The Helsinki Affair
The Helsinki Affair by Anna Pitoniak, published by Simon and Schuster on November 12, 2024, is a thrilling exploration of espionage and family ties. In this 368-page novel, Amanda Cole, a young CIA officer, navigates the complexities of her profession while grappling with her legacy as the daughter of a Cold War spy. When a Russian defector alerts her to an impending assassination of a U.S. senator, Amanda is thrust into a high-stakes investigation that challenges her skills and loyalty.
Readers will find themselves immersed in a narrative that unfolds across various international locales, including Rome, London, St. Petersburg, and Helsinki. As Amanda teams up with the seasoned spy Kath Frost, they confront corporate blackmail and a web of manipulation orchestrated by the Kremlin. The story delves into themes of betrayal and the quest for truth, particularly as Amanda seeks to understand her father’s connection to the unfolding conspiracy. The Helsinki Affair presents a fresh perspective within the thriller genre, emphasizing female agency in a traditionally male-dominated field.
Official synopsis Publisher
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 beginning.
Corporate blackmail, covert manipulation, corrupt oligarchs: the Kremlin has found a dangerous new way to wage war. Teaming up with Kath Frost, a fearless older woman and legendary spy, Amanda races from Rome to London, from St. Petersburg to Helsinki, unraveling the international conspiracy. But as she gets closer to the truth, a central question haunts her: Why was her father’s name written down in the senator’s notes? What does Charlie Cole really know about the Kremlin plot?
The Helsinki Affair is an “propulsive, captivating spy novel,” (Good Morning America)—but this time with a refreshing female-centric twist. Perfect for fans of John le Carré and Daniel Silva, this book introduces Pitoniak as a singular new talent in the world of spy fiction.
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