As East Germany collapses, a former Stasi agent is caught in the crossfire of international espionage in this "tour de force on par with John le Carré" ( Library Journal , starred review). Winner of the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award September 1989 . In the tense final days before the fall of the Berlin Wall, East Germany's Communist government is on the brink of collapse. Even the Stasi, once a notoriously fearsome intelligence agency, can't stop the rebellion. In a desperate play for advantage, they send former foreign agent Dr. Rudi Rosenharte to Trieste to rendezvous with his old lover and fellow agent, Annalise Schering. They believe Annalise has vital intelligence. The only problem: Rudi knows she's dead. After seeing her lying in her own bloodied bathwater, he kept her suicide a secret. As collateral for this mission, the Stasi have imprisoned Rudi's family. But the Stasi is not the only agency using him as a pawn. Soon the British MI6 and American CIA encircle him, forcing him to make an impossible choice. "An elegant spy thriller that, I believe, John le Carré himself would be pleased to have attributed to him." — The Guardian "Porter combines impeccable research with compelling characters caught up in the broad sweep of fascinating historical events . . . [a] riveting read." — Publishers Weekly "A top-notch Cold War thriller." — Library Journal , starred review