Moscow Sting: A Novel

“Alex Dryden is a writer who can please everyone from fans of old LeCarré to students of current affairs. Moscow Sting is a thought-provoking and entertaining follow up to the terrific Red to Black.”
—James Grippando, New York Times bestselling author of Afraid of the Dark

Booklist places author Alex Dryden in “the top rank of espionage novelists.” His riveting Moscow Sting proves that the resounding critical acclaim awarded him for his debut, Red to Black, was no fluke. In this spellbinding sequel, former KGB colonel Anna Resnikov escapes to America where she must outwit CIA “friend” and KGB foe alike to survive. Alex Dryden has brought breathtaking new life to the spy novel in this blistering “ripped from the headlines” thriller that focuses on Russia’s chilling reemergence as a hostile superpower.

When Finn, a former British spy, is poisoned by a Russian assassin, his ex-boss Adrian, the chief of MI6, wants vengeance. He also wants answers—information that only Finn's widow knows. But Anna, a former KGB colonel who betrayed her country for love, vanished with her child shortly after Finn's death.

Adrian isn't the only one eager to find Anna. Finn accessed intelligence so sensitive that the KGB killed to protect it—and now Anna is in the KGB's crosshairs, as the only person who knows the true identity of the Kremlin insider, superspy, and double agent called Mikhail. The CIA and Cougar, a giant American private intelligence company, are also hunting her. With the Kremlin still in the grasp of all-powerful Vladimir Putin, Mikhail is the West's best hope for revealing Russia's obscure intentions for its newfound oil wealth.

Anna holds the key to the secrets of her motherland, and now the former Russian agent faces her greatest test. To secure her freedom and protect her child, she must uncover the full truth before anyone else does—even as friend and foe set her in their sights.

Moving from Paris to New York, from the Kremlin to the American Southwest, Moscow Sting is an absorbing and timely tale of intrigue, betrayal, fatal lies, and complex truths, told with the authentic detail and chilling insight of an experienced insider.

“Moscow Sting suggests [Dryden] has finished the crossover from journalist to full-fledged thriller writer. Keep an eye on Dryden. If he continues to infuse the genre with serious political insights and warnings, he could be the next John le Carré.” - Richmond Times-Dispatch

“Engaging and fast-paced thriller.” - World Magazine

“Red to Black is a terrific espionage novel wrapped in an affecting story of fated love. It also oozes a chilling, timely verisimilitude, and thoughtful newspaper readers can be forgiven for wondering if the ‘second KGB President,’ Vladimir Putin, didn’t begin to execute the Plan less than two years ago. Dryden is a journalist who has specialized in security matters since the Berlin wall fell two decades ago. This is his first novel, and it vaults him directly into the top rank of espionage novelists.” - Booklist

“MOSCOW STING is a gripping, action-packed insider’s view of modern day espionage with a clever twist at the end. Ex-KGB Colonel Anna Resnikov is a terrific heroine, who I hope will return with future adventures.” - Phillip Margolin, New York Times bestselling author of SUPREME JUSTICE

“Hands down, one of the most convincing spy stories you’ll ever read.” - Lisa Black, author of TRAIL OF BLOOD

“Alex Dryden is a writer who can please everyone from fans of old LeCarre to students of current affairs. MOSCOW STING is a thought-provoking and entertaining follow up to the terrific Red to Black. No sophomore slump here.” - James Grippando, New York Times bestselling author of MONEY TO BURN

“Pseudonymous Brit journalist Dryden is back with another fine neo-Cold War spy thriller, the sequel to RED TO BLACK (2009)…This book stylishly carries the story forward…A twisty, persuasive, action-packed thriller.” - Kirkus Reviews

“Dryden follows up his superb debut, Red to Black (2009), with a riveting sequel... Red to Black reinvigorated the classic Cold War espionage genre. Moscow Sting, with its clever, devious, conflicted characters, its tension and verisimilitude, and its complex but fully plausible plot, is every bit as good.” - Booklist (starred review)

“This follow-up to Dryden’s debut thriller, RED TO BLACK, is a rarity: a sequel as good as its exceptional predecessor... An exceptional spy story. Boy, is this good!” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“The pseudonymous Dryden, a British journalist, eschews both technological marvels and implausible action scenes in his absorbing debut, a spy thriller that exposes the links between the “old” Russia of the Cold War and the “new” Russia of Vladimir Putin. . . . Dryden’s fact-based scenario provides worrisome food for thought.” - Publishers Weekly

“Prescient . . . Red to Black depicts a frightening and ruthless Russia, which answers to nobody.” - The Economist

“PRAISE FOR RED TO BLACK: This reviewer has never read a novel that captures so well what it must be like to live in a world where one party constantly lies to the other, knowing the other will see it as a lie and lie back in return. An exceptional novel by any standard; readers who enjoy a love story mixed with their espionage (à la le Carré‘s The Little Drummer Girl) will appreciate.” - Library Journal