The Helsinki Affair : A Times Thriller of the Month

A Times Thriller of the Month One of The Washington Post’s Best Thrillers of 2023 'It’s the case of Amanda’s lifetime but solving it will require her to betray another spy—who just so happens to be her father in this “delicious spy novel' (People). SPYING IS THE FAMILY BUSINESS. Amanda Cole is a brilliant young CIA officer following in the footsteps of her father, who was a spy during the Cold War. It takes grit to succeed in this male-dominated world—but one hot summer day, when a Russian defector walks into her post, Amanda is given the ultimate chance to prove herself. The defector warns of the imminent assassination of a US senator. Though Amanda takes the warning seriously, her superiors don’t. Twenty-four hours later, the senator is dead. And the assassination is just the beginning. Amanda races from Rome to London, from St. Petersburg to Helsinki, unravelling the international conspiracy. But as she gets closer and closer to the truth, a central question haunts her: Why was her father’s name written down in the senator’s notes?

About the Author :
Anna Pitoniak is the author of The Futures, Necessary People, and Our American Friend. She graduated from Yale, where she majored in English and was an editor at the Yale Daily News. She worked for many years in book publishing, most recently as a Senior Editor at Random House. Anna grew up in Whistler, British Columbia, and now lives in New York City.

Review :
'An ambitious espionage thriller ... with a startling finale ... Pitoniak continues to show strong instincts for the art of cloak-and-dagger.' - Publisher's Weekly 'In this delicious female spy novel, CIA up-and-comer Amanda and her mentor Kath untangle a global conspiracy involving Russian oligarchs and—gulp—Amanda’s own father, an agency lifer himself.' - **People Magazine** 'The Helsinki Affair has everything: high stakes, mortal peril, moral ambiguity, torn allegiances, tradecraft and subterfuge, love and sex and loneliness, and every type of risk. I can't remember the last time I read such an enjoyable spy novel.' — CHRIS PAVONE, New York Times bestselling author of The Expats 'If you are one of those people--we are not a few--who think they don't write thrillers like they used to, then The Helsinki Affair is for you. An intricate, vigorously told and splendidly entertaining tale.' — JOHN BANVILLE, author of Snow and Booker-Prize winning author of The Sea 'What makes a great spy novel? A plot that is intricate and clever but also believable and realistic. A story line that doubles back and plunges forward, that twists and turns in ways both alarming and satisfying. Heroes who are bold and cool but imperfect and all-too-human. The Helsinki Affair has it all. Move over Alan Furst and Daniel Silva and say hello to Anna PItoniak.' — EVAN THOMAS, author of Road to Surrender 'Pitoniak artfully deploys all the tricks and tropes of the spy genre, and she creates for Amanda a wonderful ally — a 73-year-old CIA superstar named Kath Frost…. The developing mentorship and friendship between Amanda and Kath as well as the unfolding of the Cole family’s unhappy past give the novel emotional weight and interest that add to its espionage plot. These excellent female spy characters deserve a series.' — Kirkus 'Pitoniak does everything well in this twisty spy thriller that should please the most discriminating connoisseur of the genre.' — Library Journal 'A must-read for fans of spy thrillers. CIA agent Amanda Cole must confront her father's past as she tries to thwart an international conspiracy. Will she be forced to choose between loyalty to her family and her allegiance to her country?' — Country Living