Stranger from Berlin

by Beverley Hansford

When Tim Mallon unexpectedly meets Boris Smirnov, an old acquaintance from his university days, he has little comprehension of the consequences this encounter will set in motion. Tim is intrigued by Boris's partner Lena, an attractive girl from Berlin who appears to tolerate the humiliation and harsh treatment Boris heaps upon her. When Boris suggests that Lena comes to stay with him, Tim cautiously agrees to the suggestion.During Lena's stay, an idyllic relationship develops between them and Tim gradually finds that he is falling in love with his guest. One thing does puzzle Tim – Lena's reluctance to talk about her past life. What is the secret she does not wish to reveal? When Lena is abducted from Tim's doorstep and taken back to Berlin, Tim decides to travel to Berlin to try and find her and in the process solve the mystery surrounding her.When he starts making enquiries in Berlin, Tim finds he is drawn into a web of intrigue and suddenly finds his life controlled by outside forces. Who can he trust, and can he extract himself from this vulnerable situation?

185 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 21, 2021

Reviews

[Robin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beverley Hansford is an accomplished writer, swapping genres with apparent ease. His plots are grounded in realism, which is particularly appropriate in this his first spy thriller.
He writes in much the same way as the late, great Eric Ambler, using an amateur as his main protagonist, who finds himself in an extraordinarily dangerous position in the DDR, where he searches for the woman he has fallen in love with, herself an amateur spy.
It is all brilliantly executed in a sharp, clear and concise style.

[Louise Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting mystery. It’s a good pace - fast enough to keep the pages turning and the knuckles white but without being too fast as to lose details. I found it difficult to engage with the characters and the relationships between them and wonder if a bit more time spent on some of this would have added to my enjoyment.

[Rachel Wesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! I got into the story straight away and could barely put it down, so I read it within a week. I found myself thinking about it while I was at work and rushed home to see what happened next.

[Howard Bishop · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t like to be negative, but it’s just really not a good book. The characters are wooden, the plot is ridiculous and the writing is terrible. The simplicity of the story and the brevity of the book at least meant it was over quickly.