The Raven

Written in December 2014, against the background of Putin's first secret invasion of Ukraine in the Donbas and the annexation of Crimea, one wonders why the United Kingdom did not have better intelligence of the situation.

Rachel Jones, an English maths graduate, teacher and chess player, after being recruited by MI6, becomes embroiled in the machinations of Moscow society, lovers, spies, and international intrigue. Her Russian friend, Jak, tries, but fails, to keep her as his sexual conquest, while he succumbs to various other temptations with an ex girl-friend and the wife of a rival.

With lies and deception on every hand, there are inevitable consequences and, perhaps, they all get their just desserts in the final game of life and death.