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Chasing The Winter's Wind
Retired CIA officer Stanley Wisniewski is being hunted across Europe by his former agency. Jack Trellis, the CIA Deputy Director, wants Stanley silenced permanently, fearing the knowledge Stanley has of his own corruption. Trellis has called upon Diane "The Huntress" Sterling, Stanley's former protege, to lead the search for aging spy. Unknown to Diane, whose orders are to capture Stanley alive, Trellis has added Special Ops Agent Carlyle to the team to kill Stanley once Diane has found him. Stanley is driven by his love for Agnieszka. She lost her father to the Soviets at the Massacre of Katyn in 1940. When Stanley first recruited her to work for the CIA in the late 1970's, she agreed in hopes of ending the USSR's strangling dominance over her beloved country of Poland. Together with her son, working in the shipyards of Gdansk, they form the link from the Solidarity Trade Union to the CIA. "Chasing The Winter's Wind" takes the reader through a suspenseful and deadly chase across modern Europe, while weaving in the story of Poland's role in ending Communism through the inspired and determined rise of Solidarity. The final victory of Poland over Communism comes at a personal cost for Stanley Wisniewski, who carries with him the secrets of Trellis corruption.
440 pages, Hardcover
Published September 16, 2017
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About the author
David Trawinski
18 books9 followersDavid Trawinski retired after 35 years at the end of 2015. Since then, he has enjoyed combining his love for storytelling, travel and history into the publishing of his four historical novels.
The first three of these are known collectively as The Chopin Trilogy.
"The Willow's Bend" was published in 2016, and tells the story of Stanley Wisniewski, a retired CIA officer. Stanley is brought out of retirement to solve the mysterious death of an executive found drowned in the canals of Amsterdam. During the investigation. Stanley has flashbacks to the story his father told him of surviving Auschwitz concentration camp and war-ravaged Poland during World War II. The two stories intertwine in a dramatic climax in the streets of Warsaw.
"Chasing The Winter's Wind" is both a sequel and prequel to "The Willow's Bend". Stanley is now being pursued across Europe by the CIA. Stanley's backstory of setting up his network in communist Poland is explained, as is his past partnership with his CIA assigned pursuer - Diane "The Huntress" Sterling.
Trawinski's third book, "War of the Nocturne's Widow" finishes this trilogy. Diane Sterling is missing, and the CIA assumes she is being provided shelter by Britain's Secret Service - MI6. A war between the two agencies is brewing.
As the plot unfolds, the past story of Stanley being drawn into Project Osiris is revealed. Stanley's path entangles with the repressive Stasi East German secret police, and its collapse during the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989.
Trawinski's book "Ever Blooms The Rose", co=authored with his wife Marie, is a historical fiction set in a small north Georgia town at the end of the Civil War. Two Confederate Soldiers return wounded from the Battle of Chickamauga after having survived most of the war. Once friends, they soon become pitted against each other over two women - Deekie, the town's girl orphaned by the war, and Ever, the innocent niece of a corrupt Irish Carpetbagger. Its sequel is the Novel "Guns of The Yellow Rose", the husband and wife team's first foray into the Western Genre.
Trawinksi has also authored a WWI/WWI sage in the two volume "The Twins of Narvik".
The multi-novel series "The Life of Marek Zaczek" will eventually span the period of 1772-1831, including the complete Napoleonic War era.
The first three of these are known collectively as The Chopin Trilogy.
"The Willow's Bend" was published in 2016, and tells the story of Stanley Wisniewski, a retired CIA officer. Stanley is brought out of retirement to solve the mysterious death of an executive found drowned in the canals of Amsterdam. During the investigation. Stanley has flashbacks to the story his father told him of surviving Auschwitz concentration camp and war-ravaged Poland during World War II. The two stories intertwine in a dramatic climax in the streets of Warsaw.
"Chasing The Winter's Wind" is both a sequel and prequel to "The Willow's Bend". Stanley is now being pursued across Europe by the CIA. Stanley's backstory of setting up his network in communist Poland is explained, as is his past partnership with his CIA assigned pursuer - Diane "The Huntress" Sterling.
Trawinski's third book, "War of the Nocturne's Widow" finishes this trilogy. Diane Sterling is missing, and the CIA assumes she is being provided shelter by Britain's Secret Service - MI6. A war between the two agencies is brewing.
As the plot unfolds, the past story of Stanley being drawn into Project Osiris is revealed. Stanley's path entangles with the repressive Stasi East German secret police, and its collapse during the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989.
Trawinski's book "Ever Blooms The Rose", co=authored with his wife Marie, is a historical fiction set in a small north Georgia town at the end of the Civil War. Two Confederate Soldiers return wounded from the Battle of Chickamauga after having survived most of the war. Once friends, they soon become pitted against each other over two women - Deekie, the town's girl orphaned by the war, and Ever, the innocent niece of a corrupt Irish Carpetbagger. Its sequel is the Novel "Guns of The Yellow Rose", the husband and wife team's first foray into the Western Genre.
Trawinksi has also authored a WWI/WWI sage in the two volume "The Twins of Narvik".
The multi-novel series "The Life of Marek Zaczek" will eventually span the period of 1772-1831, including the complete Napoleonic War era.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 13, 2019
Chasing the Winter's Wind is David Trawinski's second edition in the Chopin Trilogy. Stanley Wisniewski, the ex-CIA protagonist from The Willow's Bend, returns to find himself hunted by both international police and by the CIA he once served. Stanley leads his pursuers on a chase through eastern and southern Europe, utilizing the spy-craft of his [ast calling. Complicating things further, there are two factions within the CIA, one wanting justice while the other has murderous intent.
We are introduced to Diane Sterling, nicknamed "the Huntress". She is a former colleague of Stanley's, now hunting him. She feels torn by sympathy for him, but is committed to performing her duty. In many ways, this is her story as well as Stanley's.
There is a backstory about Stanley's work in Poland, providing support to the Solidarity Union during the tumultuous '80s. His two leading sources of information from that period play a large part in Stanley's life. His commitment towards them is part of the motivations for his actions during his flight.
Trawinski draws the reader into this secret world with believable characters and insight about covert activities. His characters are flawed, making mistakes with major consequences along the way, something rarely found in spy novels that typically showcase the protagonists special talents and techniques.. I greatly enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to reading the third installment of the trilogy, War of the Nocturne's Widow.
We are introduced to Diane Sterling, nicknamed "the Huntress". She is a former colleague of Stanley's, now hunting him. She feels torn by sympathy for him, but is committed to performing her duty. In many ways, this is her story as well as Stanley's.
There is a backstory about Stanley's work in Poland, providing support to the Solidarity Union during the tumultuous '80s. His two leading sources of information from that period play a large part in Stanley's life. His commitment towards them is part of the motivations for his actions during his flight.
Trawinski draws the reader into this secret world with believable characters and insight about covert activities. His characters are flawed, making mistakes with major consequences along the way, something rarely found in spy novels that typically showcase the protagonists special talents and techniques.. I greatly enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to reading the third installment of the trilogy, War of the Nocturne's Widow.
September 7, 2024
This is an author's review. Rating is based on current Amazon review of 4.6 stars. This is the second book of my "Chopin Trilogy". It is preceded by "The Willow's Bend" and succeeded by "The War of the Nocturne's Widow". I hope you'll enjoy!
Stanley Wisniewski is being pursued by his protégé, Diane Stirling, known throughout the CIA as the Huntress. Diane is hunting this man who taught her her profession, with only the intention of bringing him to justice. However, she is unaware that the hierarchy of the CIA has anterior motives in pursuing Stanley. in fact, they have placed a sniper on her team with the intent of silencing Stanley forever once Diane locates him.
During the novel, the backstory of Stanley setting up his network in Poland during the Cold War is told. he makes the tragic mistake of falling in love with one of his most critical agents the beautiful Agniewska. Stanley is pursued across nearly all of Europe, with the climatic ending taking place in Paris’ Pere LaChaise Cemetery.
Stanley Wisniewski is being pursued by his protégé, Diane Stirling, known throughout the CIA as the Huntress. Diane is hunting this man who taught her her profession, with only the intention of bringing him to justice. However, she is unaware that the hierarchy of the CIA has anterior motives in pursuing Stanley. in fact, they have placed a sniper on her team with the intent of silencing Stanley forever once Diane locates him.
During the novel, the backstory of Stanley setting up his network in Poland during the Cold War is told. he makes the tragic mistake of falling in love with one of his most critical agents the beautiful Agniewska. Stanley is pursued across nearly all of Europe, with the climatic ending taking place in Paris’ Pere LaChaise Cemetery.
April 18, 2020
I really enjoyed this cat and mouse adventure between Stanley and “The Huntress”. Good story with intermix of historical info. And I can only wish I can move as good as Stanley when I’m his age.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews