Byline Budapest

A Cold War Historical Thriller

By: Diane Wagner

Narrated by: Catherine Rose Mercer

Behind the Iron Curtain, the Truth Can Kill You.

Europe, 1956. The Iron Curtain divides the Free West from the Soviet Bloc, and the battle for hearts and minds is waged with words, not bullets. Charlie Atkins, a 23-year-old California farm girl, works at Radio Free Europe in Munich, relaying Western news to millions trapped behind Soviet borders. She longs to report real stories—like her own, marked by the mysterious disappearance of her father, Captain A.J. Atkins, in the last days of World War II.

Her boss dismisses her: too young, too green, too female. But when the Hungarian people rise against Soviet rule, Charlie sees her chance. Defying orders, she heads straight into the heart of Budapest—unaware that Soviet tanks and troops are already massing to crush the revolution.

As the city erupts in chaos and the streets run red, Charlie must outwit soldiers, dodge bombs, and chase the truth before she’s silenced forever. Along the way, she uncovers secrets that could change her life—and reveal her father’s fate.

Gripping, atmospheric, and inspired by true events, Byline Budapest is a riveting Cold War thriller of courage, ambition, and the price of chasing the story of a lifetime.

©2025 Diane Wagner (P)2025 Diane Wagner

Something different for a change!

My favorite genre is historical fiction but it seems like every time I try to find something to read, it’s always about World War II or World War I or the Civil War. I was excited to see a book with a different historical background. It was a fun read,..it caught my interest at the very beginning and kept me wanting to read more. A few things were a little unrealistic to me, but at the end of the book I was excited to see that Charlie is going to go to Moscow in the next book. I’ll want to catch that one when it comes out. I just hope Ms. Wagner chooses a different narrator.