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A Foreign Affairs Mystery #2
The Moscow Code
In Moscow, the truth can be a dangerous commodity.
Ottawa bureaucrat–turned-diplomat Charlie Hillier is back. Having barely survived his first posting in Havana, Charlie is eager to put what he learned there to good use. And it isn’t long before he's thrust into a fresh case — a technical writer from Toronto in a Moscow jail on dubious drug charges. Charlie has barely put a dent in the brick wall that is the Russian legal system when the jailed man turns up dead, the official explanation: suicide. And just when evidence to the contrary is discovered, the body is “accidentally” cremated by the authorities.
Undeterred by bureaucratic stonewalling and determined to help the victim’s sister get to the bottom of her brother’s death, Charlie follows the sparse clues available. But what he uncovers brings them both far too close to powers more dangerous than they could have imagined. Suddenly, getting at the truth is less important than getting out of Russia in one piece.
Ottawa bureaucrat–turned-diplomat Charlie Hillier is back. Having barely survived his first posting in Havana, Charlie is eager to put what he learned there to good use. And it isn’t long before he's thrust into a fresh case — a technical writer from Toronto in a Moscow jail on dubious drug charges. Charlie has barely put a dent in the brick wall that is the Russian legal system when the jailed man turns up dead, the official explanation: suicide. And just when evidence to the contrary is discovered, the body is “accidentally” cremated by the authorities.
Undeterred by bureaucratic stonewalling and determined to help the victim’s sister get to the bottom of her brother’s death, Charlie follows the sparse clues available. But what he uncovers brings them both far too close to powers more dangerous than they could have imagined. Suddenly, getting at the truth is less important than getting out of Russia in one piece.
296 pages, ebook
First published November 11, 2017
6 people are currently reading
365 people want to read
About the author
Nick Wilkshire
8 books34 followersNick Wilkshire is an author and lawyer based in Ottawa, Canada. The Hunt (September 2025) is his seventh novel
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 18, 2017
This series is so much fun. The Moscow Code moves at a fast pace, takes place in a locale I was eager to learn more about, and has an interesting plot that is resolved effectively.
My two favorite things about this series are the loveable but inept protagonist and the various settings of each book. As Nick Wilkshire writes, Charlie Hillier is “an unlikely hero… whose heart is in the right place even if his skills and judgment as a consular officer may leave a little to be desired.” As often as not, I am laughing at how Charlie manages to so completely bungle whatever he is investigating even going so far as losing his passport and his Blackberry (twice!) while stationed in Moscow. Even though he has questionable judgment, I am always cheering him on. The first book in the series took place in Cuba, and Nick Wilkshire did a fabulous job depicting the culture, architecture, and general “feel” of Cuba. The first half of The Moscow Code incorporates Moscow into the storyline in much the same was as Escape to Havana did for Cuba. Sadly, Charlie leaves for other destinations in the second half of The Moscow Code, and the cultural aspect of the book was eliminated. The third book takes place in Tokyo, and I am eager to learn more about life there and hope Charlie will remain in Tokyo for the entirety of the story.
I recommend The Moscow Code (and Escape from Havana) for anyone who likes a good mystery with a unique protagonist. Thanks to Dundurn and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My two favorite things about this series are the loveable but inept protagonist and the various settings of each book. As Nick Wilkshire writes, Charlie Hillier is “an unlikely hero… whose heart is in the right place even if his skills and judgment as a consular officer may leave a little to be desired.” As often as not, I am laughing at how Charlie manages to so completely bungle whatever he is investigating even going so far as losing his passport and his Blackberry (twice!) while stationed in Moscow. Even though he has questionable judgment, I am always cheering him on. The first book in the series took place in Cuba, and Nick Wilkshire did a fabulous job depicting the culture, architecture, and general “feel” of Cuba. The first half of The Moscow Code incorporates Moscow into the storyline in much the same was as Escape to Havana did for Cuba. Sadly, Charlie leaves for other destinations in the second half of The Moscow Code, and the cultural aspect of the book was eliminated. The third book takes place in Tokyo, and I am eager to learn more about life there and hope Charlie will remain in Tokyo for the entirety of the story.
I recommend The Moscow Code (and Escape from Havana) for anyone who likes a good mystery with a unique protagonist. Thanks to Dundurn and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
April 2, 2017
Book # 2, in A Foreign Affairs Mystery
My favourite bureaucrat is back. Charlie Hillier (love this character) is eager to start his next posting. Moscow bound he comes….It doesn’t take long before he is working a fresh case….and follows the sparse clues that will bring him too close to dangerous powers that he and his client could have ever imagined ….Soon finding what happened becomes less important than getting out of the country……..
I enjoy reading Mr. Wilkshire storylines: they are a snappy quick and light read, have interesting premises and are well-written with to the point narration and clean dialogue. Most of all, the experience is very visual and cleverly entertaining.
Hillier, you have to love this guy, plays the role of a bureaucrat but is actually a likeable sleuth that is thrust into events beyond his control. Moscow is not Havana, his last gig, and the players are definitely not of the same calibre. They mostly play the game by their rules and Hillier soon finds himself at the wrong end of the stick…….
This story kept me interested from page one and I zipped through it in no time so captivated to see how Hillier would pull out of this predicament to save the day and his damsel in distress…awe… of course there has to be one…:)
I simply loved this story and can’t wait for Hillier's next assignment.
I received this ARC for review from Dundurn.com via Edelweiss
My favourite bureaucrat is back. Charlie Hillier (love this character) is eager to start his next posting. Moscow bound he comes….It doesn’t take long before he is working a fresh case….and follows the sparse clues that will bring him too close to dangerous powers that he and his client could have ever imagined ….Soon finding what happened becomes less important than getting out of the country……..
I enjoy reading Mr. Wilkshire storylines: they are a snappy quick and light read, have interesting premises and are well-written with to the point narration and clean dialogue. Most of all, the experience is very visual and cleverly entertaining.
Hillier, you have to love this guy, plays the role of a bureaucrat but is actually a likeable sleuth that is thrust into events beyond his control. Moscow is not Havana, his last gig, and the players are definitely not of the same calibre. They mostly play the game by their rules and Hillier soon finds himself at the wrong end of the stick…….
This story kept me interested from page one and I zipped through it in no time so captivated to see how Hillier would pull out of this predicament to save the day and his damsel in distress…awe… of course there has to be one…:)
I simply loved this story and can’t wait for Hillier's next assignment.
I received this ARC for review from Dundurn.com via Edelweiss
September 20, 2017
The Moscow Code is the second novel in the Foreign Affairs Mysteries series. It follows Charlie Hillier as he’s stationed at the Canadian Embassy as a Consular in Moscow, Russia. Almost as soon as he arrives, a Canadian man is detained and later dies in prison. Charlie then embarks on a hunt that pushes the limits of his job description to find out the truth behind the mysterious death.
With Russia being a popular topic these days I figured reading a novel based in Moscow would be relevant and interesting. The Moscow Code delivered on both fronts, however the story lost my interest by the end of the novel.
I don’t know much about Russian culture or life, which is why I decided to read the novel in the first place, so this novel allowed me to vaguely experience it. Everything that is talked about on the news about Russia is confirmed in the novel (e.g. the corrupt police, the corrupt government, loose police procedures, etc.). The novel also takes it upon itself to make crystal clear to the reader than Russian women incredibly good looking. They are so good looking that a married man had no qualms about cheating on the mother of his children. The first few chapters talked about the Russian women with annoying detail.
The mystery had me hooked from the first few pages. Reading about Hillier wading through the bureaucracy while also conducting investigations on his own was intriguing. However, as the mystery came to its conclusion it became convoluted. The intricate mystery combined with the slow pace at the end of the novel made it difficult to appreciate what the author was trying to accomplish.
Overall, The Moscow Code was an interesting mystery, but wasn’t able to hold my attention until the end of the novel.
**I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
With Russia being a popular topic these days I figured reading a novel based in Moscow would be relevant and interesting. The Moscow Code delivered on both fronts, however the story lost my interest by the end of the novel.
I don’t know much about Russian culture or life, which is why I decided to read the novel in the first place, so this novel allowed me to vaguely experience it. Everything that is talked about on the news about Russia is confirmed in the novel (e.g. the corrupt police, the corrupt government, loose police procedures, etc.). The novel also takes it upon itself to make crystal clear to the reader than Russian women incredibly good looking. They are so good looking that a married man had no qualms about cheating on the mother of his children. The first few chapters talked about the Russian women with annoying detail.
The mystery had me hooked from the first few pages. Reading about Hillier wading through the bureaucracy while also conducting investigations on his own was intriguing. However, as the mystery came to its conclusion it became convoluted. The intricate mystery combined with the slow pace at the end of the novel made it difficult to appreciate what the author was trying to accomplish.
Overall, The Moscow Code was an interesting mystery, but wasn’t able to hold my attention until the end of the novel.
**I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Read
September 4, 2017Charlie Hillier is back, the hapless Foreign Affairs bureaucrat cheated on by his wife and sent off to Havana in the first volume. This second entry in the series finds a surer voice and pace as Charlie is assigned to the Canadian Foreign Office in Moscow. He has a new chief, and is duly warned to avoid getting himself into trouble, as his nasty ex is now dating one of the big bosses. Great.
Charlie is starting at the bottom of the pecking order, but that's okay by him. He tries to keep his head down and attend to his job, as he genuinely likes helping people. And of course he is drawn into yet another wild mystery, after finding himself tossed into jail for no fault of his own, where he meets another hapless prisoner, a journalist, who doesn't have the Foreign Affairs office on his side.
In trying to help the journalist get out of the grim Russian prison system, Charlie stumbles on some nasty stuff going on in Moscow, a city that has its own rules that too frequently have nothing to do with law, and everything to do with money and power. (Sound familiar?)
Interesting characters and action abounds. Wilkshire deftly and vividly unfolds his mystery using humor as well as an eye for interesting places and action. There is a trail of bodies, but you sense that Charlie will come out all right, and further, that everyone in the book is not a cynical burnout so that it's difficult to tell who is a good guy and who the baddies are. The women in the story are given equal time in interest and agency, something I always appreciate, and Charlie is his sterling self, determined to do the right thing, even when his life is in danger.
I gulped this one down in one sitting, and hope that Wilkshire is going to write more about Charlie. This is my favorite type of thriller.
Copy provided by NetGalley
Charlie is starting at the bottom of the pecking order, but that's okay by him. He tries to keep his head down and attend to his job, as he genuinely likes helping people. And of course he is drawn into yet another wild mystery, after finding himself tossed into jail for no fault of his own, where he meets another hapless prisoner, a journalist, who doesn't have the Foreign Affairs office on his side.
In trying to help the journalist get out of the grim Russian prison system, Charlie stumbles on some nasty stuff going on in Moscow, a city that has its own rules that too frequently have nothing to do with law, and everything to do with money and power. (Sound familiar?)
Interesting characters and action abounds. Wilkshire deftly and vividly unfolds his mystery using humor as well as an eye for interesting places and action. There is a trail of bodies, but you sense that Charlie will come out all right, and further, that everyone in the book is not a cynical burnout so that it's difficult to tell who is a good guy and who the baddies are. The women in the story are given equal time in interest and agency, something I always appreciate, and Charlie is his sterling self, determined to do the right thing, even when his life is in danger.
I gulped this one down in one sitting, and hope that Wilkshire is going to write more about Charlie. This is my favorite type of thriller.
Copy provided by NetGalley
December 16, 2017
Consular official Charlie Hillier is adjusting to his new post in Moscow, Russia. A late night out drinking with a visiting friend ends with Charlie spending the night in jail. While there, Charlie befriends Steve Liepa, a technical writer from Toronto who is being held in prison on dubious drug charges. Charlie tries to navigate the labyrinth Russian legal system to help until he learns Liepa has died. The official verdict is suicide but neither Charlie nor Liepa's sister Sophie Durant believe that. Determined to help Sophie got to the bottom of Liepa's death, Charlie follows the sparse clues left behind. Liepa's recent trips to Berlin, southern France and Kazakhstan indicate he was on the trail of a big story that links major real estate developers, drug money and powerful men that control the heart of Moscow. More dead bodies show up and Charlie and Sophie are both followed and threatened until they can find a way to make a deal to save themselves.
I received an eARC via Netgalley and Dundurn with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
I received an eARC via Netgalley and Dundurn with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
August 28, 2017
A very easy and engaging read. The plot is linear and easy to follow, it doesn't take mental gymnastics to keep plot threads and characters straight.
The book had me into the story in the first few pages, and I didn't put it down until I had finished it a few hours later. It held and grew my interest all the way through.
The book had me into the story in the first few pages, and I didn't put it down until I had finished it a few hours later. It held and grew my interest all the way through.
May 17, 2018
3.5 stars
Charlie Hillier is becoming my favorite detective. The problem is that his investigations are done outside the confines of diplomatic authority. The Embassy have put the priority that he work on real estate files. During a night at a bar with a drunken loud mouthed acquaintance from Canada they both end up in jail. Charlie’s diplomatic passport and cell phone have been stolen. When they are threatened by a jailhouse bully they are assisted by a fellow prisoner, a young. Canadian who insists he has done nothing to warrant his arrest.
After promising to try to help the young man, he is found dead in his cell. The authorities insist it is a suicide and there is no need for further investigation. When the young man’s sister, a medical doctor, arrives from Canada to take to body home for burial, she notices signs while viewing the body that he was murdered. Unfortunately his body is cremated “by mistake.” There are signs of a coverup by police, the medical examiner and prison authorities. Charlie and the sister start out on a complicated search to find why her brother was murdered. Since his work was translating technical manuals, finding a reason may be difficult. Charlie always has empathy for those undeservedly in trouble, and it doesn’t hurt that the sister is very beautiful and he is attracted to her.
The plot follows them on a trail of corrupt government officials and greedy businessmen and police who follow their own rules. We follow revelations about drug trafficking, shady building practices, real estate fraud and money laundering. The mystery is a very complex one but thanks to Charlie comes to a satisfactory conclusion after putting his and his lady friend’s lives in danger.
The plot and the characters are well written and believable. I was disappointed that it didn’t contain the humour of the first book about Charlie’s misadventures in Havana, but that is probably a testimony to his growth. The author’s description of the settings of his books is so visual it draws the reader into the location. Unfortunately there was a lot of travel outside of Russia.
On a personal note I was in Moscow in 1964 a tourist and again a couple of years ago. I loved his description of the changes made in the GUM department store. In 1964 it was grey and gloomy and contained very few consumer goods. The woman at the counter was actually using an abacus to make change. Now it has been converted into a dazzling mall with expensive high end shops and would not be out of place in the wealthy areas of any modern city. The city people were stylish compared to their drab appearance more than 50 years ago.
I can’t wait to see what difficulties Charlie gets into when posted next to Tokyo.
Charlie Hillier is becoming my favorite detective. The problem is that his investigations are done outside the confines of diplomatic authority. The Embassy have put the priority that he work on real estate files. During a night at a bar with a drunken loud mouthed acquaintance from Canada they both end up in jail. Charlie’s diplomatic passport and cell phone have been stolen. When they are threatened by a jailhouse bully they are assisted by a fellow prisoner, a young. Canadian who insists he has done nothing to warrant his arrest.
After promising to try to help the young man, he is found dead in his cell. The authorities insist it is a suicide and there is no need for further investigation. When the young man’s sister, a medical doctor, arrives from Canada to take to body home for burial, she notices signs while viewing the body that he was murdered. Unfortunately his body is cremated “by mistake.” There are signs of a coverup by police, the medical examiner and prison authorities. Charlie and the sister start out on a complicated search to find why her brother was murdered. Since his work was translating technical manuals, finding a reason may be difficult. Charlie always has empathy for those undeservedly in trouble, and it doesn’t hurt that the sister is very beautiful and he is attracted to her.
The plot follows them on a trail of corrupt government officials and greedy businessmen and police who follow their own rules. We follow revelations about drug trafficking, shady building practices, real estate fraud and money laundering. The mystery is a very complex one but thanks to Charlie comes to a satisfactory conclusion after putting his and his lady friend’s lives in danger.
The plot and the characters are well written and believable. I was disappointed that it didn’t contain the humour of the first book about Charlie’s misadventures in Havana, but that is probably a testimony to his growth. The author’s description of the settings of his books is so visual it draws the reader into the location. Unfortunately there was a lot of travel outside of Russia.
On a personal note I was in Moscow in 1964 a tourist and again a couple of years ago. I loved his description of the changes made in the GUM department store. In 1964 it was grey and gloomy and contained very few consumer goods. The woman at the counter was actually using an abacus to make change. Now it has been converted into a dazzling mall with expensive high end shops and would not be out of place in the wealthy areas of any modern city. The city people were stylish compared to their drab appearance more than 50 years ago.
I can’t wait to see what difficulties Charlie gets into when posted next to Tokyo.
November 28, 2017
My review of this book can be seen here: https://www.mysteryscenemag.com/26-re...
October 17, 2017
Due to be released 5th Dec, 2017, The Moscow Code is the second installment in the Foreign Affairs Mysteries by Nick Wilkshire from Dundurn Press.
The tag line from the back cover reads, "In Moscow, the truth can be a dangerous commodity".
When Charlie Hillier is seconded to Moscow as a consul for the Canadian embassy, he's happy to have escaped his adventures in Havana and not have to go back to Ottawa, where his ex-wife is involved with another higher ranking government official.
A dinner and after dinner drinks with an old school friend he hasn't seen for over 20 years lands them in the local drunk tank where he meets a fellow Canadian who's being held on vague drug related charges. Charlie promises to look into the case and charges pending against the Canadian man in his role as a consul for the embassy. When the Canadian man dies in custody under mysterious circumstances, Charlie's search for justice and answers leads to a very tangled web of lies, deceit, drugs and corruption.
This book was a lot of fun to read. Charlie's a great character, well developed and charmingly rumpled. He's almost a Canadian James Bond, but more polite and less suave! The supporting characters are well thought out and further the action and plot very well. The dialogue is well written and believable. Even though it's set in the current time period, it reminded me quite a lot of the Travis McGee novels, though McGee is a lot grittier and macho, they both have the same fixation with the truth at all costs, and hang the consequences.
I was engaged with the book from the beginning and the denouement was satisfying. I'm very interested to read about Charlie's further adventures and look forward to his next posting in (I think) Japan.
Four stars, a very light, enjoyable read.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
The tag line from the back cover reads, "In Moscow, the truth can be a dangerous commodity".
When Charlie Hillier is seconded to Moscow as a consul for the Canadian embassy, he's happy to have escaped his adventures in Havana and not have to go back to Ottawa, where his ex-wife is involved with another higher ranking government official.
A dinner and after dinner drinks with an old school friend he hasn't seen for over 20 years lands them in the local drunk tank where he meets a fellow Canadian who's being held on vague drug related charges. Charlie promises to look into the case and charges pending against the Canadian man in his role as a consul for the embassy. When the Canadian man dies in custody under mysterious circumstances, Charlie's search for justice and answers leads to a very tangled web of lies, deceit, drugs and corruption.
This book was a lot of fun to read. Charlie's a great character, well developed and charmingly rumpled. He's almost a Canadian James Bond, but more polite and less suave! The supporting characters are well thought out and further the action and plot very well. The dialogue is well written and believable. Even though it's set in the current time period, it reminded me quite a lot of the Travis McGee novels, though McGee is a lot grittier and macho, they both have the same fixation with the truth at all costs, and hang the consequences.
I was engaged with the book from the beginning and the denouement was satisfying. I'm very interested to read about Charlie's further adventures and look forward to his next posting in (I think) Japan.
Four stars, a very light, enjoyable read.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.
November 21, 2017
Charlie is middle-aged, divorced and working with Foreign Affairs, reporting to headquarters in Ottawa. He recently transferred from a posting in Havana to Moscow. He meets Steve, a fellow Canadian who is a technical writer working in Moscow. Steve has been in jail after being picked up at a party ... he was apparently the only foreigner there without a passport.
As Charlie works to help him, Steve is found dead in his cell of an apparent suicide. Charlie breaks the news to Sophie, Steve's sister, who travels from Toronto to Moscow take her brother's body home. The body, though, ends up being accidentally cremated after Sophie identifies it. Sophie is a doctor and sees some signs to make her suspect that Steve's death wasn't a suicide after all. She looks to Charlie for help to find out what really happened.
This is the second and latest in the A Foreign Affairs Mystery series (I read the first one last year) and the second book I've read by this author. It is written in third person perspective, from Charlie's point of view. For the most part, I liked the story and characters, I found it confusing at times, though, and had a hard time keeping the Russian characters straight (who they were, what they did and how it pertained to the story). As a head's up, there is swearing and adult activity.
I look forward to reading more in this series.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2017/11...
As Charlie works to help him, Steve is found dead in his cell of an apparent suicide. Charlie breaks the news to Sophie, Steve's sister, who travels from Toronto to Moscow take her brother's body home. The body, though, ends up being accidentally cremated after Sophie identifies it. Sophie is a doctor and sees some signs to make her suspect that Steve's death wasn't a suicide after all. She looks to Charlie for help to find out what really happened.
This is the second and latest in the A Foreign Affairs Mystery series (I read the first one last year) and the second book I've read by this author. It is written in third person perspective, from Charlie's point of view. For the most part, I liked the story and characters, I found it confusing at times, though, and had a hard time keeping the Russian characters straight (who they were, what they did and how it pertained to the story). As a head's up, there is swearing and adult activity.
I look forward to reading more in this series.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2017/11...
September 18, 2017
Charismatic diplomat uncovers Moscow mafia corruption and crime.
Charlie Hillier is the unlikely hero who uncovers deeply embedded crime and corruption in Moscow where he is posted in the Canadian Embassy. Parts of his interesting personal life are drawn into the plot as Charlie becomes more and more of a hero.
His entry into the underworld of crime and corruption in Moscow is very humorous and creates a light-hearted start to a darkly deepening plot. The death of a fellow Canadian leads Charlie into this dangerous, violent world that he just manages to survive. While doing so he makes enemies who are dangerous but more importantly unlikely friendships.
The mystery/thriller is gripping. At the same time, there is a gentleness in new relationships with colleagues as well as other romantic opportunities. I found this a great combination.
I am looking forward to hearing more about Charlie’s investigations, adventures and possible romance in the next of this series.
BonnieK
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
Charlie Hillier is the unlikely hero who uncovers deeply embedded crime and corruption in Moscow where he is posted in the Canadian Embassy. Parts of his interesting personal life are drawn into the plot as Charlie becomes more and more of a hero.
His entry into the underworld of crime and corruption in Moscow is very humorous and creates a light-hearted start to a darkly deepening plot. The death of a fellow Canadian leads Charlie into this dangerous, violent world that he just manages to survive. While doing so he makes enemies who are dangerous but more importantly unlikely friendships.
The mystery/thriller is gripping. At the same time, there is a gentleness in new relationships with colleagues as well as other romantic opportunities. I found this a great combination.
I am looking forward to hearing more about Charlie’s investigations, adventures and possible romance in the next of this series.
BonnieK
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.
September 8, 2017
Thank you Netgalley and Dumdurn for the eARC.
What a loveable character Charlie Hillier is! After his stint in Havana, the Canadian Foreign Office sends him to Moscow. Doing a good job and helping people are Charlie's main objectives and even though he's starting at the bottom, he's content. The only fly in the ointment is the fact that his cheating ex-wife is dating one of the big mucky mucks...
Despite his good intentions, and through no fault of his own, he ends up in jail, where he meets a journalist. Trying to help the man, he has to maneuver through some decidedly murky waters.
The people he encounters don't necessarily play by the rules and he's in dangerous waters.
Throw in a bit of romance, subtle humor and a marvellous sense of place and you've got yourself a book you can't put down. Can't wait for Charlie's 3rd foreign adventure!
What a loveable character Charlie Hillier is! After his stint in Havana, the Canadian Foreign Office sends him to Moscow. Doing a good job and helping people are Charlie's main objectives and even though he's starting at the bottom, he's content. The only fly in the ointment is the fact that his cheating ex-wife is dating one of the big mucky mucks...
Despite his good intentions, and through no fault of his own, he ends up in jail, where he meets a journalist. Trying to help the man, he has to maneuver through some decidedly murky waters.
The people he encounters don't necessarily play by the rules and he's in dangerous waters.
Throw in a bit of romance, subtle humor and a marvellous sense of place and you've got yourself a book you can't put down. Can't wait for Charlie's 3rd foreign adventure!
November 27, 2017
If you haven't met Charlie Hillier before, you're in for a treat. He's not a bumbling man, just one who seems to have had a dreadful run of luck while working as a diplomat for the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This time out, he's in Moscow and dealing with the death of a Canadian writer whose sister, Sophie, is convinced he did not commit suicide. There's a lovely sense of atmosphere in the Russian setting, with rotten characters aplenty. Charlie and Sophie follow their lead, however, to the Riviera, which I found less interesting than Moscow. That said, Charlie's got a good sense of humor (he must) and these. It won't matter if you haven't read the first (although you'll want to) book because Wilkshire gives you the relevant background. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. I am eagerly awaiting the next installment- when Charlie goes to Tokyo!
October 1, 2017
Charlie Hillier is back and trouble is not too far away, but now he has been posted to Moscow. Considering that Charlie is a bureaucrat/ diplomat, he has that unlucky knack of annoying his boss and finding himself in the middle of a murder.
This book is a very intense exploration of Russia, corruption and the Mafia, interspersed with light humour, farcical errors and a childlike naivety. It is intelligently written and not just another Russian spy novel. Facts are given,explained, persued and consequences noted and acted upon. There is a clear sense of purpose and urgency in this writing and Charlie is such a lovely and likeable person.
I really enjoyed this book and will endeavour to read the first of this series. I look forward to other books, no doubt somewhere in the pipeline!!
This book is a very intense exploration of Russia, corruption and the Mafia, interspersed with light humour, farcical errors and a childlike naivety. It is intelligently written and not just another Russian spy novel. Facts are given,explained, persued and consequences noted and acted upon. There is a clear sense of purpose and urgency in this writing and Charlie is such a lovely and likeable person.
I really enjoyed this book and will endeavour to read the first of this series. I look forward to other books, no doubt somewhere in the pipeline!!
October 16, 2017
On the night that he finds himself mistakenly in a Moscow prison, Charlie Hillier meets a most interesting man: another expat from Toronto. In his position at the Canadian Embassy, Charlie has access to friends and files and favors, but before he can even begin to help, Steve Liepa is dead. An apparent suicide.
Steve's sister, a physician, comes to Russia and pronounces the entire suicide story a hoax
As Charlie and Sophie begin to ask questions, it is obvious that someone wants them silenced. So they hop from Moscow to Paris to the French Riviera, always one step ahead, and finally come to an absolutely startling conclusion.
I read this EARC courtesy of Net Galley and Dundurn Press. pub date 12/05/17
Steve's sister, a physician, comes to Russia and pronounces the entire suicide story a hoax
As Charlie and Sophie begin to ask questions, it is obvious that someone wants them silenced. So they hop from Moscow to Paris to the French Riviera, always one step ahead, and finally come to an absolutely startling conclusion.
I read this EARC courtesy of Net Galley and Dundurn Press. pub date 12/05/17
October 22, 2018
Wilkshire's second book, "The Moscow Code", does not have the humour that was found in "Escape to Havana", but it is an excellent adventure story with an interesting setting in Moscow.
Charlie Hillier once again bumbles into another adventure when he is sent to prison after a night on the town with an obnoxious acquaintance from his school days in Canada. While there he meets a young Canadian translator of instruction manuals. Charlie is quickly released, but Steve Liepa, the young Canadian, remains in prison where soon after he is found hanged, supposedly a suicide.
Steve's sister, a beautiful surgeon, comes to Russia to find out what happened. Together she and Charlie discover the truth behind Steve's death and Charlie's days as consul in Moscow come to a quick end.
Charlie Hillier once again bumbles into another adventure when he is sent to prison after a night on the town with an obnoxious acquaintance from his school days in Canada. While there he meets a young Canadian translator of instruction manuals. Charlie is quickly released, but Steve Liepa, the young Canadian, remains in prison where soon after he is found hanged, supposedly a suicide.
Steve's sister, a beautiful surgeon, comes to Russia to find out what happened. Together she and Charlie discover the truth behind Steve's death and Charlie's days as consul in Moscow come to a quick end.
August 17, 2020
Another fun, breezy and intriguing read. This is my second Hillier adventure, and I'm enjoying them. I had the pleasure of reading the first, Escape to Havana, while in that locale. No such luck this time around (and I likely won't get to Japan for Book #3), but still enjoyed it. I hope Nick Wilkshire isn't done with this series.
November 30, 2020
This was the fastest read I’ve had all year! It wasn’t page turning in the exciting sense, but in the sense that you so appreciate the main character’s personality and way of navigating the world that you just want more! It was a fun romp through the anachronistic Russian judicial system with a sprinkle of romance and a good bit of level-headed humor.
April 17, 2023
This good was good up until the last 6 chapters. I was lost and confused. Even the characters had had to piece it all together. Then while pieces it together, at the end surprisingly a new Company was named.
This is the 3rd book of this author I have read, and it was the hardest to understand.
This is the 3rd book of this author I have read, and it was the hardest to understand.
November 22, 2017
A fun book, and the second in the series about a Canadian FS.
Not the best literature, nor were all the facts and observations about Russia true, but take this book for what it is - the 'popcorn flick' equivalent for a book, and it's quite enjoyable.
Not the best literature, nor were all the facts and observations about Russia true, but take this book for what it is - the 'popcorn flick' equivalent for a book, and it's quite enjoyable.
August 24, 2018
Very enjoyable, seemed pretty believable.
Except for Charlie fleeing the scene of two murders, one he was involved in.
Not realistic IMO for a diplomat to do so. I'll read the next book, but need to have Charlie act more responsibly or I'll stop with any future books.
Except for Charlie fleeing the scene of two murders, one he was involved in.
Not realistic IMO for a diplomat to do so. I'll read the next book, but need to have Charlie act more responsibly or I'll stop with any future books.
September 14, 2018
This is a silly novel with flat uninteresting characters. The Russian names confused me as to who was who. The plot was difficult to figure out and Charlie's basic actions are more of a teen age boy than a diplomat with a future.
January 18, 2018
Fast pace, great characters, fun read
January 18, 2024
Number of reasons for the low review. The author's depiction of women, and the Canadian foreign service being primarily staffed by anglophone men with British names being the two most important
July 21, 2019
In this second part of the Foreign affairs mystery trilogy, Wilkshire scores big! Once again his knowledge of consular affairs and current international relations is over par as he combines fiction with a contemporary political narrative. The main characters grow and the reader can't wait for the next and final installment!
December 1, 2017
Disclosure: I read this as an ARC and Dundurn is my publisher too.
This is the first book I've read by Nick Wilkshire and he has several like the Moscow Code. The hero is a Canadian diplomat whose adventures in various embassies around the world form the plots. Obviously this one takes place in Russia, but also Berlin. The author knows his setting, history, and current events. To say much more will spoil it for the reader.
This story was well constructed and convoluted keeping the reader captivated. I found it a page-turner, easy to read, and most enjoyable. I want to read more by Wilkshire.
Recommended for those who love contemporary mysteries that are not run of the mill and not from the POV of a police detective.
This is the first book I've read by Nick Wilkshire and he has several like the Moscow Code. The hero is a Canadian diplomat whose adventures in various embassies around the world form the plots. Obviously this one takes place in Russia, but also Berlin. The author knows his setting, history, and current events. To say much more will spoil it for the reader.
This story was well constructed and convoluted keeping the reader captivated. I found it a page-turner, easy to read, and most enjoyable. I want to read more by Wilkshire.
Recommended for those who love contemporary mysteries that are not run of the mill and not from the POV of a police detective.
December 16, 2017
Consular official Charlie Hillier is adjusting to his new post in Moscow, Russia. A late night out drinking with a visiting friend ends with Charlie spending the night in jail. While there, Charlie befriends Steve Liepa, a technical writer from Toronto who is being held in prison on dubious drug charges. Charlie tries to navigate the labyrinth Russian legal system to help until he learns Liepa has died. The official verdict is suicide but neither Charlie nor Liepa's sister Sophie Durant believe that. Determined to help Sophie got to the bottom of Liepa's death, Charlie follows the sparse clues left behind. Liepa's recent trips to Berlin, southern France and Kazakhstan indicate he was on the trail of a big story that links major real estate developers, drug money and powerful men that control the heart of Moscow. More dead bodies show up and Charlie and Sophie are both followed and threatened until they can find a way to make a deal to save themselves.
I received an eARC via Netgalley and Dundurn with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
I received an eARC via Netgalley and Dundurn with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book and provided this review.
January 6, 2018
I received an advance copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was an interesting, engaging thriller starring Canadian consular diplomat Charlie Hillier. This was my first time reading a novel by this author and I really enjoyed it. It was evident that Wilkshire had done his research as far as people and places. I love being able to recognize places in Berlin and Canada (I haven’t been to Russia yet, it’s on my to do list; but if I ever need the embassy, I know where it is!) and he made me feel like I was right there.
Charlie’s character is quirky, likeable, and he’s smart though he does still manage to get himself in some hot water. I haven’t read the first book in the series yet, but I liked how there were references to his past throughout. It made him seem more human.
It was a good read and it kept me guessing until the end when it all came together. It was a quick read and I look forward to reading more about Charlie’s adventures.
This was an interesting, engaging thriller starring Canadian consular diplomat Charlie Hillier. This was my first time reading a novel by this author and I really enjoyed it. It was evident that Wilkshire had done his research as far as people and places. I love being able to recognize places in Berlin and Canada (I haven’t been to Russia yet, it’s on my to do list; but if I ever need the embassy, I know where it is!) and he made me feel like I was right there.
Charlie’s character is quirky, likeable, and he’s smart though he does still manage to get himself in some hot water. I haven’t read the first book in the series yet, but I liked how there were references to his past throughout. It made him seem more human.
It was a good read and it kept me guessing until the end when it all came together. It was a quick read and I look forward to reading more about Charlie’s adventures.
February 11, 2018
This book was a slow start for me, and it took a while for me to really get into it. I found myself putting the book aside and reading other books. But the story was intriguing, and once I got through a third of it I found myself pulled along with the mystery and the characters. I liked it more and more, and the at the end, I found myself wanting to read the author's other books. I definitely recommend it!
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