Doing Bizness

Kiev, 1992. What happens to the Bombs after a superpower implodes? The collapse of the Soviet Union scatters nuclear weapons and detritus in a chaotic, international nightmare that makes Ukraine the world's third largest nuclear power. When his strategic nuclear bomber base mutinies against Moscow and declares loyalty to Kiev, warhead expert Anton Zvezda goes AWOL in disgust. His only comfort is his Russian Orthodox religion. But when signs of the Apocalypse threaten his church, he puts his skills to work on a terrifying plot. A modern computerized tracking system could help Kiev stop him and other would-be nuclear smugglers - like the official with a secret stash of bomb-grade uranium. It would also help American businessmen Neil Neilson and Dan Kruger keep their jobs. But while Washington bureaucrats block their efforts, Iraqi spy Tariq abu Bakr is in Kiev to shop for a Bomb - on pain of death. That is, until the brilliant and beautiful Sveta learns the secret that can thwart his plans and achieve her ambitions. Tensions build as all their paths cross in the exotic and dangerous landscapes of post-Soviet Ukraine -- while the clock ticks on a nuclear bomb in Istanbul. Will Boris the Monk be able to stop it? The USSR's demise unleashed a flood of radioactive materiel still at risk for smuggling and diversion. Doing Bizness is about how it began. Based on true events - both surreal and terrifying -- it really could have happened. This fast-paced and immensely enjoyable thriller, shot through with black comedy, has the accuracy and power of a nuke-tipped cruise missile. Askold Krushelnyckyj, An Orange Revolution A page-turner thriller and history rolled into one great book! Susan Viets, Picnic at the Iron Curtain