Moscow Bound

The Puppet Meisters Trilogy #1

by Adrian Churchward

Ekaterina Romanova, the estranged wife of Russia's wealthiest oligarch Konstantin Gravchenko, asks Scott Mitchell, an idealistic young English human rights lawyer who is being intimidated by the authorities, to find the father she's never met. She believes he's been languishing for decades without trial in the Gulag system. Meanwhile, General Pravda of military intelligence, though an advocate of transparency, is determined to protect a covert operation that he's been running for years. General Pravda hinders Ekaterina and Scott at every turn and lawyer and client are forced to go on the run for a murder they didn't commit. As they descend into the Hades that is the world of international realpolitik Scott is compelled to reconsider his own values, and Pravda's life's work disintegrates, when Scott uncovers a 50 year-old Cold War secret, which both the Russian and US governments are still trying to hide from the public domain. 'Moscow Bound' is the first book in The Puppet Meisters trilogy, dealing with state abuse of power.

Genres: Fiction

342 pages, Hardcover

First published April 15, 2014

About the author

Between 1984 and 1998 Adrian Churchward lived and worked in Moscow, Budapest and Prague as an East-West trade lawyer, representing British, American and German corporations. During this period he became proficient in
translating Russian commercial and legal texts into English. He was one of the few Western lawyers working in the day-to-day arena of President Gorbachev's liberalisation process of perestroika and glasnost, and which ultimately resulted in the collapse of communism and disintegration of the Soviet Union. In 1991, he witnessed the abortive coup against Gorbachev and in 1993, he was again present in Moscow when Yeltsin ordered the shelling of the Russian parliament building, aka the "The Russian White House". He lives in London, has two daughters, three grandsons and a cat that eats furniture. Read more about Adrian at www.adrianchurchward.com.

Reviews

[Kieran · Rating 5 out of 5]

A riveting read and a chilling political thriller in the vein of John Le Carré, Frederick Forsyth with the geo-political conspiracy laced edge of a Robert Ludlum or Tom Clancy.

All in all, the book is informative, the dialogue sparkles and you will not be disappointed by the various plot twists and thrills. All characters are well rounded and three dimensional, and the Anglo-Russian political drama is an interesting concept and pertinent to modern day current affairs. I found the main character Scott Mitchell to be humorously laconic, well developed and almost a flawed anti-hero, although he shows his metal as the plot develops.

I am most definitely looking forward to the follow up sequel and completion of the trilogy. The plot structure reminded me of Graham Greene but the topic was original enough to stand on its own merits. Thank you for the Good Read Adrian!

[Yvonne Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was gripping from the first page, the type of book you just can't put down! I hope the next one is here soon.

[Toni Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 1, in “The Puppet Meisters” trilogy.

This is an engaging story that surely will please anyone who is interested in reading thrillers set in contemporary Russia and enjoys navigating the complexities of its law, its bureaucracy and are concerned about the ever-growing abuses of state power. Scott Mitchell, the fictionalized idealistic human rights lawyer, is one of the messengers in this suspenseful and very captivating novel that revisits Cold War themes.

The story opens with an electrifying start and keeps the tempo throughout and never let go, so be ready to stay captivated for hours. Although keeping with the Russian names may be somewhat of a challenge but is a lot of fun once into it, I for one, gobbled it down in now time. The author handles the various threads competently and has provided us with a story that has depth and populated with rich and archetypal characters we came to expect in modern day political tales. To add colour we have the gorgeous Ekaterina, young Russian mother separated from her oligarch husband and Pravda, a Lieutenant-General of the GRU (military intelligence).

The main plot and sub-plots have all the exciting elements: The book opens with Scott Mitchell, a human right activist, a hero and defender of ethnic minority manages right from the start to get in trouble with the Russian army. One thing leads to another and Ekaterina shows up needing Scott’s help finding her father, a man who was spirited away by the KGB years ago. Now more mystery is added when POV characters are found murdered in particular manner, Pravda, an honest and patriotic soldier gets mixed in and slowly we are into an explosive military secret that is at risk to be revealed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and looking forward to its sequel.

My thanks to NetGalley and to Silverwood Books for the opportunity to read this book

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scott Mitchell has just won a case against the Russian military. Needless to say he has made a name for himself but he has not made many friends. Ekaterina Romanova is on the hunt for her missing father and she turns to Scott to find him. But every where they turn they run into trouble.

General Pravada was assigned the task of watching over some men years prior and has learned the Scott and Ekaterina are interested in one of those men. So, he tries his best to detour them from finding him. But he starts questioning his job when secrets start coming out.

This is an interesting book. I couldn’t help but get wrapped up in the story, especially with that prologue. This book is so detail oriented I felt right there along with Scott and Ekaterina trying to find her dad. I like the dynamics on the search. Ekaterina has more information than what she is giving Scott but it’s like pulling teeth to get it. And Scott, after his legal battle with the military you would think that he would know now to trust any of them.

I admit that I don’t really read that many stories along the line of this book but I’m really glad that I did. I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. This is a great, fast paced book with lots of twists and turns. I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next book.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

[Shruti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted in This is Lit - Book Blog.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t give this book’s sequel a glowing rating because I had problems with the plot. Moscow Bound, however, is so much better and was definitely intriguing to read. Ekaterina, one-dimensional in the next book, sounds a little more alive in this one.

This book has excellent writing. One problem some readers may have is pronouncing and remembering the Russian names in this book. I’m good with remembering names and I didn’t find the Russian ones that difficult, but I’m not so sure about other readers.

This is an entirely plot-driven book–the plot is airtight and has just enough political intrigue, action, and drama to make this an engrossing read. This could easily have been a 5-star read if it weren’t for the characters. A little bit more life and character development would definitely have pushed this book to a 4.5 at least.

Read this book if you like a good mystery with politics, Russian bureaucracy, and a solid plot.

[Rosie Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moscow bound is a mystery set in and around Moscow in 2013. It begins with a murder of a lone man. The rest of the tale is spread over a time period of just over a week, filled with plenty of action. We meet Scott Mitchell, a human rights lawyer who has just won a case in the European courts against the Russian military.

Scott bravely returns to Moscow where he works, but he's upset a powerful enemy and his return to Russia is not an easy one. The publicity he has gained sends a new client to him. Ekaterina Romanova is searching for her father who has been held captive without trial for many years. She only has one thread of a trail to start their search but when they get caught on camera at the scene of a crime more than one set of people want to know more about them.

Is Ekaterina telling Scott the truth? What is she not telling him? Why is General Pravda interested in their search and just who can you trust in a country which often shoots first and asks questions later? As the Russian people embrace some of their newer freedom, the old men who ruled with iron fists are dying off, but fighting within still exists and will anyone in Russia ever learn to trust again? There are many twists and turns in the book which kept me glued to the pages to find out just who or what is drawn Moscow Bound.

[Robert Intriago · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is complex and captivating. Having been to Moscow the descriptions of the city are fascinating. I wanted to give it a 5 star because of the lovely plot and the fact that the thread of the story kept you wanting to read on and on but the characters lack context. Maybe as one of my reader friends stated: "I need to be patient as this is a trilogy". I do believe that it is important that the main protagonists in a story are given a background in order to fully appreciate them, like why is Scott Mitchell an attorney in Moscow? I look forward to reading the next novel and maybe finding the answer to my question.

[John Mccormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am very grateful to Netgalley for providing a kindle copy of this book to read and honestly review, particularly in view of the fact that this a quite brilliant read.
Ekaterina Romanova the estranged wife of Russia's wealthiest oligarch, employs Scott Mitchell English civil rights lawyer based in Moscow, and considered public enemy number one following his success defending Chechen's in European court of human rights. She wants him to find the father she has never met and believes is languishing in the Gulag system for over thirty years without trial.
General Pravda of military intelligence will hinder their search at every opportunity as he struggles to protect the covert operation he inherited, and been running for years. Throw in a mysterious murderer professionally killing ageing Russians, linked to our heroes investigation which turns out to be a fifty year old cold war secret.
This is the first book in the "Puppet Meisters Trilogy", and is such a quality read that i thoroughly enjoyed i have already bought the second book.
Brilliant from first to last page, a very well plotted complete thriller in every sense of the word, John Le Carre's cerebral style meets Frederick Forsyth intense in depth description.
Great credible characterisations, a real sense of time and place, constant plot twists, fast paced, absorbing, intriguing a complete page turner in ever sense of the words.
Heartily recommended.

[Jeremy Reppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the second book in the series first, not realizing at the time that it was part of a series. As a result, going back and reading the first book provided me with the back stories of many of the characters in the second book and helped explain the dynamics between some of the characters. Similar to the second book, the first book had an intricate and compelling plot with lots of twists and turns, as well as interesting and colorful characters. It was an enjoyable read. I look forward to the third and final book in the series.

[Tomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable spy thriller/mystery about Russia and POWs. It took an interesting turn when the Vietnam War got thrown into the mix. I won this book on Goodreads.

[Mrs. J. Willett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Kept me on the edge of my seat with all the twists and turns. A terrific page turner. I would definitely recommend.

[Mia Darien · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I received this book in exchange for an honest review. It received a 3.5 on my blog.)

I’ve been struggling to try to write this review and try to properly express my views on the book, because my opinion is rather conflicted.

This was not a bad book. The writing is competent, and there was a fairly steady feeling of suspense through out. Our author did well with the history and the setting, to really give you that picture and keep both your interest and your intrigue. So, this story hit the marks of plot, setting, and intrigue.

What fell apart for me was in the character development. One aspect of reading is, to me, getting into the characters and caring about them. I never really felt like I felt enough for the main characters in this book, particularly the one who was our main figure: Scott. But I didn’t hook much into Ekaterina, or Pravda. (Although I did more for Pravda than the other two.)

I never really felt like I got to know Scott that well, and I didn’t feel his motivations as strongly as I felt like I needed to in order to understand why he did the things he did. Ekaterina was too enigmatic for me to hook entirely into her, and in being so, Scott’s reactions to her just didn’t make as much sense to me. And sometimes characters that were supposed to be worldly felt rather…naive and foolish.

There was one point where I just wanted to shout at each and every one of them about how no one even conceived of a particular fact. I don’t want to give it away here, but I came up with the theory almost instantly because I know that people can make things up. No one in the book even conceived of it, and their “but it’s all” explanations in not doing so felt thin.

Otherwise, there were some things that felt like there weren’t properly explained, and did make some sections a bit confusing. If I’d been better connected to the characters, however, this probably wouldn’t have been as much of an issue.

So, this is why this review has been so hard to write. A lack of character connection is a big issue for me, but I felt much of the rest, so… 3.5 Fireballs on this one. I also now see that this is the first book in a trilogy, and I’m curious enough that I may check out the rest.

[JoAnne McMaster (Any Good Book) · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are two things I need to tell you about this book before you read it: If you don't care for political thrillers you won't like the book. However, if you find them not only interesting, but intriguing and thought-provoking, you will enjoy the book.

The story begins with Scott Mitchell and his friend Charlie aboard a plane that has just landed in Russia. Before anyone is allowed to depart, however, Scott finds himself in the hands of the FSB, in a small room, being held but not interrogated. The problem, you see, is that Scott is a human rights attorney and has successfully defended the Chechens against the Russians - which the Russians do not like one bit. This has put him in the center of a target, and he is warned that if he is in Russia, he is to be so peacefully. However, this is easier said than done, when at every turn he is harassed by them.

When Scott first meets Ekaterina, he thinks she is a plant set out to entrap him. In a short time, however, he realizes his mistake and reluctantly agrees to help her. But then he realizes this isn't just about finding Ekaterina's father, it is something deeper and messier than he would have thought.

I don't want to reveal any more of the book, because to do so would give away too much of the plot. I do implore you to read it, because even though it was a little weak on character development - I didn't find myself involved with any of the people, hence the four stars instead of five - the story itself is not only a quick read, it is stimulating and you will find yourself embroiled in the happenings quite easily. Recommended.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review, but this in no way influenced my decision.

[D.E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moscow Bound reads like a movie script – full of suspense and action. Churchward has done an excellent job in researching this novel. I enjoyed the unfolding of the mystery. Although the mystery itself is very believable as it is based on actual events, I found the interaction between the various Russian agencies and oligarchs farfetched. Although I’m (unfortunately) certain that there is plenty of corruption in the modern Russian state, the animosity between the various organizations seemed unrealistic. Perhaps the animosity was realistic but I didn’t buy the lengths the organizations went to in their fight for supremacy.

In typical Russian novel fashion, the novel has an abundance of characters. Sometimes it can be a bit difficult to keep track of who’s who. Thankfully, Churchward has learned from his reading of Dostoyevsky to make Russian names that English language readers can understand and remember.

Churchward’s background as an attorney shows through clearly in the character of Scott Mitchell. The dialogue of Mitchell as well as his interactions with his colleagues and friends is believable. Unfortunately, Mitchell’s interactions with the authorities are less than believable. For a human rights attorney, he seems to be all too comfortable in dealing with the authorities. I also found it a stretch that Romanova would ask an attorney (even if it is a human rights attorney) to find her father. Finding a missing person is an entirely different skill set than being an attorney.

I recommend this novel to readers looking for a fast-paced story full of action and suspense.

[miss.mesmerized mesmerized · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ekaterina Romanova, wife of a Russian oligarch, asks Scot Mitchell for help. Scott, a Moscow based English human rights lawyer, has just come back from a great success and had a nasty encounter with Russian authorities who eye his doing with suspicion. Ekaterina wants to find her father whom she has never seen and whom she suspects to be hidden in one of the forbidden secret cities. At the same time, General Pravda is also on a tricky mission and when their ways cross and several murders are committed, Scott’s life is threatened from different sides because he is about to reveal one of the best hidden secrets of the Cold War.

A crime novel of the Cold War set many years after but nevertheless playing with classic oppositions. Churchward manages to portray a realistic situation which could happen every day in modern Russia and which is deep into international politics and the helplessness of the individual caught within the Russian system of espionage, threat and secret government ordered mission. It also shows that nobody, not even high-ranked generals, are safe from losing their position and their bosses’ favour and being shot. The plot itself is quick-paced and convincingly constructed, what I liked especially was the protagonist Scott who was drawn in an authentic way and acted not like a superhero but in a believable human way.

[Natasha Piana · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of Jeffrey Deaver, I have to say that I'm not hopeful about novels promising twists and complex plots. Deaver is hard to beat. However, this is one of the few books I've read that I had to read in one sitting - I couldn't put it down.

The political and geographical aspects of it make it stand out, and even whet your appetite for more knowledge of Soviet life.

As a story it's a great page-turner, and as a novel it's a book that just leaves you wanting to learn more about what's going in the world outside of the West.

(Have to agree with one reviewer who wonders if the author is a spy himself - some of the descriptions are so vivid, and the understanding seems so deep, that one wonders how he can actually write like this if not from experience.)

Surprisingly, (in my experience of such novels), the characters do actually draw you in, and don't feel flat and one-dimensional - I found myself rooting for Scott Mitchell, in a sometimes conflicted way, but with a quickening heartbeat.

The story transcends its setting and brings to mind tales of abuse of power and personal conflict everywhere.

All in all, a gripping, unputdownable novel that has you wanting more - can't wait for the next instalment.

[Margaret Millmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a complex story told from two different points of view: Scott Mitchell, a British human-rights lawyer who is returning to his home in Moscow after winning an epic case against the Russian Army in the European Court and Lieutenant-General Pravda of the GRU, military intelligence who’s tasked with protecting a secret that dates back to the Vietnam War.

When Mitchell is hired by a beautiful Russian woman to find her father, a man she’s never met and has very little information on, he is skeptical of her intentions and suspicious that she is constantly lying to him, or at the very least, leaving out important details that could help him find the man. When a body shows up in the river, LG Pravda is called to the scene and realizes the man is one of the people he was supposed to be protecting under that long ago secret. As Mitchell and Pravda conduct their separate investigations their paths continuously cross, adding more mystery and intrigue to the story. The twists and turns, and the unexpected ending make this well researched novel a must read!

This book was provided to me for free for an honest and unbiased review (see all our reviews at http://www.bookexplosions.com/)

[Jay Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story connects on so many levels. It uses the post cold war Russia as a backdrop to show that the human nature involved in cruelty to and exploitation of your fellow man never changes. Through the first half of the book, the basis for the violence and murder is not known. The reader can't tell the good guys from the bad, and your opinion keeps changing as the story unfolds. The bitter cold of Russia is a solid allegory for the cold hearts of all the major players. The central character, a human rights attorney, is surrounded by sharks in the form of competing Russian dark organizations, rich Russian criminals, and American agents who don't seem to be what they claim they are. The chaotic action and many players draw the reader in and make the book very difficult to put down. You finish it with a feeling of great relief, and then want to go back and read it again.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't often read books like this, but I'm glad I gave it a go - from the first page you are drawn into intrigue, mystery and espionage, the author's obvious first hand knowledge of the location's described in the book make you feel like you could turn up and know exactly where to go (only one other author has done that, that time being Sweden). You do have to concentrate on what you are reading, it's not a complicated storyline but the use of authentic Russian names along with everything else means you can get a little lost and forget who is the goodie and who is the baddie - but never for long! The story builds up at a good pace and at the end I was turning the pages waiting for the next suspense filled chapter to unfold. I'm looking forward to the next instalment and Scott Mitchell and Ekaterina's next adventure!

[Eris Field · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Moscow Bound over a period of 4 days and evenings. I didn't want to put it down. I especially liked the building of tension all the way through the story with one event setting the stage for the next. The descriptions--locations, how long it would take to get from one crisis to the next by car, and problems such as parking or cars that would not start because of the cold--grounded the reader. Relief from tension was provided by mention of similarities between the situation and things familiar to the reader--Columbo, Law & Order, and tennis quotes. Throughout the story, the reader experienced the changes that occurred in two men--Pravda, a Russian, and Mitchell, an Englishman--as each struggled to do what he thought was right. The ending left the reader wanting more.

[Hannelore Cheney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the eARC.
Loving books set in Russia, I was eager to read Moscow Bound. On the whole it was a good read, with an atmospheric feel for Moscow and the intricate machinations of Russian politics and it's menacing underbelly.
Scott and Ekaterina, on the other hand, were characters I couldn't really get into, they didn't feel like people I'd want to get to know. But since this is the first book in a trilogy and as I have found in other series, the 2nd and 3rd books will most probably improve the depth of the characterizations and with that, as well as the fascinating setting of Moscow, I am definitely planning to read them. I rate Moscow Bound 3.5 stars and would recommend it to anyone who loves espionage novels, especially ones set in Russia.

[Frank · Rating 2 out of 5]

read as a free ebook. Sorry to say this was a dnf, so I couldn't give it 3 starts for the Moscow setting. The book started ok, with a depiction of Moscow, and Russian spy services. But the female lead character, a beautiful wife of an oligarch, a woman with two graduate degrees, with fancy clothes and cars and a disappeared father was little much. Then a GRU lieutenant general sneaking through the snow into a secure nuclear site, being captured at gunpoint...Also, too many names to keep track. Rather than slog further to find out the plot point - I assumed something nuclear, I decided to more on to the next.

[Parvez · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have ever been in a place where you are constantly having to look over your shoulder, you will identify with Scott Mitchell and Ekaterina Romanova and the Post Glasnost, modern day Moscow they inhabit. Evocative scene setting phrases are situated throughout the book, for example from Chapter 10: "...the cold weather was colonizing the capital with a vengeance..." This is a promising, suspense riddled debut by an author who successfully depicts the startling aftermath of twentieth century American and Russian war games. It will make the reader question when exactly the Cold War ended...if at all. You will in all likelihood be recommending this novel to your friends and family.

[Tina Tamman · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story is quite interesting, although for the benefit of any future readers I should perhaps not give too much away. But the way the story is told is unsatisfactory. Not only did I fail to engage with any characters; none of them acquired enough flesh on the bones to become plausible, let alone interesting. For me they remained mere cardboard cutouts who went through the motions.
It is perhaps of lesser importance that the author has only a sketchy understanding of Russian names; it is the way the story is told that I found difficult.

[Ronnie John · Rating 5 out of 5]

My colleague wrote this book so I felt obliged to read. Despite not being my normal preference in genre Moscow Bound delivered on all fronts and could easily transfer to film. The dynamic between Ekaterina and Scott is full of twists and turns which compliments the story line perfectly. This novel will leave you wanting more and keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. Cannot wait for the second instalment, a series I believe could go very very far.

[Kim Broadis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read. The plot makes you realise just how corrupt the world was and still is to some extent.
The characters were believable especially Scott Mitchell.
Very obvious the author had firsthand knowledge of Russia. It keeps you guessing and can't wait for the next instalment.

I found myself shortening the Russian names as I got further into the book as couldn't wait to read further.

[Tom Cobley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really exciting read!

If you enjoy a fast moving and exciting read you will revel in this book. You will also learn the workings of some of the security agencies, which is very enlightening. The various plots and turns in this story are so gripping you just need to know what happens next and the suspense is such that you’ll find you just can’t put the book down.

I’m really looking forward to the next part of this trlogy.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read, especially if you have an interest in Russia (both Cold War and modern day). I loved the historical references scattered throughout the book. Only problem was that this was my bedtime reading which I use for winding-down and it was a bit too much of a fast-paced page-turner! Looking forward to the next part in the trilogy.

[Anita Yancey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is set in modern day Russia with ties to the past. It has lots of characters, and is full of suspense and action. I would say it is a real page turner with a surprising twist. Some readers may have problems pronouncing all of the Russian names and places.

[Nigel Bedford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, particularly the description and detail of the Moscow location. It is a complex tale with enough twists to keep you guessing, and a compelling read. I hope the rest of the trilogy is as good.