Matthew Hart’s debut thriller, The Russian Pink, feels especially timely given its subject matter: a fraught presidential election and a Russian conspiracy.
A former diamond smuggler-turned-CIA-agent-turned-investigator for the U.S. Treasury, Alex Turner has dipped his toe in murky waters before in order to survive and feels comfortable operating in gray areas of the law. Turner is investigating an enormous pink diamond known as the Russian Pink that he suspects has shadowy origins. The problem is that the diamond is in a necklace that currently belongs to the wife of Harry Nash, a presidential candidate running in a highly charged election.
Politics may be the least of Turner’s problems, though. The Russian Pink is also linked to murder, stock fraud and Russian crime lords. It seems that by investigating the gem, Turner has opened a Pandora’s box. Suddenly Turner isn’t sure he can trust anyone, including his boss at the Treasury. When his daughter is targeted, he breaks from official channels and uses his CIA training to get to the people threatening him.
ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Matthew Hart explores the dangerous allure of diamonds.
This novel plays out like an action movie, fast-paced and globe-trotting from New York City to Antwerp to South Africa. Hart’s compelling hero isn’t afraid to resort to violence, and we see him engaging in everything from sword fights to falling off the balcony of a skyscraper’s penthouse. There’s also a dash of romance to temper the action scenes. Turner enlists the help of a diamond smuggler named Lily to help him, and as they race around the world in search of answers, a lingering tension between them blooms into something more.
The Russian Pink is a fast read, never once allowing the reader to catch their breath. Perfect for fans of Robert Ludlum and David Baldacci, this thriller will have readers anxiously awaiting Hart’s next novel.
