Dan Fesperman | SAFE HOUSES

Plot (via Goodreads):

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 sightlines 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.

Review:

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.

Rating: 4/5