I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

An ambassador imprisoned in a castle prison somewhere in the Eastern Bloc tells his life story and keeps readers constantly changing whether his story can be trusted in author Lee Polevoi’s international political mystery, “The Confessions of Gabriel Ash”.

The Synopsis

The Confessions of Gabriel Ash, a literary Cold War thriller with echoes of John Le Carre and A Gentleman in Moscow, alternates between the glittery backdrop of 1980s New York and the sinister grottoes of Eastern Europe. The story UN Ambassador Gabriel Ash has to tell—in a voice that’s sardonic, self-delusional, and uniquely his own—will result either in his release from captivity or the loss of his life.

The Review

This was a captivating and gripping thriller. The harsh Eastern European settings and the vibrant yet misleading glamor of New York not only elevated the narrative but showcased the fact that so much of our understanding of the world is based so much on perspective. The conflict between protagonist Gabriel Ash and his ties to his homeland with the life he’s built in America and the consequences that follow are rife with intrigue and tension that plays well into the Cold War Era setting. 

For me, the heart of this narrative came with the fusion of genres with the powerful themes the author explores. The almost comic approach to the protagonist’s mindset and interactions with characters blended well with the dark and haunting realities of spy work and corruption within world governments, and the atmosphere of the novel provided enough room for romance, action, and suspense to reign supreme in a natural way. The themes of Communism versus Capitalism, perspective, and individuality all played major roles in the story and allowed the setting and tension to play out greatly as the story progressed.

The Verdict

Powerful, heart-pounding, and engaging, author Lee Polevoi’s “The Confessions of Gabriel Ash” is a must-read Cold War spy and political thriller you won’t be able to put down. The unique method of storytelling as a narrative device told from the character’s point of view worked so well in several of the scenes in this book and allowed the reader to analyze and work out the mystery behind the protagonist’s life and his struggles for themselves. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Lee Polevoi is the author of a new novel, The Confessions of Gabriel Ash, and The Moon in Deep Winter. He has received a Bread Loaf Writers Conference scholarship and a Chesterfield Film Project screenwriting fellowship, sponsored by Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment. A short film based on The Moon in Deep Winter screened at Cannes and New York’s Chelsea Film Festival. Lee is a graduate of Amherst College and the Warren Wilson College MFA Program for Writers.

Lee reviews fiction and nonfiction as Chief Book Critic for the online publication Highbrow Magazine (http://highbrowmagazine.com/books-fiction).

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