Last Night of the World

by Joyce Wayne

On a hot Ottawa night in August 1945, Soviet agent Freda Linton’s world is about to fall apart. She’s spent the war infiltrating the highest levels of the Canadian government as an undercover operative for the fledging Canadian Communist Party and for Moscow’s military police. As the global conflict nears its conclusion, her Soviet embassy handler and darling of the diplomatic scene Nikolai Zabotin sends her to retrieve atomic secrets from the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories. When Freda discovers that Soviet cipher clerk Igor Gouzenko plans to turn over top secret files to the RCMP that will expose Freda and the others in her spy ring, she is faced with an impossible decision and must determine who is on her side. Should she risk everything to smuggle out nuclear secrets that will kick off the Cold War? Joyce Wayne's Last Night of the World brings a high-energy creativeness and emotional tension to a story that is rooted in a generation's defining incident.

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2018

About the author

Joyce's second novel is about real-life spy, Freda Linton. Freda was an agent for Russian intelligence run out of the Soviet Embassy in Ottawa during World War II. The ring of spies, handled by the dashing and quixotic darling of the diplomatic community Nikolai Zabotin, was determined to steal the plans for the atomic bomb and send them to Stalin.

Freda faces an impossible choice: to help Stalin make a nuclear bomb or to flee from her Russian handlers.

In this fast paced Cold War spy thriller, Joyce re-creates the intrigue and cutthroat politics of the war era, one which is increasingly coming to resemble our own times as proof of Russian interference in American democracy emerges.

Reviews

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I debated between a 3.5 and 4 rating but eventually gave it the benefit of the doubt. Its strengths outweigh its downside. It is a compelling Cold War spy novel with a twist. The protagonist is Freda Linton, a Russian Mata Hari who emigrates to Canada as a young girl, just steps ahead of the Red Army’s destruction of her village in Belarus. She becomes one of the foremost Communist spies in Canada before, during and after WWII and moves on to become part of an extensive spy ring embedded in the Russian Embassy and the highest levels of government in Ottawa. During the post war era she and her compatriots are engaged in attempts to steal American plans for the A-bomb for the Russians. Their eventual downfall at the hands of a defector is a major trigger of the Cold War. The story is even more compelling because it is based on true events and features real individuals who were part of the spy network. As the author notes in the afterword, her father was also involved, and parts of the story are based on his musings. The book is well-paced, clearly written and sometimes hard to put down. It is interwoven with the story of Freda’s parents, neighbours and siblings and paints a vivid picture of the unbelievable struggles and deprivations that Russians faced during and after the Russian revolution and WWII. However, the relationships between Freda, her lover, a second paramour and her sometimes roommate-boyfriend with whom she escaped Russia, are often incomprehensible. Perhaps they are meant to be, but the muddle eventually loses traction. For me, the major downfall is the very poor editing, which results in incorrect words, gaps in the story, missing sentences, sentences in incorrect places, and inconsistencies popping up frequently. These issues and inconsistencies were quite annoying and interrupted the flow of the story. It is possible that I ended up with an early, penultimate version of the book, as I attended a presentation by the author at which I purchased it. I hope the version on the bookshelves has benefitted from better editing.

[Chastain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye opening history of Russian spies in Ottawa during WWII, and the beginnings of the Cold War. Based on family stories from her father, j. Wayne put together a story of true characters involved in the Gouzenko defection. Freda Linton is the main character, but all the characters are part of this historical era.

[Cathie Poynter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the novel! It was mesmerizing! Unable to put it down until I’d finished reading it all.

Well written and characterization so vivd! The exposition of political involvements, historical aspects, and commitment to a ‘cause’, ANY cause, rings true. Chords that hit home very clearly, for those involved in ANY idealistic ventures; the reality versus the ideal sought ; why we do what we do. Survival and resistance.

Enjoyed the many lyrical descriptions of Ottawa scenes and nature throughout the narrative. Well crafted above the usual historical or spy-thriller genre, with a depth of thought missing in most.
No reader needs to know the Gouzenko defection, which uncovered the spy-ring leading to the Cold War, to enjoy this exciting tale told from the perspective of Freda Linton, one of the master female spies of the era. Love interests with famous historical characters including Russian diplomats as well as John Grierson, head of the NFB, are written with a fine tension and understanding of complex relationships in a politically dangerous time.

Joyce Wayne's new novel promises to entice, enchant and engage to the last. Looking forward to further works from this excellent author!

[Mark Creedon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joyce Wayne's, Last Night of the World, puts flesh and blood onto the characters that kicked off the cold war. In August of 1945 the Canadian and world press focused upon the defection of Igor Guzenko the Soviet cipher clerk working in the Soviet embassy in Ottawa. The book certainly outlines what he did but it focuses more on his boss, Nikolai Zabotin, the Soviet Ambassador to Canada and his mistress Freda Linton. The love story between these two begins in 1921 when Red and White forces were still battling for supremacy in Russia and ends in Chernobyl in 1988. Freda is saved from Soviet persecution of her Jewish village by her oppressor Nikolai who later becomes her lover. He is also her handler. She is exploited as a spy who offers sex for secrets from Canadian bureaucrats and businessmen. Her relationships with her fellow Nesviez villager and one time saviour, Harry Vine and her boss and lover Nicoai Zabotin are as complex as the intrigue amongst the network of Soviet spies and politicians working within Canada. This is a must read for anyone interested in the early days of the Cold War and Canada's role in it.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting historical fiction of the Russian spies in Canada at the end of the War.

Good characters, stark contrast between Canada and war ravaged, Stalin controlled Russia.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*