MYSTERY

The Poet’s Game: A Spy in Moscow

Pegasus. May 2025. 336p. ISBN 9781639368853. $27.95. THRILLER
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Alex Matthews used to run a string of CIA spies in Moscow, until he was forced out by enemies back home. Now he heads Trinity Capital, investing his clients’ funds in Russia. The Agency calls him back for a one-off mission. Byron, a Russian asset recruited by Alex, has a file to share on a matter of national security implicating the White House. He’ll only meet with Alex. The meeting is a disaster, and Alex is imprisoned temporarily. Upon release, he returns to Washington to continue rebuilding his life after the death of his wife and daughter in a boating accident. He’s now married to Anna, a Russian translator for the Agency. But something’s not right. In Moscow, Putin’s government audits Alex’s firm, threatening to confiscate its funds. It’s dangerous to return. But Byron will only talk to Alex, who reluctantly agrees. Back in Russia, Alex is outfoxed at every step and there’s a leak. Is the mole Anna?
VERDICT 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.
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