JoeWildernessisaWorldWarIIorphan,aconditionthathethinksexcuseshimfromcommonmorality.Catburglar,cardsharp,andCockneywideboy,thelastthinghewantsistogetdrafted.Butin1946hefindshimselfintheRoyalAirForce,facingastretchinmilitaryprison…whenalongcomesLtColonelBurne-JonestotellhimMI6hasbetteruseforhistalents.PostedtooccupiedBerlin,interrogatingex-Nazis,andburglingtheoddapartmentforMI6,Wildernessfindshimselfwithtimeonhishandsandthedevilmakingwork.HefallsinwithFrank,aUSArmycaptain,withEddie,aBritishartillerymanandwithYuri,amajorintheNKVDandtogethertheylifttheblackmarketscamtoanewlevel.Coffeenevertastedsosweet.AndhefallsforNellBreakheart,aGermangirlwhohaswitnessedtheworstthatGermanycoulddoandisdrivenbyallthescruplesthatWildernesslacks.Fifteenyearslater,June1963.Wildernessisfree-lanceanddownonhisluck.Agumshoescrapingbyondivorcecases.FrankisabigshotonMadisonAvenue,cookinguponelastBerlinscam…forwhichheneedsWildernessoncemore.Onlynowthey'renotsmugglingcoffee,they'resmugglingpeople.AndNell?NellisonthestaffofWestBerlin'smayorWillyBrandt,planningforthestatevisitofthemostpowerfulmanintheworld:"IchbineinBerliner!"ThenWeTakeBerlinisagripping,meticulouslyresearchedandrichlydetailedhistoricalthrilleramovingstoryofespionageandwar,andpeoplecaughtupinthemosttumultuouseventsofthetwenty-firstcentury.