Our Woman in Moscow
Trigger warnings: murder, imprisonment
Ruth goes undercover into Cold War Russia to extract her twin sister.
Ruth Macallister's twin sister Iris disappeared from her home in London along with her husband and children in 1948. They haven't had contact in a dozen years when Ruth is approached by the FBI asking about Iris.
Iris' story at the beginning of the novel takes place in the past when she's with Ruth in Rome. There, she meets USA Embassy worker Sasha Digby, her future husband. The novel goes through their relationship while leaving the reader wondering what drove the twins apart.
The Russian arc in the novel's beginning follows KGB officer Lyudmila Ivanova, who is following an American family that sounds much like the Digbys. She intercepts Ruth's application for a visa and thinks the family's activity is suspicious.
The story is told in multiple timelines, revealing the past as you're also learning about the present. The plot moves forward while instilling a sense of foreboding -- it seems like this will not end well for the people involved. There's a lot to follow with plotlines and espionage so this might not be the best before-bed reading.
Ruth's narration is arguably the better performance, with her captivating voice and emotion. Iris' reader has a more displeasing voice, bordering on annoying. She also reads Lyudmila's story. There's so much happening in this audiobook that you have to pay attention; allow your thoughts to wander and you'll miss something important.
Recommended for fans of historical fiction and espionage.
Beatriz Williams is a bestselling author who graduated from Stanford and Columbia University. A native of Washington state, she currently lives in Connecticut.
Publisher: William Morrow (print); HarperAudio
Narrators: Nicola Barber & Cassandra Campbell
Running Time: 12 hours, 36 minutes
Length: 448 pages
Release Date: June 1, 2021
I received an electronic galley copy and an electronic audio recording of this title from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.