Union Station, David Downing
Union Station, David Downing
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Union Station

Author: David Downing

Narrator: Simon Vance

Unabridged: 11 hr 44 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 02/06/2024


Synopsis

John Russell, an English journalist who specializes in human-interest pieces, had always been a reluctant spy. It’s a dangerous life—especially when you are tasked with being a double agent for Soviet and American intelligence, in a city as fraught with hazard as Nazi-occupied Berlin. But it’s been years, now, since Russell was finally able to extricate himself from his life of espionage—through a shady deal with a high-ranking Soviet official.

Now it’s 1953, and Russell and his family—his long-time partner, Effi Koenen, a burgeoning star on an American sitcom, and their daughter, Rosa, a young artist on the cusp of adulthood—live a life of relative comfort in Los Angeles. Feeling somewhat adrift, Russell has just begun work on a book investigating American
firms that continued doing business with Germany during Nazi occupation. Then he notices someone is tailing him around Los Angeles. Has someone not taken kindly to his research? Or could it be that the deal Russell struck all those years ago has left him with unfinished business?

The answer may lie in Berlin, where John and Effi decide to return for the Third Annual Berlin International Film Festival. Braving the political disorder of a city that was once their home, the two are thrust into a perilous mission to protect the life—and safety—they worked so hard to build.

“Ambitious, layered, and expertly crafted, Union Station is a compelling dive into the world of McCarthy-era Los Angeles, illuminating themes that powerfully resonate with today.”—Sarah James, internationally bestselling author of The Woman with Two Shadows

About David Downing

David Downing grew up in suburban London. He is the author of the Jack McColl novels, the thriller The Red Eagles, and six books in the John Russell espionage series, set in WWII Berlin.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Daniel

Some reviewers mentioned that "Union Station" is somewhat depressing, and I have to concur. But only because, ever so brilliantly, David Downing manages to prove that history repeats itself and our species- despite our good intentions and our endless trying to dream and build a better future, never......more

Goodreads review by Shannon

I had a really hard time getting through this book. I thought that it had some really good ideas, but I was not interested in the way those ideas flowed on the page. I almost DNFed it several times because I was so bored. I think part of my problem is that this is the first book in this series that......more

Goodreads review by Clare

I loved David Downings Station books. For me, this one didn't really kick into gear until the last third. The first part felt more like a diary of life in LA in the early 1950s. However it picked up pace towards the end. His summing up of American attitude and the state of the rest of the world in 1......more

Goodreads review by Jim

I am a big fan of this series. I was quite looking forward to read the last (I assume) in the series - having enjoyed every one before. He saved the worst for last. The anti-American preaching was tedious. The middle section when he and Effie returned to Germany was as good as his previous stories. B......more