Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite

Terminus by Ian Lewis is set in 1963, when intelligence officer John Post is sent to West Berlin to assume the identity of Bill Baxter, an American operative whose unexplained behavior has triggered concerns inside the CIA. Baxter vanished after his return from captivity, leaving behind contacts, routines, and signals that suggest outside control linked to an illicit radio broadcast known as Terminus. By taking Baxter’s place, Post renews contact to identify the unseen hand directing the transmissions. As he moves through Berlin’s divided streets, nightclubs, and surveillance networks, Post meets intermediaries; each encounter narrows the field around a private intelligence operation operating beyond state control. The assignment takes Post outside formal command, forcing him to rely on his judgment and speed as the search for Terminus draws him toward a concealed center of power hidden deep in Europe’s postwar landscape.

Terminus by Ian Lewis is a fabulous Cold War spy story set in a Germany that has been split down the middle. The thriller runs at the perfect pace, ticking all the tradecraft boxes but giving it Lewis's own stamp. The scenes are totally believable, whether it is Post enduring a harsh basement interrogation, or an assault where radio equipment blows out, and footsteps echo through narrow stone corridors. Post is a guy you definitely want to root for, mostly for what he does, but also for what he says. The dialogue is great, even in suspense-filled moments, like a parachute drop going wrong. Lewis equally fleshes out the supporting cast. I found Alaric Wimmer fascinating, with the presentation of a calm family life at Wannsee that later feels unsettled by a division of loyalty. As an adversary, Berthold Auer is wonderfully diabolical. His authority comes from knowledge, and he wields it with a polish that conceals danger. I loved every page and every location from smoky Berlin clubs to castle passages. Overall, a brilliant read.