Live from Moscow [Kindle Edition]

Eric Almeida's Live from Moscow is an entertaining thriller packed with mystery, politics, sex, and drugs--all set before a backdrop of international intrigue. Almeida fuses his reservoir of career experiences--working as a newspaper reporter and in international business--to worthwhile effect, with a style that is engaging and flows unhindered by superfluous characters. His protagonists, Claire Bradford and Steve Conley, develop multi-dimensional personas through imaginative dialogue and a captivating storyline.

Doing credit to the journalism profession--in the hazardous terrain of Tajikstan--American journalist Peter Bradford is slain in the line of duty. Bradford's assignment was to investigate the international heroin trade. As a result, his wife Claire is left to fend for herself--no children, no stable job, and no family, aside from Peter.

In a bizarre turn of events, the bodyguards that shoot Bradford are themselves killed. Throughout the book, there is a feeling that "something is not adding up," building anticipation and suspense.

As a tribute to Peter Bradford's professional dedication, Arthur Gallagher, the Managing Editor, sends Steve Conley to re-enact of Peter's final assignment. More importantly, Conley's mission resurrects Claire from the abyss of despair and gives her life a new meaning, and a much needed purpose. From Prague to Moscow to Dushanbe, Conley encounters compelling and enigmatic characters, including high-ranked officials of several governments--and realizes that there is a major conspiracy in the works. Gradually, against his better reflexes, he also finds himself attracted to Claire, while unearthing facts that point unmistakably in the direction of danger.

Live from Moscow is a fascinating tale that melds the intrigue of a mystery novel with contemporary dilemmas that often plague foreign countries. This is an absolute must-read page- turner that delivers a bit of everything: romance, suspense, and thrill.

This book caught my attention because it is an international thriller---probably my favorite genre---with a Boston angle. (I grew up in the area and now live in a suburb.) And on these two counts I was not disappointed. More than a quarter of the story occurs in Boston, with plenty of local nuance and familiar places, while the broader plot-line, which skips back and forth across two continents and four-five countries, is full of suspense and high-stakes international politics.

The most pleasant surprise, though, came from the characters. Too many novels in this genre are populated by cut-out secret agents and superhuman assassins. By contrast Almeida's characters are three-dimensional and true-to-life---ones I can actually imagine knowing from school and encountering at a BC football game or Logan Airport. Conley and Gallagher (his editor) are particularly well-drawn. I even found myself identifying and sympathizing with Claire, the French female protagonist. In fact all the international characters, including the Russian ones, seemed pulled from reality.

This was only the second book I've read on Kindle (I received the device as a gift this past Christmas) and I raced through it in airplanes and hotels during a three-day business trip, eager to return to it at every opportunity. "Live from Moscow" is a cut above most international thrillers---my most entertaining, enjoyable read in quite a while.

Take a generous portion of political drama, a whirlwind of international travel, a heap of suspense, and a pinch of sexual tension, and you have Eric Almeida's Live From Moscow. That's a pretty tempting recipe if you ask me.

It is important to first point out that Live From Moscow is not for the slow-paced reader; Almeida throws us right into the heat of things in the very first chapter, when we are faced with the death of protagonist, Claire's, husband. Throughout the novel, the storyline's pace never decelerates. Though I don't want to give away any key details, I found this aspect of the plot to be at times tiring and somewhat confusing. If you are capable of keeping pace, however, by all means don't hesitate to give this book a read.

Admittedly, I was at first rather anxious when I started to read this novel. I was unsure if my lack of knowledge regarding international politics would hinder my overall reading experience. Luckily, it most definitely served as no impediment in the comprehension of the story at hand. So if, like me, you are inexperienced in the ways of foreign and domestic policy, don't be intimidated. Almeida does a great job when it comes to keeping the formal terminology and international references at a comfortable level.

I always find it rather insulting when authors somehow see the need to flaunt their knowledge of a subject matter by trying to incorporate as many outlandish terms and phrases as possible. Therefore, I was extremely pleased with Almeida's appropriate (and tactful) portrayal of foreign affairs. Instead of feeling like I was in a history class, it felt more like I was watching the newly released spy-thriller at my town's local movie theater. It truly made for an enjoyable read.

Ultimately, Almeida's novel delivers on all fronts of the "thriller" genre. I found Almeida's ability to strike a keen balance between suspense and character development specifically impressive. There really is a little bit of everything (action, suspense, romance) in this book--a distinguishing factor from novels of the same genre. Most importantly, Live From Moscow has a sort of universal relevance that I am certain most readers will find quite appealing.