Finding Katarina M

American doctor, Natalie March, travels to Siberia to find her estranged grandmother, only to uncover dark family secrets and a dangerous international plot.

Dr. Natalie March always believed that her grandparents perished in the gulag, but when a young Russian woman appears in her office claiming to be her cousin, Natalie must face a surprising truth: her grandmother, Katarina M., is still very much alive.

Natalie eagerly travels to Siberia to meet her, only to be drawn into a web of mystery, espionage, and danger that will push her to the limits of her endurance.

Finding Katarina M. takes the reader on an extraordinary journey across Siberia—to reindeer herding camps, Sakha villages, and parties with endless vodka toasts—while it explores what it means to be loyal to your family, your country, and yourself.“Finding Katarina M. is an amazing accomplishment... Elo takes the reader on a trip to present-day Russia that's breathtaking in its scope and ambition. The story is tightly woven, the characters are complex and believable, and the setting is nothing short of a miracle in print.”
– Elizabeth George, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Punishment She Deserves

"Finding Katarina M. is a gem — a thriller that explores deeper questions of family ties and the long reach of history. Elo takes us on a spellbinding journey through modern Siberia...in a story that grips from beginning to end.”
– Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of Judgment

"Elisabeth Elo’s fine new novel begins compellingly as a thriller but moves seamlessly into an intriguing journey of survival and self-discovery. I love a story whose twists are truly unpredictable, and Elo delivers in spades."
– William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author of Ordinary Grace and Desolation Mountain

"I picked up Elisabeth Elo’s Finding Katarina M. just before bed, with the intention of peeking at the first few pages and calling it a night. That was a mistake. The mystery of Natalie March’s family sucked me right in. Elo writes her characters with a perceptiveness and depth that takes this well-plotted mystery to another level. Prepare to be addicted from the get-go — this one is riveting from page one."
– Jennifer Hillier, author of Jar of Hearts

"(A) gripping thriller...Fascinating historical details encompass uranium mining, the gulags, and cultural life in the Soviet era. Natalie’s tense and illuminating journey will enthral readers."
– Publishers Weekly

"Gripping, powerful and chillingly realistic, this gorgeously written thriller spins the relentless and passionate saga of a high-stakes search for family — a search that lures the determined Natalie March to the frightening ends of the earth. With its perfectly realized setting, emotional depth and bitter political realities, this proves Elisabeth Elo is a major talent."
– Hank Phillippi Ryan, nationally bestselling author of Trust Me

"The geographic and personal odyssey portrayed in this detailed and, at times, heart-stopping saga takes readers from a rational, cozy U.S. existence to a Siberian hut, with the personal transformations just as startling.”
– BooklistElisabeth Elo is the author of North of Boston, chosen by Booklist as that year's Best Crime Novel Debut; she also has a number of novels, short stories and scholarly articles published under various pen names. Elizabeth attended Brown University and achieved a PhD in English from Brandeis, and previously worked as a children's magazine editor. She lives with her family in Brookline, Massachusetts.