Second Child

The Second Child by Malcolm Knox is a razor-sharp historical thriller with the bite of black comedy, set inside the paranoid splendour of Stalin’s Kremlin in 1945. In the war’s final days, Josef Stalin is restless and suspicious, convinced his ruthless security chief, Lavrentiy Beria, is manoeuvring for power. Beria’s newest asset is Melor Murtova: fiercely loyal, newly returned from exile, and pulled into the world of privileged Kremlin offspring where every friendship is a test and every favour has a price. As Potsdam looms and the stakes tighten, Melor must read shifting loyalties, survive deadly court politics, and quietly pursue her own urgent question—what really happened to her parents? Perfect for readers who love political intrigue, espionage fiction, and Soviet history with a satirical edge, as well as fans of intelligent, darkly funny literary fiction. Step into Knox’s chilling court of secrets and see who makes it out alive.