The Red King of Helsinki: Lies, Spies and Gymnastics

Helsinki, 1979.

Iain Collins, a weary British ex-naval officer, is drawn into MI6 when a Soviet official is found dead. His first test: shadow a Finnish diplomat whose allegiance may tip the balance of East and West.

Pia Mäkelä, a hopeful gymnast who knows she’s not the best, dreams only of Olympic glory. But when her best friend disappears and she’s chosen to represent her school in a Moscow–Helsinki “Friendship Trophy,” she enters a deadly arena of secrets and lies.

Both are hunted by the KGB’s most feared agent, The Red King of Helsinki. As snow falls over a city where neutrality is fragile, Iain and Pia must navigate betrayal, sacrifice, and icy danger—before the Cold War claims them both.

Atmospheric, authentic, and filled with suspense, this is Cold War espionage at its most human.