“Red Star Burning” by Brian Freemantle, published by Thomas Dunne Books.

Category – Mystery/Thriller/Spy

Charlie Muffin, English Spy, is in protective custody. His wife, Natalia, a member of the Russian spy organization FSB, and his daughter, Sasha, are still in Russia.

MI5 and MI6 are working together, like that’s going to work, to bring out Maxim Radtsic and his family at the same time they plan to extract Natalia and Sasha.

Charlie doesn’t trust MI5 or MI6 and decides that he will extract his wife and daughter himself. Little does he know that he is being set up and that his actions could cause him his life. It is up to Charlie to foil not only his government but also the Russian government. This becomes readily apparent when he finds out that his mission is being used as a distraction to facilitate the extraction of the Radtsic family.

This is not an American spy novel, it is British, and therefore you will not find the action that usually accompanies the American novel. You will, however, find a top notch mind game going on between both MI5 and MI6 and Charlie, each one trying to outwit the other and finding a way to place blame for any problems on the other.

A very enjoyable read if you are looking for a book that probably portrays the life of spying in its true color. A spy novel that looks at the real nuts and bolts of espionage.