Triple Cross
A Danilov / Cowley Thriller
-
- $12.99
-
- $12.99
Publisher Description
When Moscow's Organized Crime Bureau chief Dimitri Danilov teams up once more with William Cowley, head of the FBI's Russian desk, their attempt to thwart a unified global mafia makes for Brian Freemantle's most unique and explosive Danilov/Cowley thriller yet. Their mission: to stop the Mafias of the U.S., Russia, and Italy from forming themselves into an organized crime conglomerate with the power to, quite literally, rule the world.
Their investigation reaches right into the seat of the U.S. government, when the FBI agent nephew of the House Speaker is blown up in a car bombing. And it becomes very personal indeed when it's proved the Russian capo di tutti i capi was responsible for the murder of Danilov's lover.
But before they can begin to solve the crimes, Danilov and Cowley have to get themselves together-their good cop, bad cop command of a multinational investigation team risks disastrous failure when Danilov decides upon personal, murderous retribution for his lover's death. Cowley, himself threatened by the exposure of his near alcoholism and with his career on the line, has no choice but to cross his partner and friend and prevent the Russian's professional suicide.
With Triple Cross, Brian Freemantle proves again his mastery of international intrigue and thrills. With double cross after double cross, the mobs stay contemptuously ahead of a pursuit that ventures from America to Moscow to Rome. But will Danilov and Cowley be able to surmount their personal demons and bring the mobsters to justice? They're on the verge of bringing down international crime when Danilov, both in and out of control, springs the Triple Cross.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Taking a hiatus from MI6 operative Charlie Muffin (Kings of Many Castles, etc.), this gripping intrigue revisits the savvy teamwork of veteran FBI agent William Cowley (now heading the Russian desk in Washington) and his old cohort Dimitri Danilov (chief of Moscow's Organized Crime Bureau), last seen in The Watchmen, as they go up against an insanely homicidal Russian mafia kingpin who is determined to consolidate with the Italian and American Mafia families and eventually take over as il capo di tutti i capi (the boss of bosses) of a global consortium for organized crime. Igor Orlov with the help of mistress Irena (wife of Igor's physician twin, Ivan) tortures and mutilates the five leaders of rival families, floating their bodies down the river nailed to crosses in a lurid move to assume control of the Russian mob. Wasting no time, Igor flies to Rome and Chicago, conferring with Italian and American godfathers and laying groundwork for a worldwide crime cartel, which he plans to eventually take over. When Igor visits the HQ of the Russian mob at the Odessa Bar and Grill at Brooklyn's Brighton Beach and summarily executes three punks as an object lesson, the case comes under Cowley's jurisdiction, and he asks for Danilov's help cross-checking the corpses against Russian records. Learning Orlov is responsible for the car-bombing death of his lover, Danilov secretly plots revenge. More killings link the two events, and FBI stakeouts in Moscow take the action to Berlin, where Orlov sets a trap resulting in a mass car-bombing near the Berlin Wall Memorial. Cowley, fighting to keep his alcoholism at bay, dealing with political pressure and preventing Danilov from becoming both jury and executioner, flies to Moscow, where a pulse-pounding, satisfying final confrontation brings an end to this rousing international thriller.
