(See all my Book Reviews and Author Interviews) – Author Andrew Turpin (https://www.andrewturpin.com) published the novel “The Kremlin’s Vote” in 2021. Mr. Turpin has published eight novels. This is the first in his ‘Jayne Robinson Thriller’ series. I had the chance to interview the author in September of 2018. You can read the interview here.
I received an ARC of this novel from the author in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of violence and mature situations. The book is set in 2015. The primary character is Jayne Robinson. She was working for MI6 and is now an independent intelligence operative.
Robinson learns that the husband of her good friend Simone Steyn has been murdered. He was the Secretary of State for New Hampshire. As the days pass, more Secretaries of State are killed. The killer seems to have a link to Russia. While this is going on the CIA contracts Robinson for a mission. They want her to slip into Russia and make contact with a double agent.
Not only does the CIA want to establish contact, but they also are looking for answers. Why are US State officials being killed? The Russian plot is somehow tied to the upcoming US presidential election. Of course, Robinson’s plans are short-lived. She has been in Russia only a short time before her presence is discovered and a hunt ensues.
Without spoiling the plot it is difficult to say more. So many open questions surround Robinson’s mission. Will she be able to escape Russia? Will she be able to contact the double agent yet keep their identity a secret? Can she discover why the killings are taking place? Can the killer be stopped before more people die?
I enjoyed the 9+ hours I spent reading this 456-page thriller. I have read two books by the author. The first was The Last Nazi. I have enjoyed them both. This book has a very logical flow of events in the plot. There is none of the common ‘super spy’ stuff. This book is very believable fiction. Made more so by allegations of foreign interference surrounding the 2020 election. I like the selected cover art. I give this novel a 4.4 (rounded down to a 4) out of 5.
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John's Notes 