My Friend the Spy

Reviews / Votes

"A lyrical and moody work... the writing has a lovely, dreamy quality, and references to Proust's madeleines, the psychological drama film Tar, and the works of Chagall and Picasso add depth to the narrative."

-Kirkus Review




"This book is a rare journey where facts blend with reflection, and a single insight feels capable of changing history.

It blends real history with personal stories in a way that feels both intimate and mysterious.

You're never fully sure what is fact and what is imagination, and that's exactly what makes it so powerful.

It is a beautifully crafted work, written almost as if for one reader, the one who might transform themselves and, through that, transform history.

Through intimate human stories, the broader drama of an entire region unfolds."

-Dr. Solvita Denisa-Liepniece, expert in cognitive security and strategic communication




"My Friend the Spy is a powerful story set in the real political context of Belarus and the war in Ukraine. It is told by my former English teacher, who now works at the United Nations and forms an unexpected friendship with her assistant-the wife of a Belarusian diplomat with a past linked to an authoritarian regime. As their trust grows, the narrator becomes involved in a world of secrets, loyalty, and power, where the line between observer and participant slowly fades.

Based on real political realities, the novel explores how personal relationships survive under pressure and whether individual conscience can resist state violence. Part spy story, part political reflection, My Friend the Spy reminds us of the importance of truth, art, and humanity in times of war.

And... I am already looking forward to the sequel, because life goes on."

-Martynas Ivinskas, Lithuanian artist and entrepreneur




"An excellent combination of a deep understanding of geopolitics and a love story. Through vivid descriptions of characters, places, and feelings, the author manages to make the reader a part of the story, and to experience the reading with their heart."

-Katia Tinajero, Ecuadorean International Law & Policy Specialist




"Roberta Seret knows how to keep a secret; she's spent years hiding the physical scars of a barbaric medical battle. But her Teaching Assistant, Laryssa, is hiding something far more dangerous: a past as the strategist for an autocrat and a present linked to the highest levels of the Kremlin.

As Russian forces move through the Belarusian corridor, the two women are propelled from New York into a high-stakes investigation of war crimes and international espionage. Blending chilling contemporary facts with a heart-pounding fictional chase, My Friend the Spy explores the "chiaroscuro" of the human soul. In a world of master chess players and double agents, Roberta must uncover the truth about her friend before the clock runs out on Plan B."

-Saulius Kondrotas, author of The Glance of the Serpent