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Safe Houses
In this gripping new work of suspense from the author of The Double Game, a young woman discovers a nefarious truth at the heart of the CIA's operations in postwar Berlin and goes on the run for her life; years later she's gruesomely murdered along with her husband, and her daughter begins to chase down these startling secrets from her past.
West Berlin, 1979. Helen Abell oversees the CIA's network of safe houses, rare havens for field agents and case officers amidst the dangerous milieu of a city in the grips of the Cold War. Helen's world is upended when, during her routine inspection of an agency property, she overhears a meeting between two people unfamiliar to her speaking a coded language that hints at shadowy realities far beyond her comprehension. Before the day is out, she witnesses a second unauthorized encounter, one that will place her in the sight lines of the most ruthless and powerful man at the agency. Her attempts to expose the dark truths about what she has witnessed will bring about repercussions that reach across decades and continents into the present day, when, in a farm town in Maryland, a young man is arrested for the double murder of his parents, and his sister takes it upon herself to find out why he did it.
West Berlin, 1979. Helen Abell oversees the CIA's network of safe houses, rare havens for field agents and case officers amidst the dangerous milieu of a city in the grips of the Cold War. Helen's world is upended when, during her routine inspection of an agency property, she overhears a meeting between two people unfamiliar to her speaking a coded language that hints at shadowy realities far beyond her comprehension. Before the day is out, she witnesses a second unauthorized encounter, one that will place her in the sight lines of the most ruthless and powerful man at the agency. Her attempts to expose the dark truths about what she has witnessed will bring about repercussions that reach across decades and continents into the present day, when, in a farm town in Maryland, a young man is arrested for the double murder of his parents, and his sister takes it upon herself to find out why he did it.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 3, 2018
491 people are currently reading
3638 people want to read
About the author
Dan Fesperman
19 books418 followersDan Fesperman’s travels as a writer have taken him to thirty countries and three war zones. Lie in the Dark won the Crime Writers’ Association of Britain’s John Creasey Memorial Dagger Award for best first crime novel, The Small Boat of Great Sorrows won their Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award for best thriller, and The Prisoner of Guantánamo won the Dashiell Hammett Award from the International Association of Crime Writers. He lives in Baltimore.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 330 reviews
March 10, 2021
Safe Houses?!? More like DANGER HOUSES!!
*ahem*
It’s 1979 in West Berlin and Helen Abell is an aspiring CIA agent. However, thanks to sexism she has been relegated to managing the agency’s safe houses in the city rather than doing any field work. Determined to prove herself, Helen is going the extra mile by checking out one of the houses after hours when she accidently overhears two incidents. One is just strange, but the other is criminal. Helen soon finds both her career and her life at risk, and she finds herself using her spy training against her own people to save herself and expose the truth. The repercussions of what happens in Germany in 1979 are felt in a small town in Maryland 35 years later with a brutal double murder, and a confused young woman seeking answers with the help of an investigator who has his own secrets.
This was a freebie I picked up Bouchercon back in the Before Times, and it’d been sitting in the To-Read pile ever since. I’m glad that I finally picked it up because the story that mixes some Cold War era espionage stuff along with the tone of a modern crime thriller with some conspiracy theory vibes was familiar enough to be comforting, but different enough to keep me guessing.
I particularly liked what the author did with Helen by making her feel fully fleshed out as bright and ambitious, but also extremely pragmatic and often frustrated with her situation. She makes for a great lead in the 1979 portion of the book.
It’s a satisfying mix of the spy and crime genres, and the investigation portion has plenty of good twists and turns as well although I can’t say much because of spoilers. Overall, it's a solid page turner that kept me engaged the entire time.
*ahem*
It’s 1979 in West Berlin and Helen Abell is an aspiring CIA agent. However, thanks to sexism she has been relegated to managing the agency’s safe houses in the city rather than doing any field work. Determined to prove herself, Helen is going the extra mile by checking out one of the houses after hours when she accidently overhears two incidents. One is just strange, but the other is criminal. Helen soon finds both her career and her life at risk, and she finds herself using her spy training against her own people to save herself and expose the truth. The repercussions of what happens in Germany in 1979 are felt in a small town in Maryland 35 years later with a brutal double murder, and a confused young woman seeking answers with the help of an investigator who has his own secrets.
This was a freebie I picked up Bouchercon back in the Before Times, and it’d been sitting in the To-Read pile ever since. I’m glad that I finally picked it up because the story that mixes some Cold War era espionage stuff along with the tone of a modern crime thriller with some conspiracy theory vibes was familiar enough to be comforting, but different enough to keep me guessing.
I particularly liked what the author did with Helen by making her feel fully fleshed out as bright and ambitious, but also extremely pragmatic and often frustrated with her situation. She makes for a great lead in the 1979 portion of the book.
It’s a satisfying mix of the spy and crime genres, and the investigation portion has plenty of good twists and turns as well although I can’t say much because of spoilers. Overall, it's a solid page turner that kept me engaged the entire time.
June 19, 2018
3.5 stars
I was actually surprised how much I enjoyed this book given I don't typically read very many CIA based thrillers. Now I can't say how realistic it was but it definitely held my interest from start to finish. The action goes back and forth between 1970s Berlin with Helen Abell who oversees the safe houses for CIA agents and 2014 when she along with her husband are murdered on their farm in Maryland and their daughter is desperate for answers.
What I found fascinating was given the time period of the 1970s and the "good ol' boy" type culture of the CIA, the book was able to explore a bit the unique challenges a female would have faced back then. Helen was an appealing character because she was just this ordinary woman but with this crazy, secretive job. The only real criticism I have of the book was there were a few instances in which I got that "why did the character do that?" type feeling. It's my pet peeve in thrillers when I think even I'm not that stupid to do what the character did. Overall though it was a good thriller and I definitely recommend.
I won a free copy of this book from the publisher but was under no obligation to post a review. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
I was actually surprised how much I enjoyed this book given I don't typically read very many CIA based thrillers. Now I can't say how realistic it was but it definitely held my interest from start to finish. The action goes back and forth between 1970s Berlin with Helen Abell who oversees the safe houses for CIA agents and 2014 when she along with her husband are murdered on their farm in Maryland and their daughter is desperate for answers.
What I found fascinating was given the time period of the 1970s and the "good ol' boy" type culture of the CIA, the book was able to explore a bit the unique challenges a female would have faced back then. Helen was an appealing character because she was just this ordinary woman but with this crazy, secretive job. The only real criticism I have of the book was there were a few instances in which I got that "why did the character do that?" type feeling. It's my pet peeve in thrillers when I think even I'm not that stupid to do what the character did. Overall though it was a good thriller and I definitely recommend.
I won a free copy of this book from the publisher but was under no obligation to post a review. All views expressed are my honest opinion.
August 8, 2019
Every once in a while, I love picking up a spy thriller, and Safe Houses was a great one and my first by this author.
In West Berlin in the late 1970s, Helen Abell is in charge of the CIA’s safe houses, where field agents live while the Cold War carries on.
One day, she’s inspecting one of the homes and overhears two people speaking in code, and she believes it must be sinister. The same day, something else out of the ordinary happens. Helen wants to bring the truth to light, but doing so puts her in grave danger.
Somehow what Helen has witnessed is connected to a present day young man who murders his parents and the sister who takes up finding out why.
Safe Houses is written in two timelines. The first is Helen’s timeline and the second in the present day. The two narratives then intersect, and I enjoyed both equally. I found the premise of the plot fascinating, and the pacing was strong. The time period in Berlin with the wall still in place was compelling.
Overall, Safe Houses delivered an entertaining spy thriller with an excellent sense of time and place and plenty of intrigue.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
In West Berlin in the late 1970s, Helen Abell is in charge of the CIA’s safe houses, where field agents live while the Cold War carries on.
One day, she’s inspecting one of the homes and overhears two people speaking in code, and she believes it must be sinister. The same day, something else out of the ordinary happens. Helen wants to bring the truth to light, but doing so puts her in grave danger.
Somehow what Helen has witnessed is connected to a present day young man who murders his parents and the sister who takes up finding out why.
Safe Houses is written in two timelines. The first is Helen’s timeline and the second in the present day. The two narratives then intersect, and I enjoyed both equally. I found the premise of the plot fascinating, and the pacing was strong. The time period in Berlin with the wall still in place was compelling.
Overall, Safe Houses delivered an entertaining spy thriller with an excellent sense of time and place and plenty of intrigue.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
September 23, 2018
This is my first espionage thriller story that I’ve read. I was gripped by it but found it slightly too long and I did get confused with all the agent names and code names!!
Set in 2 timelines, Berlin in 1979 where Helen looks after the safe houses. She finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time when she overhears a conversation that will put her life in danger.
In 2014 Helen and her husband are murdered, her daughter Anna strives to find out what her mother had been involved in all those years ago, bringing danger to her door.
This book is full of action and nail biting tension.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Set in 2 timelines, Berlin in 1979 where Helen looks after the safe houses. She finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time when she overhears a conversation that will put her life in danger.
In 2014 Helen and her husband are murdered, her daughter Anna strives to find out what her mother had been involved in all those years ago, bringing danger to her door.
This book is full of action and nail biting tension.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
May 20, 2018
Safe Houses is an enjoyable dual timeline story that delves into the CIA’s operations in Berlin during the later years of the Cold War. In 1979, Helen Abell oversees the safe houses that the CIA maintains in Berlin. One night she accidentally overhears a strange conversation in one of the houses and then subsequently stumbles into another dangerous encounter. Abell decides to expose those responsible which leads to a decades long vendetta that has severe consequences in 2014 when a son is arrested for the double murder of his parents. As the story progresses, the two tales slowly intersect and weave into a powerful conclusion.
My favorite part of the story was the description of Berlin in 1979. The wall is still in place, but much of the United States’ focus has shifted to the Middle East and the tensions in Iran. Fesperman effectively conveys the tension still present in bifurcated Berlin, but also the sense that the worst has passed there.
Safe Houses was an engaging and entertaining read.
My favorite part of the story was the description of Berlin in 1979. The wall is still in place, but much of the United States’ focus has shifted to the Middle East and the tensions in Iran. Fesperman effectively conveys the tension still present in bifurcated Berlin, but also the sense that the worst has passed there.
Safe Houses was an engaging and entertaining read.
December 18, 2018
Hey, I think I said in my last review when I mentioned I was reading this next that I chose it as presumed it was a psychological thriller and liked the cover.....well it wasn’t!
Safe House is about safe houses back in 1979 Berlin and a CIA spy working there, Helen, who is in charge of 4 of these houses....she inadvertently witnesses 2 things in one of the houses which she cannot ‘unsee’ and her integrity then catches up with her in 2014 when her and her husband are shot dead by their son!....enter Anna the daughter, who like her Mother wont let things lie and feels there is ‘more to it’ and delves into her Mum’s secretive and fascinating past
The book switches from 1979 and what happened to Helen and 2014 and Anna’s quest and both are equally mesmerising in detail, plot, reader involvement and enjoyment and mystery
I loved it! It is such a different book for me and have never really been interested in ‘spy’ stories before but it had me engrossed in sub plot after sub plot and the characters I 100% believed in
The descriptions of Berlin post cold war were so well written at times I felt I was there and the then completely different writing needed to take you seamlessly to rural America 2014 clever and ( after an initial ‘settling in to the Americanisms and use of language) equally brilliant
The detail is superb, the research needed commendable and at the end when it is explained parts of the book are based on true depts and ‘happenings’ I was even more thrilled
A truly one of a kind read where I feel I have lived the book and as well as real enjoyment learnt something
I will 100% look for this authors previous books and I know its a clique but trying something different ( even inadvertently ) is recommended
10/10 5 Stars
December 13, 2018
I'm a big fan of thrillers based around espionage, and this is a fantastic example. With its dual timeline and tastefully drawn main characters, this is a novel full of tension and intrigue. The prose flows effortlessly from one page to the next and makes it very easy to get lost in the story, and before you know it it's over. It explores themes from the Cold War past but also features issues prevalent within today's modern society. The contrast between light and dark, bad and good is expertly managed and creates a balanced book that is compulsively readable and a thrilling experience.
Fesperman ratcheted up the tense atmosphere for the duration of the book, and this culminates in a satisfying conclusion. I appreciated that clues were dropped throughout the story and as I love to puzzle things out this massively appealed to me, but I still got it wrong! That's the sign of a first-class thriller to me. If you enjoy spy novels then this definitely worth your time, and I will be checking out more of Fesperman's books as this really hit the mark.
Many thanks to Head of Zeus for an ARC.
Fesperman ratcheted up the tense atmosphere for the duration of the book, and this culminates in a satisfying conclusion. I appreciated that clues were dropped throughout the story and as I love to puzzle things out this massively appealed to me, but I still got it wrong! That's the sign of a first-class thriller to me. If you enjoy spy novels then this definitely worth your time, and I will be checking out more of Fesperman's books as this really hit the mark.
Many thanks to Head of Zeus for an ARC.
July 3, 2018
As much as I love thrillers the sub genre of espionage thrillers is not one that I read very often, but the premise of Safe Houses captured my attention immediately. I’m a sucker for old mysteries colliding with current happenings and the two timelines here ended up coming together in a powerful and intense way.
This begins in 1979 in Berlin and follows Helen, a woman who organizes safe houses. What I found most interesting about this portion was the portrayal of powerful men during this era and the manner in which they can choose to abuse said power, it read as very accurate and authentic and was an interesting piece of history that engaged me. Helen was a strong woman in her own right, the kind of character that I respected and admired, and a bit daring for her time. The 2014 timeline begins after Helen and her husband are murdered as her daughter strives to find answers never realizing how long ago decisions impacted Helen’s life thirty five years later.
I won’t dive any further into the details of the story as there were several great turns, but I was very impressed by the execution of the plot twists as well as the writing of Fesperman, it was of a high caliber and very polished. Recommended for those who want a different type of thriller and love a strong female lead, lots of action and intensity and a plot that held my attention throughout.
Safe Houses in three words: Gripping, Tense and Smart.
This begins in 1979 in Berlin and follows Helen, a woman who organizes safe houses. What I found most interesting about this portion was the portrayal of powerful men during this era and the manner in which they can choose to abuse said power, it read as very accurate and authentic and was an interesting piece of history that engaged me. Helen was a strong woman in her own right, the kind of character that I respected and admired, and a bit daring for her time. The 2014 timeline begins after Helen and her husband are murdered as her daughter strives to find answers never realizing how long ago decisions impacted Helen’s life thirty five years later.
I won’t dive any further into the details of the story as there were several great turns, but I was very impressed by the execution of the plot twists as well as the writing of Fesperman, it was of a high caliber and very polished. Recommended for those who want a different type of thriller and love a strong female lead, lots of action and intensity and a plot that held my attention throughout.
Safe Houses in three words: Gripping, Tense and Smart.
September 23, 2018
This is my first espionage thriller story that I’ve read. I was gripped by it but found it slightly too long and I did get confused with all the agent names and code names!!
Set in 2 timelines, Berlin in 1979 where Helen looks after the safe houses. She finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time when she overhears a conversation that will put her life in danger.
In 2014 Helen and her husband are murdered, her daughter Anna strives to find out what her mother had been involved in all those years ago, bringing danger to her door.
This book is full of action and nail biting tension.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Set in 2 timelines, Berlin in 1979 where Helen looks after the safe houses. She finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time when she overhears a conversation that will put her life in danger.
In 2014 Helen and her husband are murdered, her daughter Anna strives to find out what her mother had been involved in all those years ago, bringing danger to her door.
This book is full of action and nail biting tension.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
June 20, 2021
I enjoyed this espionage thriller featuring female agents and feel that the action in this book warrants cinematic treatment. Berlin 1970's and Maryland's Eastern Shore 2014 are the two timeframes that couch the story of what brought about the brutal killing of a woman and her husband on a remote farm in a quiet community.
The characters are complex and interesting and the intelligence community does not win any prizes for its treatment of young women.
Very well written book, the first I have read by this author...will look for more.
(Memory Loss Again...I read this author's The Letter Writer back in 2018 and liked it.)
The characters are complex and interesting and the intelligence community does not win any prizes for its treatment of young women.
Very well written book, the first I have read by this author...will look for more.
(Memory Loss Again...I read this author's The Letter Writer back in 2018 and liked it.)
October 21, 2018
2.5
Story really never got going, very little suspense. Allowing for the primary setting being Berlin in 1979.
Story really never got going, very little suspense. Allowing for the primary setting being Berlin in 1979.
January 10, 2019
A gripping thriller which begins in late 1970s Berlin, where a young female CIA officer, Helen Abell, is responsible for managing the CIA's four safe houses in the city. One evening as she checks out one of the apartments, she is intrigued to overhear two men talking in code in the room below. These men were not authorised to use this safe house and Helen wonders who they are and exactly what they're talking about. Later that night, in the same building, she witnesses a sexual assault being committed by a high ranking agent, Kevin Gilley. A week later, Gilley's assault victim is murdered. Helen tries to report him to her bosses, but Gilley turns out to be a very well connected man at the CIA, someone who does a lot of the agency's dirty work. When she investigates on her own, Helen realises she can trust no-one as she is suddenly treated like a leper by her colleagues. She learns that Gilley has committed other sexual assaults and that other victims ended up dead soon after his attacks. But before she can discover more evidence, her CIA career is ended abruptly.
Fast forward to 2014 and the horrific murder of a couple as they lie asleep in their bed in a small town in Maryland, USA. Police believe that they were killed by their son, Willard and he is arrested and held in jail. His mother's name is Helen Abell Shoat.
The couple’s daughter, Anna, who knows nothing about her mother’s past, doesn’t believe her brother could have killed his parents and hires a local man, Henry Mettick, to investigate as a sort of "private eye", having discovered that he had previously done work for the US Department of Justice. But Mettick is not quite what he seems.
As the action switches between late 1970's Europe still in the grip of the Cold War and present day small town America, Anna gradually learns the truth about her mother's background and a possible reason as to why she was murdered. It transpires that despite losing her job, her mother stayed in contact with other CIA female operatives who also knew of Gilley's crimes against young women. All have tried to bring Gilley to account, but the male-dominated agency has closed ranks.
Dan Fesperman's handful of main characters are beautifully drawn and the dialogue flows effortlessly, heightening the suspense throughout. This is a top notch thriller which confronts both issues from the past and others taken straight from today's news headlines.
My thanks to the publisher Head of Zeus and NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.
Fast forward to 2014 and the horrific murder of a couple as they lie asleep in their bed in a small town in Maryland, USA. Police believe that they were killed by their son, Willard and he is arrested and held in jail. His mother's name is Helen Abell Shoat.
The couple’s daughter, Anna, who knows nothing about her mother’s past, doesn’t believe her brother could have killed his parents and hires a local man, Henry Mettick, to investigate as a sort of "private eye", having discovered that he had previously done work for the US Department of Justice. But Mettick is not quite what he seems.
As the action switches between late 1970's Europe still in the grip of the Cold War and present day small town America, Anna gradually learns the truth about her mother's background and a possible reason as to why she was murdered. It transpires that despite losing her job, her mother stayed in contact with other CIA female operatives who also knew of Gilley's crimes against young women. All have tried to bring Gilley to account, but the male-dominated agency has closed ranks.
Dan Fesperman's handful of main characters are beautifully drawn and the dialogue flows effortlessly, heightening the suspense throughout. This is a top notch thriller which confronts both issues from the past and others taken straight from today's news headlines.
My thanks to the publisher Head of Zeus and NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.
July 2, 2018
Thank you so much Knopf for providing my free copy of SAFE HOUSES by Dan Fesperman - all opinions are my own.
This espionage thriller is told in dual timelines, alternating between 1979 and 2014. It starts off in postwar Berlin, where Helen Abell oversees safe houses for the CIA Network. One night she enters one of the houses and inadvertently stumbles across something horrible and has the tapes to prove it. Fast forward thirty five years to 2014 where there is an arrest for a double murder. Helen and her husband are tragically killed at their farm in Maryland and their daughter is looking for answers. These two compelling storylines eventually intersect and lead to one incredible ending.
Fesperman’s writing is top-notch and I am impressed with how well he seamlessly switched back and forth between the two timelines. The plot is original and I love Helen as a character. The male dominated time period seemed spot on for a woman working for the CIA in the 1970s and I especially enjoyed those chapters within the historical backdrop of Berlin. Switching perspectives between Helen in the seventies, and her daughter Anna looking for answers to her mother’s murder in 2014, made this a true page-turner. Another aspect I loved are the clever female characters and how they persevere through a male dominated field. I haven’t read many spy thrillers, but Fesperman’s style has convinced me to read more. I’m afraid they have a lot to live up to.
This espionage thriller is told in dual timelines, alternating between 1979 and 2014. It starts off in postwar Berlin, where Helen Abell oversees safe houses for the CIA Network. One night she enters one of the houses and inadvertently stumbles across something horrible and has the tapes to prove it. Fast forward thirty five years to 2014 where there is an arrest for a double murder. Helen and her husband are tragically killed at their farm in Maryland and their daughter is looking for answers. These two compelling storylines eventually intersect and lead to one incredible ending.
Fesperman’s writing is top-notch and I am impressed with how well he seamlessly switched back and forth between the two timelines. The plot is original and I love Helen as a character. The male dominated time period seemed spot on for a woman working for the CIA in the 1970s and I especially enjoyed those chapters within the historical backdrop of Berlin. Switching perspectives between Helen in the seventies, and her daughter Anna looking for answers to her mother’s murder in 2014, made this a true page-turner. Another aspect I loved are the clever female characters and how they persevere through a male dominated field. I haven’t read many spy thrillers, but Fesperman’s style has convinced me to read more. I’m afraid they have a lot to live up to.
July 10, 2018
SAFE HOUSES by Dan Fesperman is a thrilling espionage mystery novel that alternates between 1979 Berline and present time Maryland. Going into this one, I knew I was in for something menacing and unlike anything I've ever read. I was 100% correct. As this was my first novel that kind of dipped its toes in the whole spy/espionage genre, I was intrigued and heavily surprised with how Fesperman was able to not only transport me into such unfamiliar territory, but also guide me so efficiently along this journey I was totally unprepared for.
I have to say, going into this one I was a little weary on the whole espionage plot line as I have never read anything like this before. Fesperman guides his reader with ease and did a fantastic job of adding in details and characters that your fan of this genre will completely understand, but doesn't go too heavily into this genre for fans that are new to this experience. I also loved how the present day timeline was more of a mystery and kind of broke up the espionage plot that could get a little heavy at times. His writing is fluid, detailed, and tightly constructed. I really admired the way that Fesperman not only built these two fantastic plots, but the way that he blended them together was seamless and gorgeous in its prose.
While I'm unsure if this genre is something I will get into further down the line, it was a great break from the average thriller and mysteries that I am used to reading. The espionage plot was easier to get than I expected, the family dynamic and blend of the stories together was nothing short of spectacular writing, and the female characters were two women that I will consider to not only be badass, but exceptionally written. I really enjoyed this novel and the reading experience it provided me and would highly recommend this novel for someone looking to step out of their comfort zone or for the readers that enjoy this genre alike.
Special thanks to Alfred Knopf for providing me with this copy in exchange for my honest review.
I have to say, going into this one I was a little weary on the whole espionage plot line as I have never read anything like this before. Fesperman guides his reader with ease and did a fantastic job of adding in details and characters that your fan of this genre will completely understand, but doesn't go too heavily into this genre for fans that are new to this experience. I also loved how the present day timeline was more of a mystery and kind of broke up the espionage plot that could get a little heavy at times. His writing is fluid, detailed, and tightly constructed. I really admired the way that Fesperman not only built these two fantastic plots, but the way that he blended them together was seamless and gorgeous in its prose.
While I'm unsure if this genre is something I will get into further down the line, it was a great break from the average thriller and mysteries that I am used to reading. The espionage plot was easier to get than I expected, the family dynamic and blend of the stories together was nothing short of spectacular writing, and the female characters were two women that I will consider to not only be badass, but exceptionally written. I really enjoyed this novel and the reading experience it provided me and would highly recommend this novel for someone looking to step out of their comfort zone or for the readers that enjoy this genre alike.
Special thanks to Alfred Knopf for providing me with this copy in exchange for my honest review.
July 5, 2018
This was a fantastic spy thriller that I really enjoyed. The story is told in two parts one based in cold war Berlin and one in 2014. The Cold War has always held a lot of intrigue for me, not least because my dad was posted to Germany when the wall was still present. The tension is created naturally in this timeline as the there is a general feeling of mistrust and fear amoung the residents.
My favourite character was Helen who is the only women in an all male team. She’s struggling to do her job properly or get noticed. Her boss I very sexist and doesn’t believe woman are capable of doing agent work, an opinion that is echoed by a lot of her colleagues. I really admired her determination to try to make a difference and make the best of the situation. I did also feel sorry for her as the lack of confidence her colleagues had in her must have been hard to handle.
This was quite a fast paced book for me and I really enjoyed watching the story unravel. I was pleased that Helen decided to try and solve the case and really wanted her to succeed. I kept reading, turning the pages faster and faster as the mystery was solved.
This is the first book by this author I have read and I really look forward to reading more from him in the future. If you like fast paced crime thrillers that have a bit of a classic feel to them you’ll like this book.
Huge thanks to Abby and Knoff publishers for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for inviting me onto the blog tour.
My favourite character was Helen who is the only women in an all male team. She’s struggling to do her job properly or get noticed. Her boss I very sexist and doesn’t believe woman are capable of doing agent work, an opinion that is echoed by a lot of her colleagues. I really admired her determination to try to make a difference and make the best of the situation. I did also feel sorry for her as the lack of confidence her colleagues had in her must have been hard to handle.
This was quite a fast paced book for me and I really enjoyed watching the story unravel. I was pleased that Helen decided to try and solve the case and really wanted her to succeed. I kept reading, turning the pages faster and faster as the mystery was solved.
This is the first book by this author I have read and I really look forward to reading more from him in the future. If you like fast paced crime thrillers that have a bit of a classic feel to them you’ll like this book.
Huge thanks to Abby and Knoff publishers for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for inviting me onto the blog tour.
September 17, 2021
Frustrating book. Author's heart is in the right place and to be fair, the second half of the book is an improvement on the first half, but so little of what happens has any basic plausibility. The main character consistently behaves like a SJW in public/delicate situations -- this character is also a spy who seldom appears to realize that secrecy is a component of her job. She blows people's covers, blurts random facts out to company whose motives she can't vet, etc. In effect it's a spy novel in which one of the characters is wearing a sign reading I AM A SPY throughout most of the action. In that sense the whole thing is a little pat. Kirkus should not have given this a star, even though it did rally at the end.
I would bet almost anything this was not the author's fault (dang copyeditors -- I am one), but Tempelhof Airport is spelled wrong every time it is mentioned, and (this one is the author's fault) West German apartments did not benefit from microwave ovens in 1979. There are a few other things like that too.
I would bet almost anything this was not the author's fault (dang copyeditors -- I am one), but Tempelhof Airport is spelled wrong every time it is mentioned, and (this one is the author's fault) West German apartments did not benefit from microwave ovens in 1979. There are a few other things like that too.
June 17, 2018
Safe Houses is a terrific espionage thriller that is part espionage story from a divided Cold War Berlin in 1979 where everyone is on edge, isolated, nervous, ready for action, and a more modern-day murder mystery. Fesperman does an excellent job of tying together these two threads and the shadowy characters and lethal black ops agents at work. The focus is on what powerful people can get away with, particularly with vulnerable female agents who have nowhere to turn to. And what gets swept under the carpet only to re-emerge decades
Later. Not really a bang-bang shoot-em-up secret agent story for the most part, but nevertheless very very compelling. The focus on strong female leads and women's workplace issues may prove particularly appealing to women. Many thanks to Penguin Publishing for providing a copy for review.
Later. Not really a bang-bang shoot-em-up secret agent story for the most part, but nevertheless very very compelling. The focus on strong female leads and women's workplace issues may prove particularly appealing to women. Many thanks to Penguin Publishing for providing a copy for review.
May 9, 2019
I hate reviews with spoilers so you won't read any here. All you'll get is my humble opinion about the quality of this novel.
This is was my first Dan Fesperman novel, but I declare it a must-read. I love a story where the author has done his/her research. Mr. Fesperman did his research and delivered a beautifully developed storyline and engaging characters. The plot twists were well thought out. The author managed to make a novel with dual storylines, past and present, easy to navigate for the reader. Helen and her daughter Anna were both outstanding leading ladies. I was chosen to read an advance copy of this book as part of Penguin's First to Read program. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.
This is was my first Dan Fesperman novel, but I declare it a must-read. I love a story where the author has done his/her research. Mr. Fesperman did his research and delivered a beautifully developed storyline and engaging characters. The plot twists were well thought out. The author managed to make a novel with dual storylines, past and present, easy to navigate for the reader. Helen and her daughter Anna were both outstanding leading ladies. I was chosen to read an advance copy of this book as part of Penguin's First to Read program. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.
September 16, 2018
Dan Fesperman can tell a good story, and in "Safe Houses," he tells two, so it's a nice bargain. Plus, he manages to connect his tale of late-70's Cold War treachery with his a narrative about a developmentally disabled young man who murders his parents in a fairly plausible manner. And as an espionage geek, I've always loved the idea of "safe houses," tastefully furnished and well-stocked hideouts for spies on the back streets of European capitals, so their thematic use gratifies my fetish. Does all that make "Safe Houses" a great thriller, though? Eccchhh . . . can't say that it does. Mr. Fesperman is far better at devising Byzantine plots than he is at creating believable characters, plus, his tendency to stop every few chapters for a plot recap feels a bit like he doesn't trust the reader to keep up with the action. So he can approximate the style but not the substance of great spy or crime fiction. Riveted as I was by the story about a low-level CIA operative fighting to expose a murderous serial-rapist spook, there wasn't a single page when I didn't think "damn, I wish John le Carré was writing this." And intrigued as I was by the shocking parricide on Maryland's Eastern Shore, there wasn't a single page when I didn't think "damn, but John Hart could make a masterpiece out of this." So "Safe Houses" is an exciting story, written smoothly but not expertly, perfectly satisfying if you're looking for a decent thriller but kind of disappointing if you're looking for a thriller that transcends genre.
February 7, 2019
If you think this is a spy story with the depth or preciseness of spy craft of LeCarre you will be disappointed. This is barely a spy story. It is actually a story about women working in or on behalf of the CIA in the 1970s who are being sexually abused by one spy who can't be fired by his superiors because of the nature of his work. The story involves the mother who was in the CIA and became aware, reported and was totally frustrated and punished for her reporting of the conduct. The story also involves her later born daughter who seeks out the answer to why her mother was murdered recently because she just appears to be a quiet farmers wife. There are so many contradictions in this story I dont know where to begin. The mother was supposedly a smart child who learned early how to read adults and not give away that she can do this. Yet she does give away her impressions over and over again when it is to her detriment to do so. She is supposed to be completely in control of her emotions and have had spy training that made her tough and able to spot those trailing her. Yet in the story, she is unaware of being followed and becomes emotional over and over again. The entire book is like that. so if someone tells you this is in the class of Soldier Sailer Tinker Spy or The NIght Manager by LeCarre, they are misleading you. It was an ok book to pass the time but it does not rank among the well crafted spy stories I have read. IT is barely a spy story at all.
September 30, 2021
Relentlessly paced espionage thriller set in 1979 Berlin and 2014 Maryland/DC, with strong sense of time and place, especially in Berlin. Labyrinthine plot with tendrils from the past still threatening in 2014; issues--especially in light of Me Too; Suspenseful with characters on the run and in danger in both time lines; clever, entertaining, compelling; intelligent, polished spy thriller with smart dialog; cinematic, action-packed, riveting; edgy; involving, well-drawn, memorable characters.
My only disappointment is that the author reads this himself and he does himself no favors. In the hands of a skilled narrator, it would be an excellent audiobook.
My only disappointment is that the author reads this himself and he does himself no favors. In the hands of a skilled narrator, it would be an excellent audiobook.
July 29, 2018
Dan Fesperman's 'Safe Houses' is easily one of the best spy novels of the year, beautifully written with a compelling story, great characters, and a satisfying ending with a nice twist. If you're a fan of the genre, you'll love this book!
July 4, 2018
“Safe Houses” by Dan Fesperman is a captivating, intense and intriguing novel. The Genres for this novel are Mystery, Suspense, Thriller and Fiction. The timelines for the story starts is West Berlin in 1974, and through different narration, continues to the present. The story takes place in many countries.
The author describes the characters as complicated and conflicted. Some are courageous, and some are calculating. There is a trace of a theme of good and evil. There is corruption, betrayals, twists and turns and adventure.
Helen Abell’s job in 1979 in West Berlin, is to oversee the CIA Safe Houses that field agents go to. One evening, when Helen is in one of the safe houses, two unexpected people arrive and have a conversation in code. Helen is hiding, but is secretly taping this. Another night Helen is witness to something else she shouldn’t see, or hear. Helen also has a tape of this, and now finds that she is in danger, and learns to escape and seek the information she needs and wants that has put her in this position.Little does Helen know that those tapes she has with her will be extremely significant for years to come.
Thirty years later, Helen and her husband are murdered by their disabled son. Her daughter comes back to finalize arrangements, and wants to seek the truth. There are deep secrets and Helen’s past causes great danger to her daughter.
I recommend this novel to those readers that enjoy a face-paced novel packed full of suspense. Happy Reading !!!
The author describes the characters as complicated and conflicted. Some are courageous, and some are calculating. There is a trace of a theme of good and evil. There is corruption, betrayals, twists and turns and adventure.
Helen Abell’s job in 1979 in West Berlin, is to oversee the CIA Safe Houses that field agents go to. One evening, when Helen is in one of the safe houses, two unexpected people arrive and have a conversation in code. Helen is hiding, but is secretly taping this. Another night Helen is witness to something else she shouldn’t see, or hear. Helen also has a tape of this, and now finds that she is in danger, and learns to escape and seek the information she needs and wants that has put her in this position.Little does Helen know that those tapes she has with her will be extremely significant for years to come.
Thirty years later, Helen and her husband are murdered by their disabled son. Her daughter comes back to finalize arrangements, and wants to seek the truth. There are deep secrets and Helen’s past causes great danger to her daughter.
I recommend this novel to those readers that enjoy a face-paced novel packed full of suspense. Happy Reading !!!
July 27, 2018
I heard the author speak about the book, Safe Houses on an NPR interview and knew I had to read it. It was an intriguing espionage thriller that is told in dual time periods, alternating between Cold War Berlin in 1979 and a modern-day 2014 murder mystery.
Helen Abell oversees the safe houses that are maintained by the CIA in Berlin. While doing an inspection one night, she accidentally overhears a strange coded conversation in one of the houses and a dangerous encounter at a later time. She attempts to expose the dark truths but a powerful man in the agency is out to stop her. We see the sexist culture of the CIA and secrecy and attempts at cover up in this male dominated culture. Helen and a few strong women emerge and form a sisterhood to protect each other and plan on exposing the corruption.
Years later in 2014, Helen Abell’s daughter becomes involved in trying to find the answer to the mystery of the double murder of her parents on a Maryland farm. With the help of an investigator they dig deep to expose the mystery surrounding her mother during the Cold War and the mystery of her murder. The two stories interconnect and interact in a powerful conclusion.
I found the dual timeline and the espionage plot mixed with a modern day murder captivating reading. I really enjoyed this fast reading thriller novel.
Helen Abell oversees the safe houses that are maintained by the CIA in Berlin. While doing an inspection one night, she accidentally overhears a strange coded conversation in one of the houses and a dangerous encounter at a later time. She attempts to expose the dark truths but a powerful man in the agency is out to stop her. We see the sexist culture of the CIA and secrecy and attempts at cover up in this male dominated culture. Helen and a few strong women emerge and form a sisterhood to protect each other and plan on exposing the corruption.
Years later in 2014, Helen Abell’s daughter becomes involved in trying to find the answer to the mystery of the double murder of her parents on a Maryland farm. With the help of an investigator they dig deep to expose the mystery surrounding her mother during the Cold War and the mystery of her murder. The two stories interconnect and interact in a powerful conclusion.
I found the dual timeline and the espionage plot mixed with a modern day murder captivating reading. I really enjoyed this fast reading thriller novel.
August 13, 2020
This book oh my, I am so glad I had the chance to read it. I picked it up from the library just because was intrigued by its cover. The story takes place in West Berlin, 1979, Helen Abell supervises the network of safe houses the CIA has for field agents and case officers amidst the treacherous milieu of a city in the grips of the Cold War. One day, Helen's world is changed when during her routine inspection of an agency property she listens to a gathering between two people, unknown to her speaking in a coded language that hints at dim truths far surpassing her understanding. This is not the weird event she experiences before the day is over she witnesses a second unofficial meeting, this one will position her in the sightlines of the evilest and influential man at the agency. Helen as always been a woman who tries to do the right thing, she can't stop thinking about what happened, so now she wants to expose what she saw even if its a dark truth and can endanger her life. It is a book I enjoyed reading, because of the action, intrigues that is present throughout the whole story. Not only the story takes place during 1979 but also in actual times. I like Helen's professionalism and determination to do her duty, it is admirable and brave. It is the first book I read from this author, I definitely recommend this amazing thriller.
July 2, 2018
Full review to follow on tour date - 7/2
August 15, 2022
It’s been a few years since I have read a Dan Fesperman novel which is an obvious oversight since I greatly enjoyed his previous works LIE IN THE DARK, THE PRISONER OF GUANTANAMO, and THE WARLORD’S SON. All novels met expectations for crIt’s been a few years since I have read a Dan Fesperman novel which is an obvious oversight since I greatly enjoyed his previous works LIE IN THE DARK, THE PRISONER OF GUANTANAMO, and THE WARLORD’S SON. All novels met expectations for creativity and Fesperman’s ability to create realistic scenarios that maintain historical relevance is one of his many strengths. Therefore, his work was an obvious choice for my current read, SAFE HOUSES which did not disappoint.
In true Fesperman fashion, SAFE HOUSES is a complex novel that develops a multi-faceted plot involving a number of characters that are difficult to sort out. The main character, Helen Abell pursues a life that is a dichotomy. In the late 1970s she was employed by the CIA in West Berlin in charge of maintaining and operating four safe houses for agents and the German sources they handled. After overhearing a classified conversation and witnessing a rape by an important CIA operative Abell finds herself in a compromised position. She decides to report the assault on the German source, but her station chief, Ladd Herrington, a rather misogynistic pompous individual wants no part of any investigation and would like nothing better than to get rid of her.
Fesperman deftly flips the script as he turns to 2014 and Maryland’s eastern shore in developing a second plot line as Helen Abell and her husband are murdered. The police and public believe the murderer is their son Willard Shoat, a psychologically disturbed young man. Willard’s sister, Anna, cannot believe he has the capacity to engage in such violence and in seeking answers hires Henry Mattick, a private investigator who in the past held positions in the White House, Congress, and the Justice Department. Mattick is an interesting character as he also working for an operative named “Mitch” who wants him to keep on top of the events surrounding the murder and making sure that Willard is found guilty. The problem that surrounds the murder is that while Abell was in the CIA from 1977 to 1979 where she made an enemy out of Kevin Gilley, a CIA agent who resented her in the past and always wanted to remove her as an obstacle to his career.
Fesperman carefully manipulates his dual plot as the reader wonders how events in 1979 are related to the 2014 murder. As the link is established, suspense dominates as Gilley, the high priest of the CIA’s darkest arts operated by his own rules with a propensity to go rogue and had a history of attacking women with no consequences because of the male dominated structure of the CIA. Fesperman is a master at throwing out a series of hints to guide the reader, but then will shift the focus of the novel to a new path which is totally surprising.
The novel is an ode to persistence and hunting down a rapist and possible murderer while you are being hunted yourself. The story revolves around “the sisterhood” made up of Abell, Clair Saylor, a clerk at Paris station, and Audra Vollmer who will support Abell and assist her in challenging the misogynistic way in which the CIA operated risking their careers and their lives to bring about justice for the many women who have been violated. The key for Anna and Mattick is to unravel the life and career of Helen Abell and determine what really occurred in West Berlin and why she and her husband are eliminated thirty-five years later.
A series of important characters dominate the story. Apart from Abell is her lover and mentor in West Berlin, Clark Baucom, an aging CIA type who tries to control Helen and one wonders whose side he is really on. Kevin Gilley, code named “Robert” lives by his own rules and is difficult to control. Anna, in her early thirties had left the family years before, but she wanted to save her brother and learn her mother’s true history. Henry Mattick, an operator in his own right, falls for Anna, but can he be trusted. Larry Hilliard, an archivist at the National Archives who guides Abell in trying to understand “the Pond,” a clandestine intelligence organization spun off from the CIA. The members of the “sisterhood” within the CIA, a group made up of Claire Saylor who supported Abell and helped her conduct her clandestine mission, Audra Vollmer who turns out to be deeply involved with “the Pond,” which was supposed to be disbanded in 1955 and was not, and of course Helen Abell. Other characters appear with important roles and all point to Fesperman’s inventiveness and imagination in fitting the novel together as assassinations of politicians, intelligence assets and others have been arranged or carried out by Gilley in 1979, 1998, 2000, and possibly 2014.
Fesperman’s “Safe Houses” have a number of implications. The houses are designed for agents to meet in private and carry out their missions, but the houses contain hidden listening devices and traps for female agents. Helen Abell is the key to the story, and it is fascinating how she evolves from an employee who lacks confidence in herself to one who refuses to be cowed by the CIA leadership infrastructure. “Safe Houses” is an amazing thriller both on the international and domestic scene, particularly the #MeToo slant. After reading SAFE HOUSES, Fesperman’s latest novel, WINTER WORK is now near the top of my pile of books on my night table!
eativity and Fesperman’s ability to create realistic scenarios that maintain historical relevance is one of his many strengths. Therefore, his work was an obvious choice for my current read, SAFE HOUSES which did not disappoint.
In true Fesperman fashion, SAFE HOUSES is a complex novel that develops a multi-faceted plot involving a number of characters that are difficult to sort out. The main character, Helen Abell pursues a life that is a dichotomy. In the late 1970s she was employed by the CIA in West Berlin in charge of maintaining and operating four safe houses for agents and the German sources they handled. After overhearing a classified conversation and witnessing a rape by an important CIA operative Abell finds herself in a compromised position. She decides to report the assault on the German source, but her station chief, Ladd Herrington, a rather misogynistic pompous individual wants no part of any investigation and would like nothing better than to get rid of her.
Fesperman deftly flips the script as he turns to 2014 and Maryland’s eastern shore in developing a second plot line as Helen Abell and her husband are murdered. The police and public believe the murderer is their son Willard Shoat, a psychologically disturbed young man. Willard’s sister, Anna, cannot believe he has the capacity to engage in such violence and in seeking answers hires Henry Mattick, a private investigator who in the past held positions in the White House, Congress, and the Justice Department. Mattick is an interesting character as he also working for an operative named “Mitch” who wants him to keep on top of the events surrounding the murder and making sure that Willard is found guilty. The problem that surrounds the murder is that while Abell was in the CIA from 1977 to 1979 where she made an enemy out of Kevin Gilley, a CIA agent who resented her in the past and always wanted to remove her as an obstacle to his career.
Fesperman carefully manipulates his dual plot as the reader wonders how events in 1979 are related to the 2014 murder. As the link is established, suspense dominates as Gilley, the high priest of the CIA’s darkest arts operated by his own rules with a propensity to go rogue and had a history of attacking women with no consequences because of the male dominated structure of the CIA. Fesperman is a master at throwing out a series of hints to guide the reader, but then will shift the focus of the novel to a new path which is totally surprising.
The novel is an ode to persistence and hunting down a rapist and possible murderer while you are being hunted yourself. The story revolves around “the sisterhood” made up of Abell, Clair Saylor, a clerk at Paris station, and Audra Vollmer who will support Abell and assist her in challenging the misogynistic way in which the CIA operated risking their careers and their lives to bring about justice for the many women who have been violated. The key for Anna and Mattick is to unravel the life and career of Helen Abell and determine what really occurred in West Berlin and why she and her husband are eliminated thirty-five years later.
A series of important characters dominate the story. Apart from Abell is her lover and mentor in West Berlin, Clark Baucom, an aging CIA type who tries to control Helen and one wonders whose side he is really on. Kevin Gilley, code named “Robert” lives by his own rules and is difficult to control. Anna, in her early thirties had left the family years before, but she wanted to save her brother and learn her mother’s true history. Henry Mattick, an operator in his own right, falls for Anna, but can he be trusted. Larry Hilliard, an archivist at the National Archives who guides Abell in trying to understand “the Pond,” a clandestine intelligence organization spun off from the CIA. The members of the “sisterhood” within the CIA, a group made up of Claire Saylor who supported Abell and helped her conduct her clandestine mission, Audra Vollmer who turns out to be deeply involved with “the Pond,” which was supposed to be disbanded in 1955 and was not, and of course Helen Abell. Other characters appear with important roles and all point to Fesperman’s inventiveness and imagination in fitting the novel together as assassinations of politicians, intelligence assets and others have been arranged or carried out by Gilley in 1979, 1998, 2000, and possibly 2014.
Fesperman’s “Safe Houses” have a number of implications. The houses are designed for agents to meet in private and carry out their missions, but the houses contain hidden listening devices and traps for female agents. Helen Abell is the key to the story, and it is fascinating how she evolves from an employee who lacks confidence in herself to one who refuses to be cowed by the CIA leadership infrastructure. “Safe Houses” is an amazing thriller both on the international and domestic scene, particularly the #MeToo slant. After reading SAFE HOUSES, Fesperman’s latest novel, WINTER WORK is now near the top of my pile of books on my night table!
In true Fesperman fashion, SAFE HOUSES is a complex novel that develops a multi-faceted plot involving a number of characters that are difficult to sort out. The main character, Helen Abell pursues a life that is a dichotomy. In the late 1970s she was employed by the CIA in West Berlin in charge of maintaining and operating four safe houses for agents and the German sources they handled. After overhearing a classified conversation and witnessing a rape by an important CIA operative Abell finds herself in a compromised position. She decides to report the assault on the German source, but her station chief, Ladd Herrington, a rather misogynistic pompous individual wants no part of any investigation and would like nothing better than to get rid of her.
Fesperman deftly flips the script as he turns to 2014 and Maryland’s eastern shore in developing a second plot line as Helen Abell and her husband are murdered. The police and public believe the murderer is their son Willard Shoat, a psychologically disturbed young man. Willard’s sister, Anna, cannot believe he has the capacity to engage in such violence and in seeking answers hires Henry Mattick, a private investigator who in the past held positions in the White House, Congress, and the Justice Department. Mattick is an interesting character as he also working for an operative named “Mitch” who wants him to keep on top of the events surrounding the murder and making sure that Willard is found guilty. The problem that surrounds the murder is that while Abell was in the CIA from 1977 to 1979 where she made an enemy out of Kevin Gilley, a CIA agent who resented her in the past and always wanted to remove her as an obstacle to his career.
Fesperman carefully manipulates his dual plot as the reader wonders how events in 1979 are related to the 2014 murder. As the link is established, suspense dominates as Gilley, the high priest of the CIA’s darkest arts operated by his own rules with a propensity to go rogue and had a history of attacking women with no consequences because of the male dominated structure of the CIA. Fesperman is a master at throwing out a series of hints to guide the reader, but then will shift the focus of the novel to a new path which is totally surprising.
The novel is an ode to persistence and hunting down a rapist and possible murderer while you are being hunted yourself. The story revolves around “the sisterhood” made up of Abell, Clair Saylor, a clerk at Paris station, and Audra Vollmer who will support Abell and assist her in challenging the misogynistic way in which the CIA operated risking their careers and their lives to bring about justice for the many women who have been violated. The key for Anna and Mattick is to unravel the life and career of Helen Abell and determine what really occurred in West Berlin and why she and her husband are eliminated thirty-five years later.
A series of important characters dominate the story. Apart from Abell is her lover and mentor in West Berlin, Clark Baucom, an aging CIA type who tries to control Helen and one wonders whose side he is really on. Kevin Gilley, code named “Robert” lives by his own rules and is difficult to control. Anna, in her early thirties had left the family years before, but she wanted to save her brother and learn her mother’s true history. Henry Mattick, an operator in his own right, falls for Anna, but can he be trusted. Larry Hilliard, an archivist at the National Archives who guides Abell in trying to understand “the Pond,” a clandestine intelligence organization spun off from the CIA. The members of the “sisterhood” within the CIA, a group made up of Claire Saylor who supported Abell and helped her conduct her clandestine mission, Audra Vollmer who turns out to be deeply involved with “the Pond,” which was supposed to be disbanded in 1955 and was not, and of course Helen Abell. Other characters appear with important roles and all point to Fesperman’s inventiveness and imagination in fitting the novel together as assassinations of politicians, intelligence assets and others have been arranged or carried out by Gilley in 1979, 1998, 2000, and possibly 2014.
Fesperman’s “Safe Houses” have a number of implications. The houses are designed for agents to meet in private and carry out their missions, but the houses contain hidden listening devices and traps for female agents. Helen Abell is the key to the story, and it is fascinating how she evolves from an employee who lacks confidence in herself to one who refuses to be cowed by the CIA leadership infrastructure. “Safe Houses” is an amazing thriller both on the international and domestic scene, particularly the #MeToo slant. After reading SAFE HOUSES, Fesperman’s latest novel, WINTER WORK is now near the top of my pile of books on my night table!
eativity and Fesperman’s ability to create realistic scenarios that maintain historical relevance is one of his many strengths. Therefore, his work was an obvious choice for my current read, SAFE HOUSES which did not disappoint.
In true Fesperman fashion, SAFE HOUSES is a complex novel that develops a multi-faceted plot involving a number of characters that are difficult to sort out. The main character, Helen Abell pursues a life that is a dichotomy. In the late 1970s she was employed by the CIA in West Berlin in charge of maintaining and operating four safe houses for agents and the German sources they handled. After overhearing a classified conversation and witnessing a rape by an important CIA operative Abell finds herself in a compromised position. She decides to report the assault on the German source, but her station chief, Ladd Herrington, a rather misogynistic pompous individual wants no part of any investigation and would like nothing better than to get rid of her.
Fesperman deftly flips the script as he turns to 2014 and Maryland’s eastern shore in developing a second plot line as Helen Abell and her husband are murdered. The police and public believe the murderer is their son Willard Shoat, a psychologically disturbed young man. Willard’s sister, Anna, cannot believe he has the capacity to engage in such violence and in seeking answers hires Henry Mattick, a private investigator who in the past held positions in the White House, Congress, and the Justice Department. Mattick is an interesting character as he also working for an operative named “Mitch” who wants him to keep on top of the events surrounding the murder and making sure that Willard is found guilty. The problem that surrounds the murder is that while Abell was in the CIA from 1977 to 1979 where she made an enemy out of Kevin Gilley, a CIA agent who resented her in the past and always wanted to remove her as an obstacle to his career.
Fesperman carefully manipulates his dual plot as the reader wonders how events in 1979 are related to the 2014 murder. As the link is established, suspense dominates as Gilley, the high priest of the CIA’s darkest arts operated by his own rules with a propensity to go rogue and had a history of attacking women with no consequences because of the male dominated structure of the CIA. Fesperman is a master at throwing out a series of hints to guide the reader, but then will shift the focus of the novel to a new path which is totally surprising.
The novel is an ode to persistence and hunting down a rapist and possible murderer while you are being hunted yourself. The story revolves around “the sisterhood” made up of Abell, Clair Saylor, a clerk at Paris station, and Audra Vollmer who will support Abell and assist her in challenging the misogynistic way in which the CIA operated risking their careers and their lives to bring about justice for the many women who have been violated. The key for Anna and Mattick is to unravel the life and career of Helen Abell and determine what really occurred in West Berlin and why she and her husband are eliminated thirty-five years later.
A series of important characters dominate the story. Apart from Abell is her lover and mentor in West Berlin, Clark Baucom, an aging CIA type who tries to control Helen and one wonders whose side he is really on. Kevin Gilley, code named “Robert” lives by his own rules and is difficult to control. Anna, in her early thirties had left the family years before, but she wanted to save her brother and learn her mother’s true history. Henry Mattick, an operator in his own right, falls for Anna, but can he be trusted. Larry Hilliard, an archivist at the National Archives who guides Abell in trying to understand “the Pond,” a clandestine intelligence organization spun off from the CIA. The members of the “sisterhood” within the CIA, a group made up of Claire Saylor who supported Abell and helped her conduct her clandestine mission, Audra Vollmer who turns out to be deeply involved with “the Pond,” which was supposed to be disbanded in 1955 and was not, and of course Helen Abell. Other characters appear with important roles and all point to Fesperman’s inventiveness and imagination in fitting the novel together as assassinations of politicians, intelligence assets and others have been arranged or carried out by Gilley in 1979, 1998, 2000, and possibly 2014.
Fesperman’s “Safe Houses” have a number of implications. The houses are designed for agents to meet in private and carry out their missions, but the houses contain hidden listening devices and traps for female agents. Helen Abell is the key to the story, and it is fascinating how she evolves from an employee who lacks confidence in herself to one who refuses to be cowed by the CIA leadership infrastructure. “Safe Houses” is an amazing thriller both on the international and domestic scene, particularly the #MeToo slant. After reading SAFE HOUSES, Fesperman’s latest novel, WINTER WORK is now near the top of my pile of books on my night table!
December 16, 2018
I decided it was time to take a break from the novels I usually read, focused on life’s hard questions, deep introspection and angst. I felt like it was time to lighten up, so I tackled Dan Fesperman’s 400 page “Safe Houses”. And i am glad i did!
Safe Houses is a story of CIA intrigue, with a feminist twist. Helen Abell is a 23 year old low level CIA operative stationed in Berlin in 1979. Her responsibility is to maintain a network of safe houses in Berlin, where CIA agents can meet with operatives without fear of disclosure. While in one of the safe houses checking on the recording equipment, she is surprised by the unplanned arrival of two men who were not known to her. Helen hides in an upstairs bedroom and overhears a conversation that is not intended for her ears. She takes the tapes of the conversation for security and leaves the house as soon as the men have gone.
While at another safe house, Helen witnesses and prevents an attempted rape of an agent by a case officer, Kevin Gilley. Kevin Gilley, code name Robert, was a fixer for the CIA and a very dangerous man. He did not appreciate that Helen was a witness to the attempted act (which she taped). The agent was found dead later that evening. These two incidents set off a series of events that brings Helen into contact with various other female CIA operatives whom become friends and contacts for life.
While in Berlin, Helen had a romantic relationship with a more experienced, higher level CIA agent, Clark Baucom. Clark plays a significant role in Helen’s CIA experience.
The book moves back and forth between Europe in 1979 and Poston, Maryland in 2014, when Helen and her husband are killed in their bed by their developmentally disabled son, Willard. The murder brings Helen’s daughter, Anna Shoat, back to Poston from Baltimore, looking for answers to her parent’s death. She hires Henry Mattick, a casual investigator to help her, and together they begin to learn Helen’s history.
In the meantime, flashing forward to 2014, Anna and Henry are learning more and more about Helen’s past, finding letters, documents and articles, and 1979 and 2014 ultimately come together. The book is well written, the story gripping and most importantly for this type of book, the ending ties everything together in a believable fashion. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. If you like this review, subscribe to www.frombriefstobooks.com for more.
July 28, 2018
I love fiction that includes some political intrigue/espionage, and if it is a mystery/thriller that’s all the better! Cold War timeframe is great if done well (I loved Jake Tapper’s Hellfire Club, for example). So Dan Fesperman’s Safe Houses seemed right up my alley, especially as it was praised by Lee Child as being "One of the great espionage novels of our time," so I was happy to write an honest review in exchange for a copy of this book from Knopf Doubleday and NetGalley.
TBH, at first I had a bit of a hard time getting excited about the story. Set in Berlin in 1979, the story involves a young woman named Helen Abell, who works for the CIA a network of safe houses. She is upstairs at one of the houses, having just checked the audio equipment to be sure it is working, when she begins to overhear conversation between two unexpected visitors to the safe house. The story rolls along through four chapters, when WHAM! we get one of those bombshells that makes you HAVE to read on. But as chapter 5 begins, it is 2014 and there is a man named Henry Mattick in Poston, MD, doing – well, we aren’t sure quite what, and despite some tantalizing clues, his purpose isn’t clarified for quite a while (to say the least). Henry is there at the time of a horrible double murder, and then the story just explodes.
The book moves the two stories along, back and forth between locations and timeframes, and Henry becomes immersed in the double murder, when the daughter of the victims (her parents) hires him to find our why her brother was driven to shoot their parents in their bed.
It’s impossible to discuss it further, either in terms of plot or structure, without committing the sin of spoilers, but I will say that -- similar to Jake Tapper’s Hellfire Club -- the afterword for Safe Houses KNOCKED ME OUT.
What a great story. I look forward to reading more of Fesperman’s books (how have I never heard of this guy??), and heartily recommend Safe Houses – Five Stars.
TBH, at first I had a bit of a hard time getting excited about the story. Set in Berlin in 1979, the story involves a young woman named Helen Abell, who works for the CIA a network of safe houses. She is upstairs at one of the houses, having just checked the audio equipment to be sure it is working, when she begins to overhear conversation between two unexpected visitors to the safe house. The story rolls along through four chapters, when WHAM! we get one of those bombshells that makes you HAVE to read on. But as chapter 5 begins, it is 2014 and there is a man named Henry Mattick in Poston, MD, doing – well, we aren’t sure quite what, and despite some tantalizing clues, his purpose isn’t clarified for quite a while (to say the least). Henry is there at the time of a horrible double murder, and then the story just explodes.
The book moves the two stories along, back and forth between locations and timeframes, and Henry becomes immersed in the double murder, when the daughter of the victims (her parents) hires him to find our why her brother was driven to shoot their parents in their bed.
It’s impossible to discuss it further, either in terms of plot or structure, without committing the sin of spoilers, but I will say that -- similar to Jake Tapper’s Hellfire Club -- the afterword for Safe Houses KNOCKED ME OUT.
What a great story. I look forward to reading more of Fesperman’s books (how have I never heard of this guy??), and heartily recommend Safe Houses – Five Stars.
September 20, 2018
Excellent spy novel with a timely #MeToo twist. Three women find themselves hunted by a mysterious man after one of them accidentally records a conversation she should never have heard, as well as interrupted an event of a sordid nature, and I don't want to disclose any other details so as not to ruin anyone's pleasure. The characters are strong and very resourceful women who help and support each other while dealing with the threats to their lives and freedom. The chapters move between the past and the present, when one of the women's daughter is trying to find out more about her mother's past. This does not hurt the pace and suspense, since the present plotline is also quite intriguing. This is the second novel by Fesperman that I quite enjoyed. There is something warm and humane in his writing, rather than the coldness many spy novels tend to suffer from. His plots are original and give new perspectives on traditional spy stories. Will look out for more from this author.
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