I’ll Tell You No Lies

An encounter with a Soviet defector thrusts an American teenager into a political investigation in this tensely wrought Cold War historical novel set in 1955. After an automobile accident kills her mother, 18-year-old Shelby Blaine’s intelligence officer father, Colonel Blaine, moves the two of them from Germany to Upstate New York’s Griffiss Air Force Base, where he has been assigned to debrief a Soviet defector. When, at an official dinner, Shelby meets said defector—21-year-old Ukrainian pilot Maksym Kostyshyn—she immediately falls for his alluring, enigmatic personality. The next day, she discovers that Maksym has disappeared after coming under suspicion as a potential KGB spy. He soon shows up in Shelby’s home, insisting that the FBI have made a mistake and begging her not to turn him in. As Shelby learns more about Maksym’s past, including the time he spent as a prisoner in Auschwitz, she resolves to help him, despite the considerable risks. Via tight prose, McCrina (The Silent Unseen) effectively sketches a high-stakes spy thriller that features period-relevant intrigue and simmering romance. All characters cue as white. Back matter includes an author’s note. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jennie Kendrick, Red Fox Literary. (Aug.)