This is a gripping read with a satisfying ending, set during the 1968 Prague Spring and the brutal Soviet crackdown. I’ve never been to Prague but I felt like I was there; the details and atmosphere create a strong sense of place. Two young journalists, Josie and Laurent, chase clues and solve puzzles to figure out if a traitor is in their midst. The pace is brisk—I read it in one sitting. Strawberry Fields is an entertaining (and historically informative!) prequel to Back in the USSR. Both books cleverly integrate Beatles’ songs and literary references against a backdrop of Cold War intrigue. I look forward to more books in this series.

Very much enjoyed this novel of international historical action and intrigue. I found myself rooting for the two young protagonists as they maneuvered their way through the Soviet invasion of Prague, 1968. The Beatles are only a minor part of the historical backdrop; it’s Prague itself that is really the main setting, and the shocking rapidity in which it fell to treachery. The real history here is well researched and impeccably presented. It adds to the suspense, gives the story texture, and, maybe best of all, gives the reader a chance to relive and learn about this important world-historical turning point in a way that feels as if one actually lived through it along with the characters. Strawberry Fields is a quick, easy, lively read, a well-written and beautifully paced thriller that is a page-turning tour de force.

The events surrounding Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia in 1968 have always fascinated me, but I never had an up-close and personal look at them until I started reading Patrick Joyce’s Strawberry Fields. The story is told from the perspective of two reporters—one with family ties to the country—and kept me hooked from start to finish. Readers will learn an enormous amount about the Russian invasion, but never in a didactic way, as the author sticks closely to personal stories and details. Yet, the parallels with Ukraine are definitely present if you care to see them. I, for one, rooted throughout the book for those who resisted Russian rule, and also loved the references to the Beatles. For me, Strawberry Fields ended far too soon—but happily, there is a new book by the same author—and I’m starting to read it now.

I am notorious for not finishing books that don't hold my interest. I couldn't put this one down and read it in two days. I would have read it in one if I didn't need to work! Intriguing plot, rich historical context, great characters, with Beatles music/themes woven in; it has all the ingredients of a very entertaining read. Looking forward to more from this author.

In 1968, I was a bookwormish fourteen-year-old whose biggest worry was finishing my math homework. In those insular, pre-internet times in peaceful suburbia, I was oblivious to the events taking place in Czechoslovakia during what would be called The Prague Spring. As I grew older, and the world grew smaller, I learned about those events, but they still felt a bit textbook-dusty. I needed Patrick Joyce's Strawberry Fields to thoroughly brush away the cobwebs of time and drop me smack into the middle of Prague just as the Russian tanks came rolling into the city.

The pace refuses to let up, start to finish. I felt as if I were witnessing this adventure playing out in real time. I skipped lunch and read till dinnertime. I dove right back into the story after the dishes were washed and read till bedtime. What a pleasure it was to be fully in the thrall of a good story!

I closed the book feeling slightly exhausted and very satisfied. It's a well-told story, written by an author that's no stranger to European countries and their politics. Reading Strawberry Fields not only entertained me, it left me with a heightened empathy for the people who experienced the real-life events that inspired this thrilling adventure.