Sent undercover to the segmented city, which had by this stage been formally split into an East and West state, he’s tasked with helping the CIA in their exploits in the ideologically polarized region to avoid being deported permanently and losing his family. The story follows Alex Meier, a young and famous Jewish writer, who returns to his home city of Berlin, working for the American intelligence in a bid to earn his ticket to stay in the States. This is swirled together with hints of romance, family and friendship to present an intricate portrait of the situation. It’s 384 pages of gripping thriller action that does a very good job of bringing the issues and reality of the era and location to life, creating interesting characters to intersect in the dangerous streets of the German capital in 1949. The book was released on hardback, audio book and digital download in November 2014 and won’t be coming to paperback until the 27th August 2015. While there are lots of reasons why the book is such a good read, it all hangs on how well it plays its cards close to its chest and on this front it’s a master of false tracks and misdirection to keep you guessing and genuinely surprised right the way to the end.

There can be a lot of shallow reading when it comes to espionage thrillers, but in Leaving Berlin Joseph Kanon has built up a fast paced and fascinating account of post war life in the gated city.

Joseph kanon leaving berlin review