The Moscow Affair: A Nicole Graves Mystery book 6 by Nancy Boyarsky.

Nicole Graves, a Private Investigator based in Los Angeles is getting a little bored and fed up being stuck in her office while other staff are out in the field. Nicole is suddenly given the chance to get out of her office on an unusual assignment of simply observing and reporting on passengers aboard a luxury cruise ship in Moscow. Nicole is delighted to be offered this easy spotters job - a kind of busman’s holiday - a refreshing break playing the role of a tourist. What could possibly go wrong? Surely this is money for old rope?

I enjoyed reading this 6th novel in the Nicola Graves mysteries. Like the other books in this series, I feel this book can be read as a stand-alone. I liked how the dynamics of Nicole continued, it felt like catching up with an old friend. The author’s voice is consistent through her books and it is easy to believe that Nicole is actually Nancy, the author. There is a very easy flow to this book and although it is not written in the first person, it feels as though Nicole is sitting across the room for you, telling you about her exciting holiday cruise along the river Volga in Russia.

There is plenty of action in this story, it is not a sleepy river cruise but a tale of conspiracy and danger. By coincidence, whilst I was reading this book, I also watched a film called The Courier, - thinking that the role played by Olga Kurylenko - was similar to Nicole, a very strong, full action female with an army of talents to save the day.

I think the plot of The Moscow Affair was okay, nothing special - like the plot in her 4th novel, The Ransom. I found this book easy to roll along with, like watching a good television presenter. “And later in the programme I’ll be talking to....” making this a cosy armchair read. There is even a little romance towards the end with an old friend.

I do not think The Moscow Affair is as good as the other novels in this series like The Swap - book 1, The Bequest - book 2 or The Entitled - book 5 - but I found The Moscow Affair to be an OKAY read that gets 3 stars from me.

Thanks to the author for giving me an ARC on the understanding that I would publish a review.

The Moscow Affair was written in 2021 and is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook.