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Lehrter Station Audiobook
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(3.08) - 204 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Paris, November 1945. John Russell is walking home along the banks of the Seine on a cold and misty evening when Soviet agent Yevgeny Shchepkin falls into step alongside him. Shchepkin tells Russell that the American intelligence will soon be asking him to undertake some low grade espionage on their behalf—assessing the strains between different sections of the German Communist Party—and that Shchepkin’s own bosses in Moscow want him to accept the task and pass his findings on to them. He adds that refusal will put Russell’s livelihood and life at risk, but that once he has accepted it, he’ll find himself even further entangled in the Soviet net. It’s a lose-lose situation. Shchepkin admits that his own survival now depends on his ability to utilize Russell. The only way out for the two of them is to make a deal with the Americans. If they can come up with something the Americans want or need badly enough, then perhaps Russell will be forgiven for handing German atomic secrets over to Moscow and Shchepkin might be offered the sort of sanctuary that also safeguards the lives of his wife and daughter in Moscow. Every decision Russell makes now is a dangerous one.
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"I wrote a long-ish review here, then one of my dogs decided to check out what I was doing on my laptop and erased it. Trust me, my review was brilliant :-). Here's the summary: liked the book and the series; as other reviewers have noted, there's a lot of wrapping up of plot lines; compares favorably to Furst."
— Stacey (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Downing vividly portrays the poignant process of war-scarred Europeans struggling to rebuild lives in the ashes of a nearly destroyed city…A powerful look at the human side of postwar reconstruction.”
— Booklist -
“Outstanding…Philip Kerr and Alan Furst fans will be pleased.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“Downing does a masterful job of exploring life in postwar Berlin and London…impressive.”
— Library Journal
Lehrter Station Listener Reviews
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Michael, 3/3/2023
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William Evans, 4/16/2020
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" Lehrer Station was probably the weakest of Downing's book in the John Russell series. The book wrapped up very quickly in the last 20 pages, but the quick ending set the stage for future novels. "
— Ryan, 2/17/2014 -
" John Russell and Effi are back in Berlin, which is not the Berlin they loved before the war. it's divided now between the Americans, Russians, French, and British. amid the ruins they renew old acquaintances, they try to find people, mostly Jews, who may or may not have survived the war, and they try to track down Nazis. Russell is working for both the Soviets and the Americans, and trying to stay one step ahead of both. i had trouble putting this down because i was so interested in finding out what would happen next. "
— Naomi, 1/29/2014 -
" I like Downing's books a lot, but this wasn't his best. It felt rushed in the last part, and it too obviously and overtly tried to tee up a sequel. I like that there will be another book, but this ones just sort of ended abruptly. "
— Christopher, 1/22/2014 -
" I really liked all of Downing's other Station books but this one showed his intense dislike of Americans. I'm tired of the Brits bashing America. We aren't at all close to perfection but neither are the Brits. "
— Bunny, 1/19/2014 -
" Not the best one from Downing's series on Berlin but still a good read. It is am excellent portrayal of life in the immediate post-war period Berlin "
— Francis, 1/18/2014 -
" I've read all the books in this series and was delighted with the latest. Excellent depiction of life in Berlin shortly after the end of WWII. "
— John, 1/7/2014 -
" I've read every book in this series. I have to say that this one was good, but not great. I love the time period of the series(beginning right before WWII and, with this book, the aftermath - both in London and Berlin). Well researched, interesting characters not one dimensional. "
— Maryanna, 1/2/2014 -
" Another delightful book in the John Russell/Effi Koenen series. Exquisitely crafted descriptions of Berlin and London after the end of the war. Reunions with old friends, tight plotting, suspense and coffee and cake on Unter den Linden. A gem of a book. "
— Wildpurl, 12/25/2013 -
" I have always enjoyed this series of novels but as the setting moves into the post-war period, I wonder if there is a sense that the characters thoughts reflect a modern interpretation rather than a contemporary perspective. "
— Lynne, 12/1/2013 -
" evocative portrait of post war Germany "
— Dave, 5/15/2013 -
" This series has invaded my life this summer. The writing is beautiful, the stories strong without ever becoming maudlin, gory, or manipulative. Historical fiction does not get much better than this. "
— Runstable, 3/12/2013 -
" Another winner for Downing. This is one of my favorite series. I'm looking forward to much more to come. "
— Mike, 2/28/2013 -
" Another great addition to the 'Station' series. The story is set in the context of post-war Berlin and gives a very credible impression of conditions and issues of the time. Not only does the book provide a very good history lesson but the plot is entertaining and full of surprises. "
— Michael, 1/20/2013 -
" Enjoyed following the lead characters, but this wasn't as good as the first 4 books. "
— IleneOnWords, 9/15/2012
About David Downing
David Downing grew up in suburban London. He is the author of the Jack McColl novels, the thriller The Red Eagles, and six books in the John Russell espionage series, set in WWII Berlin.
About Simon Vance
Simon Vance (a.k.a. Robert Whitfield) is an award-winning actor and narrator. He has earned more than fifty Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration thirteen times. He was named Booklist’s very first Voice of Choice in 2008 and has been named an AudioFile Golden Voice as well as an AudioFile Best Voice of 2009. He has narrated more than eight hundred audiobooks over almost thirty years, beginning when he was a radio newsreader for the BBC in London. He is also an actor who has appeared on both stage and television.