'Not just a thumpingly good read, but also essentially a story of human fragility and passions, albeit taking place under the intimidating shadow of a massive Stalinist portico.' The National A gripping read and must surely be one of the best novels of 2013. His ability to paint Stalin in such a way to make the reader quake with fire is matched by talent for creating truly heartbreaking characters: the children who find themselves at the centre of a conspiracy, the parents…. “A novel full of passion, conspiracy, hope, despair, suffering and redemption, it transcends boundaries of genre, being at once thriller and political drama, horror and romance. “Delicately plotted and buried within a layered, elliptical narrative, One Night in Winter is also a fidgety page-turner which adroitly weaves a huge cast of characters into an arcane world.” Time Out His ease with the setting and historical characters is masterly. The knot of events tugs at a wide range of emotions rarely experienced outside an intimate tyranny.' The Times Our fear for the children keeps up turning the pages. depicting the Kafkaesque labyrinth into which the victims stumble.' The Sunday Times Doomed love at the heart of a violent society is the heart of Montefiore's One Night in Winter. One Night in Winter is full of redemptive love and inner freedom.' Evening Standard

The novel's theme is Love: family love, youthful romance, adulterous passion. Stalin's chilling charisma is brilliantly realised. Montefiore weaves a tight, satisfying plot, delivering surprises to the last page. He has now completed his Moscow Trilogy of novels featuring Benya Golden and Comrade Satinov, Sashenka, Dashka and Fabiana. 'The Romanovs' is his latest history book. He read history at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University, where he received his Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD).

He has won prizes in both non-fiction and fiction. Simon Sebag Montefiore is the author of the global bestsellers 'The Romanovs' and 'Jerusalem: the Biography,' 'Stalin: the Court of the Red Tsar' and Young Stalin and the novels Sashenka and One Night in Winter and 'Red Sky at Noon.' His books are published in 48 languages and are worldwide bestsellers.

Stalin by simon sebag montefiore