I Must Betray You, by Ruta Sepetys

(Paperback, 336 pages, first published in 2022)

A gut-wrenching, startling historical thriller about communist Romania and the citizen spy network that devastated a nation, from the #1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray.

Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force.

Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. He’s left with only two choices: betray everyone and everything he loves—or use his position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe.

Cristian risks everything to unmask the truth behind the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. He eagerly joins the revolution to fight for change when the time arrives. But what is the cost of freedom?

Master storyteller Ruta Sepetys is back with a historical thriller that examines the little-known history of a nation defined by silence, pain, and the unwavering conviction of the human spirit.

Cautions: Heavy subject matter, including violence carried out by the Communist regime. Some language - Redeemed Reader notes "one use of d—, one of s—, and three of g– (lower case)." There is some teenage kissing, as well as reference to feminine products and contraceptives as contraband. In one scene, the main character catches a man and a woman together in a car and the reader could infer a sexual relationship but it is unclear. See Redeemed Reader's full review here.

Recommended Age: 15+