Russian plan for dominating the space race. An assassin with a penchant for rich food and sadistic murder. When you’re alone in the cold, passion and betrayal are commodities and love hangs on by an icy thread. From the author of The Bone Church and Cold, comes a white knuckle tour de force of Cold War noir.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Ebooks, Short Stories, Noir, Espionage

114 pages, Paperback

First published June 4, 2016

About the author

Victoria Dougherty crafts stories that blur the lines between what was, what is, and what might be. Her Cold War thrillers—THE BONE CHURCH, THE HUNGARIAN, and WELCOME TO THE HOTEL YALTA—captivated readers with their breathtaking plots and genre-defying magic. Her epic historical fantasy series, including BREATH, OF SAND AND BONE, and SAVAGE ISLAND, proves she’s equally at home with spies and sorcery. Now, with her latest novel NIGHT OF THE MOON WITCH, she weaves Appalachian folklore into a haunting tale of memory, magic, and reclaiming one’s true power.

Her work has graced the pages of the New York Times, USA Today, and The International Herald Tribune, while her blog COLD earned recognition from WordPress as one of the Top 50 Recommended Blogs by writers.

An immigrant kid from the Chicago suburbs who grew up believing stories could reshape the world, Victoria writes for those who understand that the most powerful magic happens when yesterday’s secrets meet tomorrow’s possibilities. Her tales are invitations to wander through worlds where history whispers its hidden truths and every character carries the weight of their own mysterious journey.

When she’s not conjuring worlds that keep readers awake until dawn, she’s exploring the cultural threads that connect us all—one story at a time.

Reviews

[Charles van Buren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cold War noir describes it well

Review of Kindle edition
Publication date: July 4, 2016
Publisher: Wilderness Press
Language: English
ASIN: B01I0JLH0O
114 pages

These finely written stories by Victoria Doughtery introduce a number of seemingly unrelated characters who are actually connected via espionage, assassinations, organized crime or some combination of those. The world of spies and serious criminals is actually a fairly small place. Most of the action takes place behind the iron curtain and in Greece. There is a sequel, THE HUNGARIAN, which may answer some or all of the unresolved questions left at the end of this short collection of stories. This is very well written by an author who has a great command of English and the ability to write believable suspense and action scenes which held my interest throughout. Unlike many other modern authors, she also knows the difference between a smile and a smirk. Only one smirk makes an appearance. How refreshing. Her very literate mailing list is also refreshing.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first read of anything written by Victoria Dougherty and I will return to this author without doubt based on these short stories that losely overlap and have at their heart a bodycount of agents and associates caught up in Cold War espionage.
Great writing, full of life, interactions, flirting, eating and drinking, sex and death.
Set in 1956 the stories are set in a time of confusion, changing loyalties and deep tension. Spycraft attracted the young, the bold, the sadist and the faithful. It paid well, had its compensations, allowed more freedom and gave colour in an otherwise monochrome world.
I enjoyed the mystery in these six stories all of which are left open-ended. Where they seem to merge with another stories nothing really fully comes into focus. The sense of whose side anyone was on at any given time is also blurred. Family, friends and lovers are no guarantees for survival although a strange credit card sized token seems to be of some significance nothing is concluded; each story seems to require another few pages at least to make sense in a conventional way.
Here perhaps is the beauty of this offering, set at a time when things were unclear, roles less defined. No neat ending seems to some it all up; bodies can be set aside a new story made up.
The other thing that works is that you will want to return to this work again and try to tease out some more secrets and learn some truth previously overlooked.
I can never get my head around the loss of life in the Soviet Union due to War, Revolution, War and Purges under Stalin but the backstory here of 'The Great Detective' and his revised view of success is both telling and chilling.

[Christoph Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Welcome to the Hotel Yalta" comprises of six marvellous short stories, all set in the dubious twilight world of cold war espionage, world and sexual politics, personal ambitions, ideology and human behaviour. You will love the characters and hate them at the same time, smile at things you don't want to smile about, and root for those you shouldn't. While it takes the best of espionage thrillers and suspense novel traditions, it adds flair, ambience and a certain 'je ne sais quoi". You'd be tempted to live with these people, such is the strength of Dougherty's seductive skills.
The writing is evocative and hypnotising at times, I found it hard to put the book down. The characters are well drawn and written with a combination of attachment and sarcasm. Who is good, who is laughable, who is a hero and who has a heart at all?
Dougherty has a great use of language, journalistic at times with fast pace and precision, while never losing sight of the beauty literary prose has to offer.
An incredibly talented writer and six truly magnificent stories. If you like Noir, you'll love this. If you don't liek Noir, you might be converted after reading this.

[T.W. Dittmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each story in the collection held my interest, kept me involved and reading.

The characters are vivid, the plot lines solid throughout the entire collection. There is well portrayed action and scheming, driven by dark motivation.

Victoria Dougherty's talent as a writer is very evident here, but her grasp of the cold war era mentality is what struck me the hardest.

[Ira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating. I read a ton of spy novels/thrillers and love the genre. But I would say that this collection of stories is more genre adjacent. Or perhaps, maybe I'd compare it to Tana French writing mystery. The plot and action is there, but the more important (and thrilling) part is the setting, the tone, the introspection of the characters and the style of the writing.

It is a collection of interesting character pieces set in Cold War Europe, each a well written and interesting slice of writing and character examination (varying from lush to sparse depending on the style the author slips on for the story, all a neat fit) that just so happens to intersect with some of the tropes of the genre (casual violence, tradecraft, femme fatales). But the casual sex (present or past) is filled with longing and the spy-bits just happen to be the jobs the characters are playing at as we visit their thoughts during this moment of their lives.

While I'm interested in some level to see how all the intersections play out and if the MacGuffin means anything, it really is besides the point. I'm perfectly pleased with these little character pieces on a standalone basis.

[Ronald Keeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome to the Hotel Yalta by Victoria Dougherty is a collection of “six stories of cold war noir.” (Kindle Location 1). The novel was published in 2016 and is dedicated to: “For those who love the cold,” and has a quote establishing the tenor of the collected stories. “Death is the solution to all problems. No man—no problem.” —Joseph Stalin. (location 13).

In the heyday of the Soviet Union, an entrenched espionage bureaucracy had several elements that competed. They did it up close and personal with casualties. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, all semblance of rules that the varied organizations had paid lip service to went into free fall. Things resembled what one can see in films about California gang warfare, but with more torture and casualties. The six stories below are intricate and complex illustrations of realistic incidents. Could similar events have happened? Readers will decide. We have seen incidents of mysterious poisonings in Europe, overt radium poisoning, and an attack in an airport involving multiple applications to the face of chemical cloths. Readers won’t see the connection between the offered stories right away, but there is a connecting thread appearing in all stories.

The Hotel Yalta ***** There have been many foreigners who believed the fiction of a Socialist Worker’s Paradise that existed not only in Russia but throughout the USSR. There have been many residents of the “Paradise” who didn’t believe in the myth at all. It was more politic for members of the latter group to pretend feelings of patriotism. There were times when members of each group saw an advantage in exploiting the weaknesses of members of the other group. This is a story of what happens when opponents meet.

A Legacy Or A Residue ***** This tale is one of mostly reluctant spies. But willing, reluctant, full-time, or part-time, the reality is frequently more brutal than incidents seen on film or read about.

Stepping On The Throat Of His Own Song ***** A life spent ascending the ladders of success in the world of espionage will surely be rewarded. That is the thought that keeps bureaucrats working hard at parceling out secrets to politically significant people. It is good not to make mistakes or choose friends unwisely. The rewards take on the appearance of consequences, as in this story.

The Hungarian’s Kiss ***** Beryx was a very talented spy. He was certainly better than some of his bumbling employees who he was forced to “retire.” But there was always someone who managed to surprise him. This time it was Adonia.

The Great Detective ***** The Great Detective, Semyonov, knew that even his best interrogation techniques would not work with Beryx Gulyas, a Hungarian with many years of espionage experience. It was better to let him escape. As Gulyas gained confidence, Semyonov would spring his surprise. Comrade General would be pleased.

The Perfect Man ***** This is a story about the perfect man for a job. It is a story of planned revenge. Who says revenge must always be served cold?

This collection of terrifying spy stories is a five-star Amazon read. I followed links in the book to the author's blog, where there is a wealth of impressive reading. I will read more by this author.

[John Dolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am convinced that, were it biologically and chronologically possible, Victoria Dougherty would be the love child of John le Carre and Quentin Tarantino. 'Welcome to the Hotel Yalta' is a collection of loosely-associated stories depicting the ruthless scramble for life and status among the espionage community. It is a world punctuated with unsentimental, casual sex and equally casual violence. It is, in other words, gripping stuff. Dougherty's characters have a hard centre, and are unflinching in matters of survival and vengeance. The narrative switches between Prague, Monemvasia, Moscow, Brasov and Athens - all locations within the Russian orbit, and where the Kremlin casts a long shadow. Horror erupts at a moment's notice. Paranoia abounds.You can almost taste the smoked lard and palinca brandy. Read and relish.

[Netanella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six interconnected stories of Cold War espionage are the heart of this excellent collection by new-to-me author Victoria Dougherty. I was impressed by the crisp writing style and the way the different character POVs drew me in to their perspectives. There's blood, sex and tears, spies and double agents, mistresses, gigolos and masseurs, assassins and arms dealers. And of course, Soviet hotels. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more historical fiction by this author.

[Reg Shell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victoria Dougherty has written a fascinating book. The characters that visit the Hotel Yalta are international and exciting. The six stories are all excellent. I loved how they interconnected. Great historical fiction of the cold war era.

[R Z · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining. I like how the stories entwined together by the end. I wouldn't have minded if it were longer, actually, with some more of the connections thrown in. It was an interesting world.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't typically read short stories, I find most too short with not enough detail to engage me. This book, however, was 6 short stories in one book, and they intertwined. Characters overlapped stories and it was all came back to Russia.

[Hunter Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was free on Amazon this summer and I snagged a copy. I absolutely love Ms. Dougherty's style. Writing the book in various stories caught my attention and I found that to be wildly imaginative. Well done and a must read.

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slick, brutal, vivid spy stories that will capture the reader and not let go. Victoria Dougherty is a phenomenal writer and her tales will leave you breathless.

[Hawaiian Monk · Rating 1 out of 5]

I rarely give a one-star rating (not only on Goodreads), but it's really hard to find any reason to give more than one star to this book. How it even got published is beyond me. It's not enough to throw in a killing and call a story "noir," nor is it enough to choose a random Eastern Bloc country and pick a year between 1945 and 1989 as a setting and say that it is a Cold War setting. I'm not sure that this prose can even be classified as "stories." We have random killings of spies, and that's it. No other particular motives, no great atmosphere, no characters that actually look and act like human beings. Everything is bland and shallow. The writing is lazy, and I'm not even being harsh here.

As someone who knows a lot about the Cold War (my major at university had a lot to do with it) and was born and raised in one of the countries behind the Iron Curtain (and I was born before the fall of the Iron Curtain), I can tell you that this is a very bad and lazy representation of the Cold War atmosphere. Since this isn't the author's first work, the disappointment is even bigger.

Don't waste your time with this; find something better to read. There are so many great books about Cold War era set in the countries of Eastern Bloc. Do your research and read something that's actually worth reading.

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning: This book contains graphic adult content, violence, which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive or have potential adverse psychological effects on the reader.

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.

A very awesome book cover, & great font/writing style. 6 very well written cold war stories book. They were all very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great cold war movies, or better yet a mini TV series. A very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free Instafreebie; Wilderness Press; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons (Washburn)

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welcome to the Hotel Yalta - a review by Rosemary Kenny

A classic Cold War spy-thriller in the style of John le Carre, Welcome to the Hotel Yalta is a terrific modern-day narrative, (with a hero as debonair yet mysterious as Matt Damon's Jason Bourne or Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt in the Mission Impossible films) by Spy-mistress Supreme, Victoria Dougherty.

Anti-hero Pasha Tarkhan is travelling by train from Yugoslavia to Moscow with his 'mistress' Brandy, at the start of the adventure and soon displays his heartlessness by brutally slaying her soon after they've had sex, when she accidentally discovers the microfilm he'd concealed in an aspirin bottle. Passing the 'clean-up' to a confederate on the train, Tarkhan continues his mission. Meeting his safe-house contact and later his next carrier the next day is only the beginning of a do-or-(don't care if you)-die, story like The Spy Who Came in from the Cold et al, with double-crosses and death at every turn. A sudden ending is the only let-down of an overall winner in the modern spy story genre...more please!

[Sid Stark · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Welcome to the Hotel Yalta" is a collection of six interrelated short stories about Cold War-era spies, gangsters, and other unsavory types of uncertain loyalty.

While the brevity of the stories perforce means that there's not a huge amount of space for character development, the individual characters are all clearly delineated, and there's plenty of local color to delight Cold War buffs: one character spits out curses in Hungarian, another recites Mayakovsky to himself, and so on. The stories are high-action and atmospheric, if full of the kind of Cold War cliches that Westerners delight in. Readers are unlikely to get much in-depth insight into the mindset of actual Soviet citizens, but they'll get plenty of fun Soviet memorabilia and a nice frisson of Cold War chills. The stories are all short and easy to read, so it's a good choice for something to dip into over a lunch break or on the bus.

[Pepca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was exactly what the title said, six interconnected short-stories of espionage and murder set in Cold War era and spanning the territory from Greece to Moscow: bizarre, grotesque, and invoking a kind of 'non-nostalgia' - as you really have no wish for the repeat of the era the feel of which that Dougherty brings to life is all too familiar.

Somewhat open-ended, but with enough of a hint that one can guess the culmination of the events and their final resolution, Welcome to the Hotel Yalta was a 'nice' change from my recent reads but not really unusual for my tastes and reminded me that I do enjoy good historical fiction.

[Colin Rochford · Rating 2 out of 5]

Welcome to The Hotel Yalta: Six Stories of Cold War Noir by Victoria Dougherty.
Didn't manage to read all of these stories. It was very poorly written in my opinion. Many passages failing to make any sense at all. The six stories were supposed to loosely fit together, but the looseness was so loose that it lost me completely.

In many cases the grammar was poor and sentence structure abysmal.
Even self publishing writers should have their work edited by an independent person. That way errors and mistakes of this kind would be avoided.

The ideas might've been good if the expression of them was better. I would have read more.

[Peter Earle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I seldom read short stories and stupidly didn’t realise that WELCOME TO THE HOTEL YALTA was one such when I snatched it off Instafreebie without really reading the blurb, but liking the cover artwork.
No regrets, though; I read the six loosely interwoven Cold War-set espionage tales without pause. I liked the un-jarring style and the brilliant descriptions of the mostly sleazy characters with confusing motives, killings and liaisons. See the complete review on www.bookpostmortem.wordpress.com

[Jay Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six somewhat interconnected stories that lay bare the cold bones of the cold war period. From the sun-kissed beaches of Greece to the frosty squares of Moscow, human types display the features of their trades. Each vignette is an exercise in imagery that quickly drags the reader into the time and place, then slaps the reader with the evils of the people. A most enjoyable trip to the 60s.

[JT CAREY · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is perfect for a short commute (bus, train, car) or break. Its quirky stories have just enough gore to make each of them intriguing. The writing is easy to read and the storyline endings have enough twist to surprise you. The author certainly captures the ambience of another time in these spy stories. It's well worth the read.

[Sharon Phelps · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the interconnected stories but really wish that there was a way to tell when one ends. I found myself trying to scroll when it wouldn't scroll. The stories are set in various European settings including Moscow. Plan to read more from this author even though this isn't my favorite genre of books.

[Jose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each short story is gripping and interesting in its own. After a couple of then I realised that they were related and told a wider story. Great craftsmanship. Which one of her books continues the thread of the story?.

[Hope Gerhardstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of 6 short stories that interconnect with each other and involve sex, espionage and murder by assassins. Well developed characters. I like this author's stories and look forward to reading her next one.

[Debby Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hard story to follow

The story lines are very disjointed and hard to follow. Multiple characters in different locations that barely connect before the chapter ends.
Would not read additional books or recommend.

[Vaughn Hayden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written short stories

This book consists of six short stories by Victoria Daugherty. The stories are well written and interesting but some are at the very least R rated and a little to gruesome for my taste.

[Cornel Diaconu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just about every story has some sort of abrupt ending, as if it may continue ... to the next one ?
Not exactly, despite some character names are common between them

[Mailmanr5 · Rating 3 out of 5]

6 short stories with a connection that could be expanded to novel length. Not gripping in any way. No humor or sarcasm. Mediocre.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Espionage and revenge are front and center in Victoria Dougherty’s Welcome to the Hotel Yalta: Six Stories of Cold War Noir with Russian plans for the space race, an arms dealer’s daughter working covertly for the CIA to keep her father out of trouble with the government, and a skilled assassin with a taste for the finer things in life providing the moving pieces of a larger tale.

To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.

An entertaining piece of historical fiction that explores the darker, grittier, and occasionally gruesome side of the espionage and covert dealings occurring during the Cold War while also offering brief moments of lightness with some flirting. The different snippets of the narrative from a variety of characters’ perspectives could relatively easily stand on their own but they were meant to intertwine as the loosely connected pieces were slowly brought together to depict a broader scenario that involved them all to some degree. These stories may be more gripping if they were expanded upon, allowing the connections between characters to develop more deeply and build out more fully the overlapping portions for smoother transitions and a more complete feeling, and connected, story.