Book set in Russia – The Moscow Code, Nick Wilkshire

Submitted: 8th December 2018

The Moscow Code is a book set in Moscow by Nick Wilkshire. Part spy, part humour.

Ottawa bureaucrat-turned-diplomat Charlie Hillier has survived his first posting in Havana and he’s ready for posting number 2. This is the city of Moscow this time. He’s here to work on the case of a technical writer from Toronto in jail on dubious drug charges. Charlie tries to get to grips with the Russian legal system, but before he can do anything, the young man turns up dead. Something very dodgy is going on…

The Moscow Code by Nick Wilkshire

This is the second book in the series and called A Foreign Affairs Mystery. A unique view of the inner workings of the Foreign Office and embassies!

The Moscow Code by Nick Wilkshire

I have experience of working in embassies and there are some lovely touches and tongue in cheek moments which made me smile.

This time he’s in Russia and after the last episode when he got into one bit of trouble after another in Havana, the thought he was now off to Russia made me excited and nervous at the same time. Charlie Charlie Charlie I thought. What is going to happen to you? Well I was not disappointed as a fun and fascinating insight follows. There is a real mystery here but kept light with deftness of touch and a real sense of place which is very well evoked.

I’ve never been to Russia but there’s a lot of detail and a unique view from a diplomat’s eyes that intrigued me right from the start. Charlie is one entertaining diplomat and the various strands of the plot and story come together nicely with intrigue and humour along the way.

Moscow is the perfect setting for the diplomatic issues and mystery which follows and the diplomatic world is a fun one through which gives a very unique mystery tour. Really enjoyable and a Hillier triumph once again.

Havana now Moscow – where will we end up next? I can’t wait to find out!

Setting: a city, the dark heart of the city