John Russell, an English journalist who specializes in human-interest pieces, had always been a reluctant spy. Itâs a dangerous lifeâespecially 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 itâs been years, now, since Russell was finally able to extricate himself from his life of espionageâthrough a shady deal with a high-ranking Soviet official.
Now itâs 1953, and Russell and his familyâhis long-time partner, Effi Koenen, a burgeoning star on an American sitcom, and their daughter, Rosa, a young artist on the cusp of adulthoodâlive 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 lifeâand safetyâthey worked so hard to build.
âAmbitious, 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.ââSarah James, internationally bestselling author of The Woman with Two Shadows