Our American Friend: A Novel

Anna Pitoniak

Feb 2022 · Simon and Schuster · Narrated by Lisa Flanagan

About this audiobook

A globe-spanning thriller of love and betrayal about a mysterious first lady with an explosive secret.

Paris, 1974. Lara Orlov and her family arrive from Moscow at the height of the Cold War, thanks to her father’s position as a diplomat. The years pass, and Lara becomes more and more enamored with the City of Lights. As a teenager in Paris, she falls deeply in love with a fellow Russian expat: the passionate, intellectual Sasha, who opens her eyes to the ills of the Soviet Union.

Decades later and across the globe, journalist Sofie Morse is taking some much-needed time off after several chaotic years covering Washington politics. But when she gets a call from the office of First Lady Lara Caine, her curiosity is piqued. Sofie, like the rest of the world, knows little about Lara—only that she was born in Soviet Russia and raised in Paris before marrying Henry Caine, the brash future president.

After decades of silence, Lara is finally ready to speak candidly about her past: about her father’s work for the KGB and about her ill-fated relationship with Sasha—which may be long in the past, but which could have explosive ramifications for the future. As Sofie begins to write Lara’s biography, she can’t help but wonder: Why is Lara revealing such sensitive information? And why now? Caught in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse, both Lara and Sofie must ask themselves what really matters—and confront their own power to upend the global political order.

Ratings and reviews

I read the Kindle version of this book. I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Anna Pitoniak, and publisher Simon & Schuster. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am pleased to recommend Anna Pitoniak to friends and family. She writes a tight mystery with enough twists and turns to keep us enthralled. Sofie Morse and her husband Ben, both US citizens, are residing temporarily on the Adriatic coastline in Croatia. Hiding, actually, in a country without extradition treaties with the United States. Wondering how it ever got this far gone. This is an interesting book with a lot of background in both Croatia and parts of the US, and peopled with folks you feel like you know and perhaps understand. Lots of spy stuff, for those who relish it, and an interesting look into the manners and mores of the White House. And you will recognize Lara Caine at first glance. A very timely novel, one that I enjoyed. I think that you will, as well.

About the author

Anna Pitoniak is the author of Our American Friend, Necessary People, and The Futures. Before becoming a full-time author, she worked in book publishing, including as a senior editor at Random House. Anna grew up in Whistler, British Columbia. She graduated from Yale and lives in New York City.