Fatherland was a masterpiece of suspence, with Robert Harris being the only author who has managed to bring Hitler back to life so brilliantly. In Archangel, Harris takes aim at another historical figure, in the form of Josef Stalin. We follow four days in the life of British Historian, Fluke Kelso, who seems certain to uncover the historical mother-of-all-stories of the century. You see, when Stalin was alive, he kept a key around his neck. The key, according to Kelso, is the secret to all of Stalin's confidential records. There's one problem, though. Shortly before Stalin died, the key was stolen.
We find our hero in present day Russia attending a conference on the newly available Stalin archives. Kelso quickly begins his hunt for some of Stalin's still secret papers - and to make his own academic reputation - but soon discovers much more than he ever bargained for. Kelso finds himself drawn to the deep and terrible secret that lies in the remote White Sea port of Archangel - and yesterday's tragedies threaten to revisit the present. Every Russian agency is out to get him, there's even a Russian love interest, but is she a spy too? In the end, just who can Kelso trust?
In Archangel Harris delivers the good once again. Stunning visuals, tight plotting, great characterisation. Who said the Cold War was dead?
