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Unabridged Digital Audiobook
Runtime: 13 hours, 15 minutes
Read by Jennifer Jill Araya
For many of us, when we think of the 1950s, we think about those old black-and-white TV shows that we used to watch when we stayed home from school—shows like Leave It to Beaver, with the lovably wholesome Cleaver family. But in the audio edition of A Woman of Intelligence by Karin Tanabe, a 1950s mother sets out to escape her wholesome family life.
The story follows UN translator turned full-time wife and mommy Katharina Edgeworth on a quest to recapture some of the excitement of her younger days. When she was a single girl in 1940s New York, it seemed that her life was just beginning. When she married pediatric surgeon Tom Edgeworth and gave birth to two children, it all came to a screeching halt. But then she’s approached by the FBI and asked to help them as an informant, spying on her college friend, who’s now a high-ranking Soviet spy—and her new secret life provides more excitement than she bargained for.
Katharina’s life definitely changes once she begins working with the FBI. Admittedly, though, it takes a while to get to that part. Instead of jumping into the tales of Cold War intrigue in the 1950s, it first settles into Katharina’s dull domestic life: her daily outings with her unruly kids, the occasional tiresome fundraiser for the hospital, the growing feeling of being trapped inside her luxurious Fifth Avenue apartment.
Suddenly, though, everything changes. Instead of spending her days thinking of nothing more than naptimes, trips to the zoo, and cocktails, she finds herself caught up in a high-stakes world of Cold War espionage that makes her question everything—especially her failing marriage to an increasingly demanding husband who’s never home. And even though one slip-up could put her life—and the lives of others—at risk, the work she’s doing for the government often seems less dangerous than the secrets she’s keeping from Tom.
Together, the 1950s domesticity and the Cold War thrills make for an intriguing tale, offering a new perspective on the typical spy story. Katharina is a fascinating character—the predecessor of today’s “bad moms”—and as she steps outside her duties as wife and mother to take on the role of American spy, readers will enjoy the highs and lows, the excitement and heartbreaks, of her story.
A Woman of Intelligence definitely isn’t the same old spy story. It may be a bit longer than necessary, but its likable main character and her unique point of view make it a captivating read.
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