Exit Berlin - Softcover

Tim Sebastian was born in London in 1952. For over ten 'years he reported for the BBC, mainly from Eastern Europe. As the BBC's correspondent in Warsaw, he witnessed the rise of Solidarity and went on to cover the complete disintegration of the Soviet Bloc. He was the BBC's first television correspondent in Moscow, but was expelled in 1985 for 'activities not compatible with his status' .. The Soviet security services later described him as a British Intelligence operative who worked for the BBC under the code name 'Timosha'. Tim Sebastian denied these charges. He now lives in London, where he divides his time between writing and broadcasting.

When the Berlin Wall comes down, James Martin's life as a British sleeper agent in East Berlin starts to crumble. He is publicly revealed as a traitor, having been wrongly blamed for the betrayal of a British network in East Germany. Upon his return to the West he has many enemies on both sides, both known and unknown, especially the real traitor. Author Sebastian (Spy Shadow, Audio Reviews, LJ 6/15/93) succeeds in conveying a duplicitous and paranoid atmosphere. Reader Owen Teale, as he gets into Martin's head, also contributes with his melancholy, tired, and stressed tones. Unfortunately, neither Sebastian nor Teale is able to make us like or care all that much about the characters, so the story doesn't succeed as a "page-turner." Others in this genre, notably the great John le Carre (The Night Manager, Audio Reviews, LJ 10/15/94), are much better at engaging the listener. Library funds may be better spent elsewhere.
Kristen L. Smith, Loras Coll. Lib., Dubuque, Ia.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.