It's 1952 and Soviet troops control British streets.
After the disastrous failure of D-Day, Britain is rescued by Russian and American soldiers. The two superpowers divide the nation between them, a wall running through London like a scar.
On the Soviet side of the wall, Jane Cawson suspects her husband, Nick, of secretly seeing his ex-wife, Lorelei, glamorous star of Soviet propaganda films.
But before Jane can confront them, Lorelei is murdered.
To her horror, Nick is arrested for the killing. Desperate to clear his name, Jane must risk the attention of the brutal secret police in order to discover the truth.
Evading them, her search uncovers a trail of corruption - and the higher it leads, the more dangerous it becomes...
About the Author
Gareth Rubin is an author and journalist who has written for most British national newspapers. He lives in London, and The Winter Agent is his second novel.
Industry Reviews
Gripping alternative history . . . Ingeniously plotted, with storytelling that's full of heart * Daily Telegraph *
This richly imagined thriller is set in an alternate past . . . Tightly plotted, tense and set in a chillingly plausible world * Sunday Mirror *
A taut, psychological thriller with a plausible twist, Rubin's debut novel does not disappoint . . . an extraordinary but believable tale of corruption, power play and black-market racketeering . . . Well researched and imaginative, Rubin's alternative history novel creates an eerie landscape full of menace . . . Writing with panache and creative flair, Rubin breathes credibility into a disturbing 'what if' scenario. Chilling and intriguing in equal measures * The Lady *
An interesting take on the 'What if we'd lost World War II?' debate. A gripping and well-imagined yarn * Sun *
Rubin paints a shocking picture of what might have happened had we lost the Second World War and been invaded first by the Nazis and then the Soviet army. It's an edgy ride, a reminder that we should not take our freedom for granted * Peterborough Evening Telegraph *
Far more than an intellectual exercise - it is a gripping story, with heart * Daily Telegraph, Best Thrillers of the Year *
A riveting story of betrayal, corruption and dark secrets, set against the backdrop of a divided Britain * Choice Magazine *
A tight and compelling thriller * SFX *
Rubin constructs a tantalising alternative world with 1950s Britain riven apart by its own version of the Berlin Wall - and all because the D-Day landings failed. Against this dystopian nightmare, the author overlays a murder mystery that's sure to appeal to fans of SS-GB, The Man in the High Castle, and Fatherland
A gripping murder mystery set in an alternative 1950s Britain. Rubin's London, split between American and Soviet zones after a disastrous World War Two, is vividly realised and his story is elegantly constructed. One not to miss
In the great tradition of SS-GB and Fatherland, Rubin's alternative-1950s murder mystery takes an ingenious premise - the Americans and the Soviets have carved up Britain between them after rescuing the country from the Nazis - and makes it come alive through sheer storytelling skill
A twisting murder mystery combined with a chillingly plausible alternative history of a divided Cold War London. Brilliant.
Liberation Square is a superb and intelligent piece of alternate history. By turns gripping, terrifying and trenchant, it is a remarkably assured debut making Rubin's name one to watch out for in the crowded crime landscape
A brilliantly researched, shockingly plausible thriller set in an alternative Britain
A stunningly plotted debut, that drags you at break-neck-speed through a nightmare alternative world that is eerily realistic. A must read
