by Jason Matthews
The Kremlin's Candidate is Jason Matthews' thriller trifecta.
Russian counterintelligence chief Dominika Egorova has a "superweapon." She is a synesthete. Reading moods as colors she is able to assess emotions, intentions, and deceptions. Dominika is also an agent of the U.S. government, hiding her true anti-government intentions in the highest echelons of Russia. Nate Nash recruited her. He also loves her. This is more than problematic, it is could prove deadly.
In the third installment of the Matthews' Red Sparrow Trilogy, Dominika and Nate must navigate their tenuous relationship as they try to discover and stop a Russian agent poised for appointment in the US government. Espionage cuts both ways in this game of spy vs spy. The Russians' asset is an American.
Matthews, a 33-year CIA veteran, began his second career as a novelist with the best-seller and now major motion picture, Red Sparrow. He writes as one who knows. Interestingly, he only writes what the CIA allows, as all his work must pass through their Publication Review Board. The fact that Matthews' work endures the scrutiny of those eyes should whet the appetite of those who long for a little more reality among the throng of international thrillers published each year.
Insightful for what one learns about spy craft, international relations, and the human condition; the book is also a page-turner. Arriving at the end, you want it to go on.