I was given an ARC a couple of years ago, but ended up reading this book in paperback - and ever so glad I did. An engrossing story and well written. Thank you Natalia Pastukova and NetGalley!

This is a novel set in a small town in East Germany in the 1950s. The border is not exactly open, but still quite porous. The people are finding their places in a new Soviet society, pretending not to remember that only a decade ago they were embracing fascism. It is an interesting time.

The story centres around Uta, a young woman who is an officer in the border police - apparently a step up from the regular police but a step below the special police from Berlin. Uta is loyal but pragmatic; keeping the local peace is more important than slavish adherence to an ideology that few seem to believe in. But the local police is shattered when two agents from Berlin arrive on a secret mission. The tale that unfolds is one of sedition, corruption and greed.

There is clearly a good story in here, but the writing did not quite do it justice. The phrasing was stilted; the dialogue did not ring true, and too many of the characters were hard to tell apart. Sometimes their motivation was not clear, even when the plot was revealed. And the denouement felt like a bit of a damp squib.

I wish the novel, and especially the setting, could have been given a bit of a polish to make it sparkle.

In a small university town in East Germany, anti-regime posters are shaking the communist dream. It is the year 1955, announcing a dramatic move of the tectonic plates of the totalitarian regimes. State-pawns are set into motion for searching the culprit.

In totalitarian regimes, everything is touched by politics. Innocent lives are at risk, by the simple act of protest of a family member. From the beginning until the end, The East German Police Girl by Natalia Pastukhova is repeatedly outlined. Either the result of the encounter with Stasi, or by simply not accepting the fake truth sold by the communist establishment, destinies are put on hold or simply brutally destroyed.

The author creates the right, time-bounded ambiance of the time, both in terms of language and of specific political details. The dialogues are the strongest part of the book, as it reveals the best different character features and details about them.

There is a diverse cast of characters bringing The East German Police Girl to life although not all of them properly displayed or featured within the story. However, the main players do reflect at a great extent the everyday life pressure and intricacies.

The East German Police Girl is a book recommended to anyone interested in contemporary historical fiction with a touch of political adventures. Especially those passionate about Cold War and communist histories will be delighted to follow and imagine the life of the characters.

My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Paperback version of this book to read and honestly review.
Beautifully written with superb characters throughout this is a quality read. Atmospheric descriptive with a real feel for time and place, gripped me completely from first to last page. At times poignant and sad others laugh out loud funny, a thoroughly entertaining quirky little book. My only disappointment being I don't see how the Author can follow up on our clever feisty heroine and produce a sequel, maybe she will surprise me.
Totally recommended.

A really enjoyable read that is well written and completely compelling. I read it quickly and couldn't put it down. The perfect mix of historical fiction and mystery.