Embark on a thrilling adventure to an enemy capital, where two teenagers race against spies and mobsters to recover a priceless vinyl record that just might save the world.
When Harrison, the 14-year-old son of American diplomats, lands in Moscow at the height of the Cold War, he knows three things: his passport will keep him safe, his daydreams will keep him company, and his music will keep him sane.
But everything he knows is about to be shattered.
His father has vanished, his mother is keeping secrets, and his best friend Prudence, the fearless daughter of foreign correspondents, leads him on a dangerous pursuit of a mysterious femme fatale.
Suddenly they're on the run from the CIA, the KGB, and an assortment of treasure hunters, all desperate to get their hands on a legendary lost Beatles record in a place where rock music is banned.
Their only hope is to navigate a treacherous underworld - a world of coded messages, secret gatherings, maps made by spies, walls that have ears, cellars dripping with menace, skyscrapers that trap you in the clouds, and elevators whose rides could be your last.
As the Cold War threatens to heat up, Harrison turns to the last person he ought to trust - a renegade spy on a mission of personal redemption - and learns the timeless lesson that love is all you need.
Full of suspense, Back in the USSR is perfect for fans of Code Name Verity and I Must Betray You, and a great next step after City Spies, The Bletchley Riddle, and Alex Rider. It will keep you on the edge of your seat right up to the emotional, uplifting ending.
"MASTERFUL ... EXPERTLY PACED ... RIVETING ... 10 OUT OF 10." -The BookLife Prize by Publishers Weekly
"A book about rock 'n' roll and its power to fight suppression, feed the human spirit and kick butt." -Goodreads review
"Read this in two days - couldn't put it down." -Goodreads review
"Vividly painted and irresistible ... a fun, rich, and sophisticated page-turner ... Highly recommended!" -Tim Weed, award-winning author of the young adult adventure Will Poole's Island
"Clever plot twists abound, keeping the reader spellbound up to the colorful and dramatic ending." -Laurel Davis Huber, award-winning author of the historical novel The Velveteen Daughter
"Kept me turning the page to see what happened next, all the while delighting with easter eggs, lyric references and the pure joy that The Beatles bring to the world." -Obadiah Jones, host of Beatles podcast "Gimme Some Truth"
Patrick D. Joyce writes young adult thrillers made of music, history, and mystery. As the son of a U.S. Foreign Service officer, he grew up in extraordinary places. After early years in Burma (Myanmar), West Germany, and Washington, D.C., he lived in Nicaragua, Cuba, and three times in the Soviet Union. At embassies staffed by diplomats, Marines, and spies, he was surrounded by secrets. In addition to writing books, he has been a newspaper reporter, a political science lecturer, and a medical practice manager. He lives in Massachusetts, where he can be found haunting coffee shops, taking long walks with his wife, and practicing martial arts. Visit patrickdjoyce.com to sign up for author updates and receive a free short story.
