Back in the USSR #664936

Enter 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 elevator rides that could be your last.

When Harrison, the 14-year-old son of American diplomats, lands in Moscow at the height of the Cold War, all he wants is to be left alone with his daydreams and his music.

But his father has vanished. His mother is keeping secrets. And his friend Prudence, the fearless daughter of foreign correspondents, leads him on a chase across a frozen city that changes everything.

Surrounded by danger on all sides, Harrison and Prudence race against spies and mobsters to recover a priceless vinyl record that just might save the world from nuclear war.

Loaded with suspense, packed with puzzles, and laced with sly humor, Back in the USSR takes you on a wild ride — inspired by the author’s own experiences growing up at U.S. embassies during the Cold War — that keeps you on the edge of your seat right up to its emotional, uplifting ending.

A follow-up to the author’s Strawberry Fields (either book can be read first), it’s perfect for fans of Jennifer Nielsen, Alan Gratz, Ruta Sepetys, Steve Sheinkin, and James Ponti.

Buy now and be transported to a world of secrets and spies!


"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

“I completely fangirl Back in the USSR by Patrick D. Joyce.” -A License to Quill blog