From the bestselling author of Istanbul Passage—called a “fast-moving thinking man’s thriller” by The Wall Street Journal—comes a sweeping, atmospheric novel of postwar East Berlin, a city caught between political idealism and the harsh realities of Soviet occupation.

Filled with intrigue and the ambiguity of conflicted loyalties, LEAVING BERLIN is a compelling thriller and a love story that brings a crucial period of history vividly to life in a city whose moral complexities reflect the characters’ own.

In the video below, author Joseph Kanon brings to life the physical and mental landscape of Berlin in the late 1940s:

Joseph Kanon is the Edgar Award–winning author of Istanbul Passage, Los Alamos, The Prodigal Spy, Alibi, Stardust, and The Good German, which was made into a major motion picture starring George Clooney and Cate Blanchett. Before becoming a full-time writer, he was a book publishing executive. He lives in New York City.