Run For Your Life: The remarkable true story of a family forced into hiding after leaking Russian secrets

by Sue Williams

The remarkable true story of a family forced into hiding after leaking Russian secrets

What started out as a great adventure turned into a terrifying nightmare when Nick Stride and his family were forced to flee for their lives from one of the richest, most powerful men in the world.
 
Nick moved to Russia in 1998 to help build the British Embassy in Moscow, but ended up on the run with his wife and two children after leaking secrets from Vladimir Putin’s one-time deputy. Hiding off grid on Australia’s final frontier – remote beaches on the Dampier Peninsula on the far north Kimberley coast – the family faced crocodiles, sharks, snakes, raging bushfires and the devastating Cyclone Yvette, and survived only by catching fish and crabs and learning how to kill wild animals. It was a life-or-death move, but Nick felt he had no choice. Now, emerging from isolation, the family are finally ready to share their incredible story.
 

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Russia

303 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 3, 2024

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

Reviews

[Kimmy C · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the Almost Too Bizzare To Be True files - Nick, in the late 90s in the UK, has a failed marriage behind him and rarely sees the two children from that. Offered a specialist building job in Russia, he leaps at the chance to earn some money and get his life together. Success there provides another offer, but with stricter terms - a businessman who is rapidly climbing the Putin ladder to success in the former USSR. Sensing danger, Nick, who is by now married to a Russian woman, and has 2 children, organises to leave quickly, and seeking safety, but not where the Russians could easily find him (note: all the attacks on presumed threats in the UK, via Novichok, ‘accidental’ defenestration, polonium tea, unexplained medical incidents…) and subsequently finds himself in Western Australia. Frustrating bureaucracy (including the ‘you don’t look like a refugee’ attitude) sees the family go on the run to places that have all the menace of a Russian threat to life - the real Aus outback. Battling snakes, crocs, spiders, weather, land, and the biggest demon - their own mental health, this family tries against the odds to survive long enough to have a successful application/appeal. Really gritty stuff. Trigger warning: mental health issues, self harm.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the first reviewer, I feel a great weight upon me. I picked this book up because I needed a break from fiction. This story was both enlightening and irritating. The subject, Nick, made a series of bad choices in his life. Then even more bad choices as he moved to Russia. He originally wasn’t a spy, but chose to be when he gave files to a journalist. A choice he didn’t have to make, but was painted as “he was just trying to be a good citizen.” We’re also told throughout the book “he was just trying to be a good dad” but any good parent would put the welfare of their children above their own safety. At one point he needed to make money, he did so illegally. It would have helped him to use that money on a lawyer, but instead got a family dog. Dog = one more mouth to feed. Nick and his wife were selfish and didn’t consider their kids’ welfare, only their own. In the end, his wife (who was the Russian and would have suffered the worst of Nick’s decision to give files to a journalist) left him. So what was the point of all that the children suffered? I hope these children continue to get the mental help they need and have lovely lives despite a major portion of their childhood being torn apart between a selfish mother and an ignorant father. I think the main intention of this book is to point out the broken immigration system in Australia- news flash- immigration is a broken system in all westernized countries.

[Norrie Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nick Stride, in 1998, was down on his luck in England. With a failed marriage and estranged children, he takes a job in Russia. He marries a Russian and they have two children, but things start to turn sour when he is (wrongly) suspected of spying. Eventually, he and the family are forced to escape and end up in Australia, far away from the Putin regime.
The book works at many levels. It contrasts life and politics in the UK, Russia and Australia at a time of changing power structures and public attitudes. It highlights the abject failure of successive Australian governments’ to humanely deal with people fleeing persecution.
Sue Williams has delivered a roller coaster ride of adventure and torment. On every level, this book delivers and each page offers experiences to be remembered.
See the full review at: https://www.queenslandreviewerscollec...

[Peter Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Very well written and made more interesting for me having visited most of the places in Australia and New Zealand that are key locations in the book

[Tom Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I might have ever read, blew my mind 🤯

[Liz Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a story! And as is so often the way with non-fiction, you couldn’t make this stuff up. A true ‘boys own’ adventure except it was, at times, touch and go whether they’d make it through their challenges.

[Marg Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!!!! The best book I’ve read all year!

[Adam Courtenay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sue Williams gives a very accomplished account of the Stride Family’s troubles. Nick gets too close to a high powered Russian, feels compromised and takes his family on the run. As an account, it is flawless. Williams has got the nitty-gritty of their dire circumstances down pat, but I think she was a tad too close to the subjects - she says being caught and tracked by the Russians was a 1% chance and only at the end do we get an idea how true this is - the Russians were never coming for them. He just wasn’t a big enough fish.
In other words, Nick was highly paranoid - and this needed to be said. The family made it too hard for themselves. But Williams tells their story very well.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible story of survival that unfolded in Australia. A take of suffering and remarkable courage by a family caught in a political quagmire.

[Colette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating and well told story about a courageous family and their life of survival. It also highlights the inhumanity of bureaucratic immigration policies.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

The true story of Nick Stride and his family fleeing Russian bureaucracy. His first marriage exploded in England leaving him heartbroken at losing his children. He takes a holiday in Australia, travelling extensively and returns to England pretty much together. As a glazier he receives an invitation to work in Moscow, where he marries Ludmilla, a scientist; they have two children Michael and Anya, who by now are little Russians, so he returns ro England to “anglify” them but Ludmilla having little English hates it. She is delighted when a top Russian politician, Igor Shuvalov and one of Putin’s closes allies, invites Nick to return to Moscow to work on a special project. Things get very complicated. Working closely in a large project ignite Russian paranoia, especially when Shuvalov becomes involved in corrupt undertakings, which in turn ignites Nick’s paranoia: he feels he has to get out of Russia because they think “he knows too much”. He does indeed, he takes the hard drive of his work computer with him. He tries back in England but London and Moscow are close, with too many out of favour Russians being murdered in England. The family heads for Australia as asylum seekers. Australia Home Affairs however order him to be repatriated to England with the children, while Ludmilla must go back to Russia, where she will undoubtedly be imprisoned. The family live in Bunbury where the children go to school and love it while Nick petitions Home Affairs to stay in Australia but all he can get are temporary visas while he is being “processed”. His background doesn’t fit the categories for refugee status, despite appeals to several ministers, including Michaelia Cash, Peter Dutton, and Chris Bowen: all are unmoved. The orders are unchanged: England for him and the kids, Moscow for Ludmilla. Determined not to break up the family they make the only choice: go into hiding, hours before Ludmilla is to be forcibly deported. Meantime, he contacts a Michael Weiss, an American who is writing an exposure of Shuvalov, supplying him with much detail from his hard drive. It is an explosive article a]that sparks Nick;s paranoia in case he is linked as the source: accordingly he must hide not only from Australian officialdom but the Russians as well. They spend three years roughing it in the Kimberleys WA. Nick becomes afraid for the children having no education and no social life, while the family is breaking up with the stress. Ludmilla separates. Anya stays in Bunbury with friends while Nick and Michael and Nick go to Vietnam where they transit to New Zealand, with Anya to follow. The bureaucratic ins and outs to this point are just unbelievable. Yet the New Zealand Immigration officials greet them with kindness and help the Nick and eventually both children to settle. Ludmilla and Nick divorce: he marries another Russian in New Zealand and that is where they all are now. The story is very complex, the bureaucracy unbelievable, Russian of course is the worst, but the English and Australia immigration officials and ministers as last appeal are almost as bad, being rigid, legalistic and totally unsympathetic, in sharp contrast to New Zealand officialdom. Reporter Sue Williams tells the story as a detailed factual account, no fictionalising, which gives it a greater impact. It is all true, with accompanying photos to prove it. If ever they come to read this, Australian officials and politicians should cringe with shame, but I doubt they would on both counts: either read this, or cringe if they did.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“As we were driving around, I kept thinking that we couldn’t go back to Russia and we couldn’t even return to the UK, as both would be too dangerous”, he says. “Then again, Australia is a very sparsely populated country, and the outback is a completely different world. It could often be so barren and offer so much solitude. It occurred to me that you could be in any part of Australia, and even the Australians wouldn’t know where you were. It was a thought I couldn’t shake. “

This describes in part how Nick Stride’s life began to unravel. Escaping Russia with his English children and Russian wife, with documents he shouldn’t have, Nick is desperate to get as far away from Russia as possible.

Seeking asylum in Australia did not go well for Nick. Why would an immigration official believe an English citizen would need political asylum? His case was handled badly from the beginning and the author includes comments on Nicks case from several legal experts in asylum seeking.

This true story does pull on the emotions. It did for me. His two children by his Russian wife amazed me by their resilience for the most part, as the family fled further and further into isolated areas of Australia. Places I would never venture: snakes, crocodiles, poisonous sea creatures. Yet they made a sort of life just to stay together.

The story takes the reader on this family’s desperate need to be safe. What is worse? Facing KYB operatives or a snake in the toilet?

The children stole my heart. Their story continues but the ending here in 2023 gives hope for their future.

[Lauren Jesch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surreal account of a family’s endeavors living in hiding in remote parts of Australia, fearing family separation or persecution from the Russian government. It was an easy read and takes you along from Nick’s formative years to where he and his family are today… it’s a bit hard to get through at points (given how often luck wasn’t on their side), but remarkable to see what they’ve overcome 🥲

I wouldn’t necessarily read it again, but enjoyed it — as well as the inclusion of pictures from their time on the run.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

All politicians should read this. Australia has a lot of work to do when it comes to treating refugees/ asylum seekers with dignity and respect.

[Michael Hastings · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating account, reported in a very 'no frills' style.

[Hendrik Nyström]

Great story and very interesting information about Russia and Australia told by an Englishman.

[Babette DiBella · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an interesting read. The negative impact on Nick's children, both of whom had loving parents for the duration of their childhood, highlights the impact trauma can have on young people who are removed from their social networks.

[Rupert Grech · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amazing story. I felt the writing was a little bland in sections and could have been more expressive, rather than journalistic, but the incredible story makes the book highly engaging.

[Kate Hendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this and found it absolutely amazing how all the family resolved to carry on using different ways of rationalising how they managed it personally . It took a big toll on all of them . Marriage broke down , Michael their son came out relatively unscathed , but Anya daughter was very traumatised . It would be interesting to hear their stories when they are in 40/50’s .

[Slava Drozd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible story. I think though that there were some circumstances that didn’t make it into the book, so the book became a bit biased in a way.
First, it’s not really completely clear what role Nick had with all that construction in Russia that he was under threat - book didn’t make that clear. Second, relationship with his wife - how come she didn’t get legal status in UK, how they drifted apart in Australia.
These aspects wouldn’t be in Nick’s favour maybe maybe not - but the reader would learn from those “mistakes”. 5 starts read regardless.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the story of an English/Russian family forced into hiding.
A lot of the book was interviews or comments by the family themselves, except for the mother.
I was frustrated that the children's welfare jeopardised by these parents...they had a lot of potential but suffered because of the parents choices

[Other Terrain · Rating 5 out of 5]

“On a rugged beach of fiery red sand, shark-infested waters and patrolling crocodiles somewhere in the remote reaches of Australia’s far northwest, a little family are fighting the battle of their lives.”

Would you go into hiding in the isolated and dangerous stretches of northwest Western Australia to save your family? This is exactly what Nick Stride did with his family for nearly a decade. In Run For Your Life: The remarkable true story of a family forced into hiding after leaking Russian secrets, author and journalist Sue Williams tells the fascinating true fight for the survival of Nick Stride, his Russian wife Luda and their children Michael and Anya (and later dog Molly)... https://www.otherterrainjournal.com.a...

(Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the ARC)

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just too annoying. The main character Nick just makes so many stupid decisions that I really didn’t like him. Why does he never ask for help before he does stupid things? There are so many moments in the book that he just should step back and ask someone else what they should do, instead he blunders through his life dragging his wife and kids into horrible situations

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read most of this book in a single sitting! It is an interesting and engaging read, but remarking in that it is based on a true story. Current political figures are named and the book shines a spotlight onto the way refugees are being treated in Australia.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a captivating read but I have a few unanswered questions.

1. Why did Nick not try and get shared custody of his first children? He seemed to give in.
2. I am still not quite sure why Nick and family thought they were in danger before Nick leaked the files to the US journalist. There was quite a long period before this happened. I guess it was possible if someone was looking they could tell Nick had copied the files?
3. Why did they leave Banana Well Getaway and go to The Beach? It didn't seem like there was any clear reason they needed to except think?

I also don't quite understand why when they had quite a lot of terrible times in Australia (and especially from Immigration) they also still all yearn to go back there. It felt like an abused person still being in love with their abuser to me.

[Fiona · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can’t understand the 5 star reviews… did we read the same book?

Feels like a story of a man who continuously makes dubious (ridiculous?) life choices that put his family in danger (rather than avoiding it) or was just delusional and paranoid.

The writing seemed to try to make him hero and justify his actions but it did neither for me. Just made me feel very sorry for his children (and his wife, though her voice was completely missing from the story). I wish them all well recovering from this ordeal but if you’re after a story Russian espionage and intrigue, this is not it! (Try Red Notice by Bill Browder!)

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

After leaking some Russian secrets, Nick and his family are forced to flee to Australia to avoid the repercussions. But with months and months of getting nowhere with trying to obtain work visas, the family is forced to hide out in a remote area of Australia to avoid being deported back to Russia. They spend years living off-grid, learning to fish and hunt and dealing with crocodiles, sharks, snakes, raging bushfires and devastating cyclones. An amazing story of resilience against the odds.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was expecting more Bill Browder Red Notice vibes, and got a bit more outback adventure than I had bargained for here. Interesting enough, but too much visa drama and not enough Russian bad guys for me.

[Robyn G….y · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing story! Hard to believe they managed to survive the Australian Outback as well as they did.

I think he took way too many risks and is lucky his children survived, because his 2nd marriage certainly didn’t.

[Felicity Gooding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story, a reminder that getting into a dangerous situation can happen to anyone. But I felt like I was reading a school assignment, felt like I was watching from afar rather than immersed.