We see him struggling with a new wife and a gnarly adolescent son in long domestic scenes set forth in unadorned prose. This matter-of-fact style continues as Alex, who we meet as a burnt-out ex-CIA operative, is persuaded to head off to Russia to help a source of intel get out. Gears shift a bit for the long chase scene that follows, but it’s in the concluding chapters that we see—rather, feel—the emotional effect of all this understatement as all betrayals are revealed. It’s a stunning moment, since readers are invited to bring their long-denied shock and surprise to the scene.
Vidich’s latest superb spy thriller (after Beirut Station) owes more to Charles McCarry than John le Carré, but the message is the same: spies pay for their loyalty in their inability to trust anyone else’s.
Vidich serves up a rare misfire with this action-starved tale ... The narrative’s temperature rarely rises above a low heat, with little genuine suspense on offer. As a protagonist, Matthews lacks spark, and the plot suffers from numerous implausibilities, including a finale involving Matthews’s wife that will leave most readers perplexed. Vidich is capable of much better.
Proof that we don’t need the Cold War for smart spy fiction ... As tension builds to a dramatic conclusion, so does the doubt. Vivid writing sets the tone ... The plot delivers eye-opening twists as well as insights into the Russian psyche.
