One Night in Winter

"The truly magnetic power" of this thriller is "the stirring of our deepest fears and their unexpected resolution—at this, Montefiore is the master" (Washington Post).
Inspired by a true story, prize–winning historian and acclaimed novelist Simon Sebag Montefiore explores the consequences of forbidden love in this heartbreaking epic that unfolds in Stalin's Moscow.
As Soviet Russia celebrates the motherland's glorious victory over the Nazis, shots ring out on the crowded streets. On a nearby bridge, a teenage boy and girl lie dead. But this is no ordinary tragedy, because these are no ordinary teenagers. As the son and daughter of high-ranking Soviet officials, they attend the most elite school in Moscow. Was it an accident, or murder? Is it a conspiracy against Stalin, or one of his own terrifying intrigues?
On Stalin's instructions, a ruthless investigation begins that becomes known as the Children's Case. Youth across the city are arrested and forced...