«Moscow at Midnight» by Sally McGrane

Max Rushmore is re-hired by the CIA to return to Moscow and investigate the death of a beautiful nuclear waste disposal expert. But Max, who can drink even the Russians under the table, soon uncovers all sorts of inconsistencies: could it even be that she is not dead at all?
So begins a game of cat-and-mouse that takes Max across Russia, from St Petersburg to Novosibirsk, as he follows his only clue: a rare Siberian diamond.
With all the breathless tension of classic espionage novels, Moscow at Midnight is both humorous and utterly enthralling – in every sense, a fast-paced pageturner of the old school.
“This playful spy thriller has Max, out on his ear from the CIA, picking up some dodgy contract work that sends him back to his former stamping ground. But contemporary Russia, where Max finds his old contacts clinging on, turns out to be so deliriously weird and dangerous that Cold War espionage starts to look simple. There’s grimy charm, acerbic wit and an OTT plot – but in Russia these days, you could well believe it.” Sunday Times Crime Club – Star pick for September 2017
“Moscow at Midnight is a highly entertaining contemporary spy thriller. The fast-paced plot and light, easy flow of the narrative is enhanced…by occasional poetic descriptions and McGrane's skillful play with genre conventions… I would highly recommend it for a fun, entertaining read which raises questions in the reader’s mind long after the final page has been turned.” Ann Winter, Mslexia
“Sally McGrane’s fantastic debut . . . is, in its observations and marginalia, a whole-hearted declaration of love for the madness of Russia in general – and Moscow in particular.” Die Welt (book of the week)
“A worthy successor to John le Carré… A fast-paced, well-written spy thriller, full of unexpected twists and turns.” Buchbord
“Great! Tense right up to the final page … A multi-layered, thrilling novel that is difficult to resist and hard to put down, from beginning to end.” Süddeutsche Zeitung
“Everyone's talking about Russia but this is a book that really takes you there, a crime thriller with a truly documentary eye, full of insights about Russian people, politics and culture- while never failing to intrigue and excite.” Peter Pomerantsev, author of Nothing is True and Everything is Possible.