Putin's Gambit: A Novel

by Lou Dobbs

From TV broadcaster Lou Dobbs, Putin's Gambit is an international financial thriller about a former Marine's attempt to stop a KGB plot

Former Marine Derek Walsh is having difficulty adjusting to civilian life. This challenge is magnified tenfold when an inexplicable $200 million money transfer is made on his computer―but not by him. Hurled into a world of global terror, Walsh discovers a violent plot for Russia to assert its power in Europe, a plot beginning with an Estonian invasion.

Walsh flees, pursued by both the FBI and a group of Russians intent on silencing him. Around him, the country turns to chaos as the world economy crashes and terrorists launch a series of attacks. With the clock ticking steadily closer to doomsday, the former Marine must convince the FBI of his innocence and stay ahead of his pursuers long enough to keep the world from spinning off its axis.

Genres: Suspense, Espionage

432 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 20, 2017

About the author

Lou Dobbs was an American television personality, author, and radio host. Dobbs joined the FOX Business Network in November of 2010. He is the host of Lou Dobbs Tonight, a primetime program featuring a breakdown of the day's top stories and how they impact the economy. He had previously anchored Lou Dobbs Tonight on CNN until November 2009. For his reporting, he won the Emmy, Peabody, and Cable ACE awards.

Reviews

[Joseph · Rating 2 out of 5]

Certainly a Clancy-esque entry in the mystery/ thriller genre. I found the plot believable, but not the characters. Sorry, but it's hard to make an interesting book that focuses on a few financial transactions. Some of the characters were just wimpy. Wimpy. The overall plot revolved around one V. Putin's attempts at another massive land grab. Que the crickets. Hasn't Putin's megalomania been featured in like, every spy book for the last ten years??!! Sorry, but in my opinion this book just doesn't measure up.

[Russ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very disappointing attempt at a geopolitical thriller. Great premise of a Russian scheme to annex Estonia while misdirecting Western media to focus on astroturf Occupy Wall Street-type demonstrations instead. The Russians also enter a secret truce with jihadists to support terrorist attacks in Europe to serve as an additional distraction from their Estonian ambitions. I found this scenario eye-opening, instructive, and disturbingly plausible.

However, the high premise also sows the seeds of the book's weaknesses. The concept relies on several big, different moving parts internationally. There has to be scenes and characters at the Kremlin to reveal Putin's intentions. There has to be a New York character that readers can relate to and who can help convey how the financial system and news media are being manipulated. There has to be an American colonel serving in Germany to help describe American preparations to resist Russian tanks rolling into Europe. And there has to be a jihadist working with a Russian agent to get that part of the scheme across. The result is an unengaging slurry of characters and places, never quite spending enough time with any of them to create meaningful engagement or impression on the reader.

Walsh, the closest to being the main character, is a somewhat reactive/defensive hero. Basically a "wrong man" on the run from authorities. He is not an active sleuth or operative like James Bond or Mitch Rapp. The story would have been better served with one or two main characters seeing through the financial clues in New York, who then chase the leads to Berlin, Moscow, and finally Estonia itself. In other words I think this book needed more Vince Flynn and less Tom Clancy. Clancy could keep multiple stories humming on different continents with different characters, but that's a tough style to replicate successfully in today's shorter attention span market.

The writing isn't bad at the paragraph level. And Lou Dobbs's admiration for the U.S. military comes through quite clearly in every chapter and I really appreciate that. I just think this book needed a very different outline/structure in order to soar.

[Adi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolute garbage from a scumbag. This fucking guy uses language like "CNN propaganda" or "CNN brainwashing" in this fucking book. These fucking imbeciles are so shitty at gaslighting it's just too obvious now.

[Cheryle · Rating 5 out of 5]

From TV broadcaster Lou Dobbs and award-winning author James O. Born comes Putin's Gambit, an international financial thriller about a KGB plot to use a series of terrorist attacks as cover for a Russian military incursion into Estonia.
Adjusting to civilian life has not been easy for former Marine Derek Walsh. As he navigates a brutal job on Wall Street and a challenging romance, he wonders if he could be doing more with his life. When an inexplicable $200 million dollar money transfer is made on his computer, he is thrust into the world of international terror, and the global economy is knocked off its hinges.
On the other side of the Atlantic, a dangerous alliance has formed. Radical Islamists and Russian extremists have set the wheels in motion for Russia to assert its power in Europe. The US President has proven to be weak on foreign policy, the military is stretched too thin, and Vladimir Putin judges this to be the time for Russia to regain its Soviet Empire. Troops mass on the Estonian border, waiting for the order to move.

The FBI believes Walsh was involved in the money transfer, and a group of Russians are intent on killing him. As New Yorkers are outraged upon learning of the illegal money transfer, and the world economy crashes after a series of terrorist attacks, Walsh and his Marine buddies are the only ones that can keep the world from spinning off its axis.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a stunning plot to retake lost territory, the Kremlin forms a partnership with Islamic terrorists. Part of the plan is to create worldwide economic chaos with an unauthorized transfer of two hundred million dollars. The resulting collapsing economy, coupled with a series of worldwide terror attacks, creates a panic as Derek Walsh tries to prove he was not responsible for the money transfer and, at the same time, tries to elude both the FBI and Russian assassins. Fortunately, he is a resourceful ex-Marine . . . .

A powerful tale with a chilling look at the possible in today’s world. Strong characters, a ripped-from-the-headlines sort of riveting plot, and a captivating narrative that ramps up the suspense will grab readers from the first page; the resulting roller coaster ride is sure to leave them breathless.

Highly recommended.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected Thriller

I wasn't sure about this to begin with; however this book exceeded my expectations and was a page turner. It was an adventure from the beginning! It could have come from today's headlines.

[Molly W. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting plot and some eerie similarities to today. There were a lot of main characters though, so the point of view shifted often. The authors sometimes repeated a character's thoughts/feelings too much, especially with how quickly they shifted back and forth from a character's story.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fairly easy read. It flowed well. I thought the ending could have been better because it followed the similar result what the Russian Soviet under Putin did in Crimea and trying to do in Ukraine.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A timely reminder that everything is not how it appears to be. Stayed up too late and got up too early to finish this book.

[Bobbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just couldn't get into this book. It had moments where it held my interest but for the most part, it did not

[Pete Partin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story line.

[Thomas McGuire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keeps You On The Edge Of Your Seat

Keeps You On The Edge Of Your Seat. It's hard to put down. I wanted to read it straight through.

[Richard Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

What's the plan

From boot camp and for ever plans were a must for your brothers in and out of the service and life.

[Mgoss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good plot, but jumps around a lot from one character to another. Predictable.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good spy book. Putin and ISIS - financial crisis to distract takeover of Estonia

[Mikala · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dude’s got some real issues with women.

[Pat Malon]

Good read.....recommend it to everyone.

[Heinz Park]

As some one said there is to much jumping around through Personnel, however its a great story and Lou Dobbs must know Putin real good and Putin ambitions.
Good story and a page turner and an electrifying story.