Cold Victory by Karl Marlantes

COLD VICTORY by Karl Marlantes (Matterhorn) begins in 1946 Helsinki where American Arnie Koski and his wife, Louise, have just been assigned to a US military-diplomatic (read: intelligence gathering) post. They meet Russian Mikhail and his wife, Natalya Bobrova, at a social gathering and the men realize they know each other from the European battlefield. Some friendly joshing turns into a decision to race each other on skis over five hundred kilometers and much of the book deals with that harrowing experience. In the meantime, the two wives, using their ability to communicate in French, develop a close friendship and work together to benefit a Finnish orphanage. Both strong women are tested in the post WWII environment. Of course, there is a pervasive sinister element due to the seemingly constant surveillance by the Soviet secret police. Lives are jeopardized in this well-written, action-packed adventure story.