Moscow Nights Return by Beth H. Macy

A fast-paced plunge into contemporary spycraft with some classic Cold War twists, Moscow Nights Return by Beth H. Macy is a gripping international thriller.

Despite being a respected elder in the realm of espionage, Elda Ainsworth can still throw down with the best of them, but there is risk in every mission – especially when it comes to extracting Russian agents in possession of dangerous secrets. Shaking off the rust of near-retirement, Elda must lose her tails and find an exit route for her precious cargo before a merciless assassin ties them both up as one more loose end. Getting into Russia is one thing, but getting out is harder, as Elda must navigate a familiar minefield of paranoid family members, keen-eyed agents, and a crossfire of bullets from rival superpowers.

The plot is keenly crafted and original, but the prose has a tendency to be blunt and declarative, with the narration often explaining the precise motives, emotions, reactions, or consequences of a given interaction or bit of evidence. This straightforward style makes the story readily accessible, but perhaps less satisfying for those who enjoy reading between the lines in a covert thriller. The plot also tends towards the overly convenient or serendipitous, such as Elda nearly running into her half-brother almost immediately after years away from Russia.

That said, the intensity and minutiae of espionage on both small and large scales is a highlight of this story, painting a shadowy portrait of double lives engaging in surprising layers of deception, which results in an engrossing work of spy fiction.