The Osterman Weekend by Robert Ludlum

Originally published in the 1970s and set at the time of publication, this novel is a clever reflection of the Cold War tensions in the second half of the twentieth century. Ludlum creates a sense of intrigue from the start with an unexpected police presence in a quiet American village and builds layers of tension onwards with the portrayal of different characters’ responses to the situation and dramatic irony.

The sophisticated but orderly storyline of a fictional Soviet economic plot to harm the West is believable because of historical plots like the Berlin Blockade. The author keeps the reader guessing and delivers a great twist at the end.