Nikolai Volkov is a combat veteran of the Chechen war with a passion for finding truth and doing the right thing. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Nikolai embarked on a career of a bodyguard and soon became the best in the prestigious Centurion Personal Protection Agency in Moscow. He excels at protecting his clients and preventing crimes. But this time, his case is personal. His brother calls … brother calls Nikolai with an urgent plea for help, and Nikolai heads to a small town in Crimea.
The town is quiet and picturesque, but dark forces are at work behind the scenes. Murders, illegal smuggling, and suspicious arrests challenge Nikolai’s detective skills and put his life in danger.
Lethal Cargo is the third novel in the Nikolai Volkov series. The two others are Gray Shadows (Book One) and In the Crosshairs (Book Two). Each novel is a complete story and can be read on its own.
more
I’m not sure how Lethal Cargo: Russian Historical Thriller (Nikolai Volkov Book 3) by Julia Gousseva showed up in my Amazon recommendations. I love thrillers, but haven’t been reading many lately. Regardless, I checked it out and added it to the TBR List. Read on for my review!
Synopsis (from the author):
Nikolai Volkov is a combat veteran of the Chechen war with a passion for finding truth and doing the right thing.
After the fall of the Soviet Union, Nikolai embarked on a career of a bodyguard and soon became the best in the prestigious Centurion Personal Protection Agency in Moscow. He excels at protecting his clients and preventing crimes. But this time, his case is personal. His brother calls Nikolai with an urgent plea for help, and Nikolai heads to a small town in Crimea.
The town is quiet and picturesque, but dark forces are at work behind the scenes. Murders, illegal smuggling, and suspicious arrests challenge Nikolai’s detective skills and put his life in danger.
What I liked:
Lethal Cargo had all the elements I like in a thriller. Sinister figures, shadowy conspiracy, action, intrigue, and really cool characters. Nikolai played the good guy perfectly, and the story, driven by his actions, moved along nicely. Entertaining plot twists and a satisfying end made it a fun read.
What I didn’t like:
To be honest, there wasn’t much to dislike about Lethal Cargo.
Overall impression:
Lethal Cargo: Russian Historical Thriller (Nikolai Volkov Book 3) by Julia Gousseva was a great read. The story moved at a nice pace. With realistic and believable characters and gritty action, the book was a quick read and an entertaining novel. If you like thrillers, try this one!
My rating: 5 Stars
Intriguing mystery. I was hooked from the first page. Who was this man entering the town undetected via the sea? Was he good or bad and responsible for the shootings on the beach? Throughout, there were red herrings and misdirections to muddy the waters making for a gripping read.
Likeable characters. I especially liked the history between Nikolai and his brother and learning the fate of their grandfather.
I was fascinated by the insights into everyday life in Russia. This aspect really set the book apart for me.
Great book. I thoroughly enjoyed and recommend to mystery/thriller readers. Now I want to read the others in the series.
Nikolai Volkov is a combat veteran of the Chechen war who now works as a highly specialized bodyguard. When he gets a call for help from his brother who works at a weather station in the small vacation town of Petrovsk, he leaves Moscow immediately. He arrives to find his brother has been arrested for treason and a community that has more secrets than a resort town should.
Well-written and generally fast-paced, I was fascinated to learn more about post-Soviet Union Russia and the aftermath of that political fallout. It did feel like the plot meandered a bit in the middle and spent a bit too much time on what I call “hellos” and introductions. However, it was an intriguing story that political thriller lovers will appreciate.
This is the third in the series, but you do not have to read the first two to enjoy and understand this book.