...grim but fascinating...well-plotted...currents of rebellion and pro-democracy fervor sizzle in the air, and this story catches all the danger and excitement of the historic moment... --Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review

Victory Square is an exciting and thought-provoking fictional portrayal of historic events, as well as a meditation on the personal corruption that pervades totalitarianism. It is [also] a suspenseful espionage thriller with enough twists and turns — and surprises and betrayals — to keep you frantically turning the pages. ... If you haven’t yet discovered this gem of a series, I can’t recommend them enough. --Kevin Holtsberry, National Review

It would be a disservice to slot this particular series of books into the “spy fiction” genre, if only because so often spy fiction concentrates on a comfortable pastiche of heroes and neither the reality of the times nor the sense of consequence that shines through Steinhauer’s clipped, economical prose... Steinhauer offers a concrete end to the sins of the past, but he’s too shrewd a writer to communicate anything other than this end as a necessary fiction. That’s the luxury of fiction, historical or otherwise: The ink ends on the final page, but the effects of these real-life events travel onward for many decades, the consequences of which only time will tell. --David Cotner, Los Angeles Times

For some reason, the writing talents of Steinhauer have not been well publicized. Victory Square is the fifth in this brilliant series set in Eastern Europe just after the Second World War. Emil Brod, a figure central to the entire series, is set to retire in 1989, and remembering past events turns out to be traumatic for him. --Paul Fiander, The Halifax Herald

almost brilliant...masterful... --Kirkus Reviews

masterful...This is remarkable storytelling, exploring the life cycle of a state through the eyes of political idealists, government informants, and good cops like Brod who just want to solve crimes. Steinhauer also offers a convincing portrait of the psychological shock that accompanies the downfall of even a hated dictator. --Booklist

Employing an intricate story, characters both sympathetic and despicable as well as a remarkable sense of place, Steinhauer subtly illuminates an unforgettable historical moment. --Publishers Weekly