The Dark Guest by Sarah Hamaker
The Cold War is over, but The Wolf is still at the door.
When Violet Lundy isn’t cleaning rooms at Happy Hills Assisted Living Facility, she loves spending her free time with resident Rainer Kopecek. Hearing his stories of the dangerous life he led behind the Iron Curtain in East Berlin makes her own life seem more tolerable. But when Rainer is found dead and his room in disarray, Violet suspects foul play.
Dr. Henry Silverton lives among his books, teaching and writing about the Cold War. A letter about an East German traitor known only as “The Wolf” propels Henry out of academia and into Violet’s life. Together, they embark on a perilous quest to uncover the truth about Rainer’s death and the traitor’s identity.
Can Violet and Henry uncover the secrets of the past before one of them ends up as The Wolf’s next victim?
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Book Review:
Wow! I am not a history buff, but I was completely entranced with this book! Once you start the book, you will not want to stop reading it. Sarah Hamaker is a master storyteller, and she has outdone herself with this one.
Violet is working at Happy Hills Living Facility and has become especially close to Ranier Kopecek. She loves to hear his stories of life behind the Iron Curtain. He speaks of a past that she does not fully understand, but his stories of his time during the Cold War are so interesting. Violet is trying to escape a past that you will learn more about in the book. A past which has shaped her into the woman she is today.
Dr. Henry Silverton is a professor at a local university and an expert on all things about the Cold War. He receives a mysterious letter from Mr. Kopecek regarding a man known only as the “Wolf”. By design Violet and Henry end up as friends and work together to solve the puzzle left behind by Ranier. You will be taken on a history trip through the Cold War to the highest offices in Washington and their power-hungry schemes. You will fall in love with the characters in this story as they overcome obstacles and learn to lean on their faith and lean on each other. You will see words like treason, alliance with an enemy, deception and destruction of human life, but you will also see people with courage and compassion to overcome an unseen enemy with a strong faith. This was a FANTASTIC book! It is a clean, inspirational book with mystery and intrigue that will entertain all mystery lovers of any age. I am looking forward to #2 in this series!
~ Tammy Lunsford
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Sarah Hamaker loves writing books “where the hero and heroine fall in love while running for their lives.” She’s written romantic suspense novels and nonfiction books, as well as stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul volumes. As a writers coach, her heart is encouraging writers. She’s a member of ACFW; ACFW Virginia Chapter; and Faith, Hope and Love, as well as the president of Capital Christian Writers Fellowship. Her podcast, “The Romantic Side of Suspense,” can be found wherever you listen to podcasts. Sarah lives in Virginia with her husband, four teenagers, a preschool foster child and three cats.