Hotel Moscow: A Novel

From the author of Jerusalem Maiden comes a mesmerizing, thought-provoking novel that tells the riveting story of an American woman—the daughter of Holocaust survivors—who travels to Russia shortly after the fall of communism, and finds herself embroiled in a perilous mafia conspiracy that could irrevocably destroy her life.

Brooke Fielding, a thirty-eight year old New York investment manager and daughter of Jewish Holocaust survivors, finds her life suddenly upended in late September 1993 when her job is unexpectedly put in jeopardy. Brooke accepts an invitation to join a friend on a mission to Moscow to teach entrepreneurial skills to Russian business women, which will also give her a chance to gain expertise in the new, vast emerging Russian market. Though excited by the opportunity to save her job and be one of the first Americans to visit Russia after the fall of communism, she also wonders what awaits her in the country that persecuted her mother just a generation ago.

Inspired by the women she meets, Brooke becomes committed to helping them investigate the crime that threatens their businesses. But as the uprising of the Russian parliament against President Boris Yeltsin turns Moscow into a volatile war zone, Brooke will find that her involvement comes at a high cost. For in a city where “capitalism” is still a dirty word, where neighbors spy on neighbors and the new economy is in the hands of a few dangerous men, nothing Brooke does goes unnoticed—and a mistake in her past may now compromise her future.

A moving, poignant, and rich novel, Hotel Moscow is an eye-opening portrait of post-communist Russia and a profound exploration of faith, family, and heritage.

In late September 1993, Brooke Fielding, a thirty-eight-year-old New York investment manager and the daughter of Jewish Holocaust survivors, accepts an invitation to teach entrepreneurial skills to Russian businesswomen in Moscow. Though excited by the opportunity to be one of the first Americans to visit Russia after the fall of communism, she wonders what awaits her in the country that persecuted her mother just a generation ago. But as the Russian parliament's uprising against President Boris Yeltsin turns Moscow into a volatile war zone, Brooke finds that her involvement comes at a high cost. For in a city where "capitalism" is still a dirty word, where neighbors spy on neighbors and the new economy is in the hands of a few dangerous men, nothing Brooke does goes unnoticed—and a mistake in her past may now compromise her future.

“A fascinating look at a little-known culture and time...Tuck JERUSALEM MAIDEN in your beach bag.” - Minneapolis Star Tribune, on Jerusalem Maiden

Praise for Jerusalem Maiden: “Talia Carner uses beautiful language, exquisite storytelling, and detailed research to transport the reader into the world of old Jerusalem...This is a book to savor and discuss.” - Jewish Book World, on Jerusalem Maiden

“A welcome glimpse into a little-understood world.” - Kirkus Reviews, on Jerusalem Maiden

“Exquisitely told...a moving and utterly captivating novel that I will be thinking about for a long, long time.” - Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Girl

“Esther Kaminsky is a true heroine . . . The truly marvelous thing about Jerusalem Maiden is how deeply Talia Carner is able to evoke Esther’s faith and the complexity of the choices she faces. A beautiful and timely novel.” - Argo

“As bold and fragile as its main character, Jerusalem Maiden is at heart a story of revolution. . . Captivates at every level, heart, and mind.” - Jacquelyn Mitchard, author of The Deep End of the Ocean and Second Nature

“Carner deftly mixes in the changing landscape of Russia with an emotional story about a woman coming to terms with her heritage.” - South Florida Sun Sentinel

“A heroine both glamorous and smart, hard-driving and compassionate, Brooke Fielding -- American investment counselor and daughter of Holocaust survivors - travels through the looking glass of Russia, 1993, when the country was lurching toward capitalism, women were coming into their own, and danger lurked around every corner...Sweeping and suspenseful.” - Roy Hoffman, author of the novels Chicken Dreaming Corn and Come Landfall

“A finely-drawn tale of a country emerging from its dark Soviet past into a present overshadowed by a new kind of terror and lawless corruption... Will keep the reader mesmerized.” - Nelson DeMille

“Talia Carner has a sharp eye for detail and a captivating storytelling eloquence. HOTEL MOSCOW is ...[a] wonderful evocation of time and place and an insightful post-Cold War thriller which reminds us that in Russia the more that changes, the more that stays the same.” - Nelson DeMille

“An eye-opening exposé of life following the collapse of the Iron Curtain...Vividly drawn characters and taut suspense add up to a real-life dystopian page-turner of the un-put-downable variety.” - Library Journal

“Action-packed, steamy and suspenseful.” - Jerusalem Post

“HOTEL MOSCOW is a tantalizing book full of corruption, extortion, and shocking treatment of women -- and that is just the tip of the Russian iceberg. Talia Carner’s engaging style draws you in with its powerful description of life in Russia twenty months after the fall of communism.” - Deborah Rodriguez, author of The Kabul Beauty School

“With the urgency of a thriller and the sharp, atmospheric lens of a great documentary, HOTEL MOSCOW hurls you into the vortex of the corrupt, outlaw world of the Soviet Union morphing into modern Russia. A fascinating and ultimately gripping read!” - Andrew Gross, New York Times-bestselling author of One Mile Under

“Talia Carner sweeps us away along with her brave and determined heroine to an exotic and complex time and place, and keeps us riveted with the tension and dangers of international intrigue. A real page-turner!” - Tami Hoag, New York Times bestselling author of Cold Cold Heart

“A tale spun by a natural storyteller...what is striking is the timelessness and dreamlike quality of her worlds. We are drawn into the saga of Esther Kaminsky, the Jerusalem maiden, and stay under her story’s spell until the ambiguously happy end.” - Hassadah Magazine

“Talia Carner is a skillful and heartfelt storyteller who takes the reader on a journey of the senses, into a world long forgotten. Her story of a woman who struggles and seeks the light is universal and inspiring. Read this book and savor.” - Jennifer Lauck, author of the New York Times bestseller Blackbird and Found: A Memoir

“Jerusalem Maiden won me over from the first moment I began reading it...meticulously researched, and steeped in thorough knowledge, no less than deep understanding, of both this community and of the world of art in Paris at the beginning of the twentieth century... I could not put it down.” - Eva Etzioni-Halevy, author of The Triumph of Deborah, The Song of Hannah, and The Garden of Ruth

“HOTEL MOSCOW is bold and breathless. A smart story about a fearless New York woman who arrives in Russia with more baggage than she knows, it explores both the personal and the political with compelling prose, heartfelt insights and gripping action. An impressive achievement!” - Ellen Meister, author of Farewell, Dorothy Parker

“A gripping read. Rich with insight and detail, as well as drama and emotion...this book deftly explores a chapter in history that is little understood much less written about.” - Rodney Barker, author of Dancing with the Devil: Sex, Espionage and the U.S. Marines