Volk's Game

by: Brent Ghelfi

Published by: Henry Holt and Company

Reviewed by Debra Kiefat

Alexei Vokovoy straddles two sinister worlds where he reports to two powerful men who can take everything he cares for, including his life, with the snap of a finger. This small space he occupies wedged between two masters allows him to conduct his own counter intelligence against those who desire to see him dead.

Volk's Game is a powerful, visual read that captures the attention of anyone interested in espionage and intrigue. Centered on the mythical existence of Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpiece, Leda and the Swan, Alexei, a veteran of Russia's brutal war in Chechnya, has been ordered to bring this prize to an underworld Russian Mafioso and the general of the Red Army. Lost in a maze of deception, together with his companion Valya, a homegrown assassin, must decide whom they can trust and how they can escape alive with this highly priced piece of art.

I grew up reading espionage and absolutely loved this book. It has all of the elements of deception, murder and the twists and turns of uncovering the truth from enemies and comrades. Truly I was on the edge of my seat until the end. Sadly, I must wait for the launching of the author's next installment.

Ghelfi, a former lawyer, has beyond doubt discovered his next career. Like Robert Ludlum, Brent Ghelfi has introduced a protagonist who has a life of his own beyond the pages of Volk's Game.

Armchair Interviews says: Whew! What a ride, what a read.