The Kremlin's Candidate is the closing part of Jason Matthews' spy triology and it is, like the previous two books, a good solid read.

All the main characters return in this book as do the recipes at the end of each chapter!

This time out Red Sparrow continues to face danger as she maintains her double life both inside and out Russia.

The book has a number of twists and turns as you would expect although I personally thought that the ending was a bit too neat although others may well disagree.

Overall I have enjoyed this series and would recommend this book as either a standalone one of as the final chapter in the story.

Ex-CIA man Jason Matthews brings his considerable experience and expertise to this final part of the Red Sparrow trilogy, lending it an air of real authenticity in its echoes of events in our contemporary world. CIA agent, Nathan and Russian ex-ballerina, Dominika, return for the last time with the lovers facing the gravest of dangers in a setting that moves from one colourful location to another, including Moscow, New York, Sudan, Hong Kong and Turkey. Putin himself plays a critical, at times a humorous, starring role in the novel. The Russians have ambitions to replace the murdered head of the CIA with their own carefully cultivated agent, this sparks a desperate investigation to identify who the mole might be. Should the Russians be successful then CIA assets will be exposed, including Dominika, and become targets to be eliminated. This is a intense, suspenseful and thrilling tale of politics, high intrigue, the deadly repercussions of being involved in espionage, romance, cold blooded killers all leading to a violent and harrowing finale. One of the highlights of this book are the insights it offers into the American and Russian intelligence agencies and how they work. I found this an entertaining and absorbing read although I felt a little disappointed with the ending. Many thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.

I put this book down with great regret and - without giving away any spoilers - not a few tears as well.

This is the final part of the great trilogy of novels relating the relationship between Nate (or Neyt), Nash and Colonel Dominika Egorova, the FSB Counter Intelligence chief who has been a CIA asset for many years.

The author's working knowledge of the espionage game is again apparent and shines through and the book is relentless in its excitement but is also sensitive in the way it portrays human emotions and relationships as well as the in-fighting, jealousies and backbiting within the top echelons of the respective intelligence services.

As always there is a mole to discover and neutralise before he or she can reveal Domenika's true identity to her colleagues and the denouement is taken to the wire.

It could work as a standalone read but why deny yourself the pleasure and relentless rollercoaster excitement of the two previous books in the series? Take my advice and start with Red Sparrow first, follow it up with Palace of Treason before tacking The Kremlin's Candidate.

I am an avid reader of spy thrillers and this is one of the best books in this genre that I have been fortunate enough to read.