I, Stasi

by Rich Elvers

Drafted against her will into the nation’s hated and feared state police force, Una Geiger is pulled into a shadowy world of betrayal and surveillance where she can trust no one.

Welcome to East Berlin. Deep in the heart of East Germany, behind the Berlin Wall, people live under the iron fist of the Stasi. Now Una is one of them, and her only anchor is her best friend Adelina—who once protected her, but who has now become the target of the secret police for helping people flee to the West.

Assigned to a defection case, Una discovers the terrifying truth: the Stasi are closing in on Adelina, and Una’s investigation could be the thing that destroys her.

At the same time, the policeman she is falling for has secrets of his own. And when Una digs deeper into her past, she learns that her family has deep, shocking ties to the brutal secret police—and that the Stasi’s reach is longer and more sinister than she ever knew.

Caught in the tightening grip of betrayal, Una must decide who she is going to betray: her friends, her country, or her conscience. Which side will she choose?

I, Stasi is a gripping Cold War thriller about loyalty, betrayal, and the price of freedom—combining the psychological intensity of Gillian Flynn, the noir atmosphere of Jo Nesbø, and the gritty suspense of Adrian McKinty.

264 pages, Paperback

Published December 23, 2020

About the author

Rich Elvers writes stuff. All sorts of stuff: web content, advertising brochures, his own author bio, unproduced movie scripts. And books. Which is why he's on Amazon. And Goodreads.

Being Canadian, he is obsessed with hockey. One of his life goals is to see a hockey game in all 32 NHL stadiums. He has only 30 stadiums to go.

He lives in Calgary, Canada, with his partner (she calls him her 'common law' cuz it's easier) Jen of NaturallyNu.com fame, and two pugs named Indy and Chewie. (Yes, he knows it should be spelled Chewy.)

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. Really liked the descriptive nature of the writing. Made it easy to visualize Germany in the 80’s. I haven’t read any spy thrillers, so wasn’t sure what to expect. However, it was completely engrossing, and really enjoyed it.

[Jen Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book that I've read from start to finish in one night in a while! There's one scene that's a turning point and after that scene, I needed to know if Una would be okay. The next day, I regretted reading it so fast because I missed the characters.

I usually have trouble getting into books, and I got into this book about three pages in. So, that's good. I especially loved the sheer amount of detail about the Stasi and East Germany. It was like an easy-to-understand history lesson. It's worth reading for that alone.

The character of Una is a bad a** and I especially enjoyed her relationship with her dad and Matthias. It's heartbreaking what happened to her dad. I would have like more scenes building tension with Una and Jurgen.

I'm going to read this book again! I really hope there's a sequel.

[Deborah Thorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real pager turned that reflects much of what is happening in the world today. I not only enjoyed this novel but also learnt about about the Stasi and how the punk movement helped with their demise.
This book is not only a good read but inspires hope that people will have courage to fight against repressive systems in out world.
Looking forward to reading more of Mr. Elvers books.

[Niki Block · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tightly-wound narrative with lingering anxiety perfectly mirrors Una’s inner conflict. The cat-annd-mouse chase will keep you at the edge of your seat until the very last page. Wrought with tension and distrust, I, Stasi is an excellent thriller and a very impressive first novel from Rich Elvers.

[Renée · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved being the fly in the sky watching Una skirt around danger and navigate her myriad options that had me trying to read faster to find out what she would do next! Intriguing, clever and original. Excellent description and storytelling...can't wait for the next novel!

[Richard Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever wonder what it'd be like to live on the wrong side of the Berlin wall? Or what'd be like to live in a post-war totalitarian regime? With neighbors spying on neighbors? what if you discovered someone you deeply loved was secretly part of it?
And even if you and all your friends hated your governments control and surveillance, what would you do if the government voluntold you to work for them? How would you handle it? Would you have the will power and fortitude to survive it?

This is a story about how one girls faces all these dilemmas, set against the hardship of the sterile drab streets & offices of communist Berlin, the demoralizing feel of the hyper-effective Stasi that crushed the soul of its citizens, and the spontaneous flickers of hope from the underground resistance it sprouted. It's a realistic tale of the internal struggles of a free & fast thinker in an ultra-potent soul-crushing autocracy - how she copes with the stream of emotional collateral from twisted discoveries in loyalties, love & betrayals; how she copes with the internal conflict of maintaining a mask of obedience without losing herself in it; how she copes with the heart-pounding stress of having to act fast on chance circumstances or be found out; and ultimately how she copes with the mounting pressure of getting what she really wants before the ever-pursuing Stasi crushes her plans.

If you want to experience the twists, conflicts and thrills behind "the wall" you should really read this book.

[Joshua Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rich Elvers delivers a deep and exciting Cold War thriller with I, Stasi! Having been picked up by the Stasi, East Germany’s feared and hated secret police, Una Geiger has no choice but to accept their offer to join them. Now she must make some gut-churning decisions as she struggles to survive, save her friends, uncover the truth of her father’s death, and maintain her morality. Elvers’ writing is crisp and Geiger is a really deep and fascinating character! This novel is a wonderful moral struggle, one that represents the struggle many Germans went through at the time, and it blends well with the Cold War thriller aspect. If you love the Cold War or spy thrillers in general, come go deep undercover with I, Stasi!