This is a well-written, meticulously researched novel, which follows Cristian, a 17-year-old high school student living in Bucharest, Romania in 1989. Life in Romania under the brutal communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu is harsh and terrifying. There are long lines for tiny scraps of food, freezing, bleak apartment blocks, and constant power outages. The Securitate, Romania's secret police with their network of informants, turns neighbors, friends and family members against each other. Everyone lives in a state of constant suspicion and fear. The author conveys vividly the deprivation and terror experienced by Cristian, his family and friends. Like his brave and funny grandfather, Cristian questions the regime and works to undermine its power, even though he is in terrible danger. I Must Betray You is immersive, tense, powerful and gut-wrenching. I knew that the Ceausescu regime was awful, but this novel really brought home the hideous nature of the suffering and despair that Romanians experienced. Cristian's story made it real and relatable. Ruta Sepetys is now a must-read author for me. Highly recommended.