«Sublime and sophisticated ... a fast-paced thriller ... as noteworthy for its superior style as for its gripping depiction of a secretive world»

Washington Post

«A primer in 21st-century spying... terrifically good»

New York Times Book Review

«The best espionage novel you've ever read»

Huffington Post

«There is much to relish, from its revival of the sexy spy (this time female) to its mischievous portrayal of Putin»

John Dugdale, The Sunday Times

«As authentic a spy novel as you are ever apt to read, rendered in exciting prose by a master who helped craft the rules by which spying is conducted. A ten-cloak, ten-dagger read»

Washington Times

«Matthews is the insider's insider. He knows the secrets. And he is also a master storyteller»

Vince Flynn

«The world of a spy is unique and claustrophobic, but this bold tale captures its every nuance with expert precision. A tantalizing premise, and a heroine who's an alpha female, forge a solid piece of entertainment that does not disappoint»

Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author of The Patriot Threat

«The tough and talented Egorova is a brilliant creation - her adventures make for a dazzling thrill-filled journey across the globe. Matthews spent 30 years as a CIA agent so this is the real deal. Thrilling, absorbing and brilliantly descriptive ... you won't fail to be won over»

Sunday Mirror

«Egorova could well turn out to be the greatest ever female character in spy fiction»

The Sunday Times Magazine

«A sequel that's every bit as good as his début . . . Authentic tradecraft, a complex plot that steadily builds tension, and credible heroes and villains on both sides make this a standout»

Publishers Weekly

«The finale to the Red Sparrow Trilogy is both timely and timeless; an espionage tale that takes the reader behind and beyond the headlines of Russia's assault on America. If anyone doubts that we are in the midst of Cold War II, The Kremlin's Candidate will erase those doubts, page by eye-opening page. Matthews's writing is elegant and self-assured, and we know we are in the capable hands of a man who is writing about what he knows and who he knows. Twenty-first-century spy novels don't get any better than this.»

Nelson DeMille

«Dominika Egorova, of the Russian Intelligence Service, is one of the most complex and compelling heroines to grace the espionage genre ... Matthews's scene-setting is superb, and he has a fine eye for telling details ... Palace of Treason shimmers with authenticity»

New York Times

«Matthews spins a mighty operational web replete with exacting tradecraft. His descriptive precision is breathtaking; the sparring between his vividly realized characters is devilishly clever. With nail-biting suspense, scorching eroticism, dark wit, lashing contempt for politicians dismissive of intelligence work, and fury over Russia's disinformation campaigns, this is a riveting and knowing dramatization of today's clandestine geopolitical conflicts»

Booklist

«A provocative and timely novel exploring the notion of Russian influence in the US's corridors of power»

The Guardian

«Taut, fast-paced and authentic. A great American spy novel»

Charles Cumming