Red Sparrow, Matthews - B++

                                         The author spent 35 years in the CIA and brilliantly sets forth the new Cold War, between Russia and the US, assuring us that the old Cold War never really ended.  A certain former KGB officer from East Berlin is now President and is quite involved running the SFR, the modern KGB with a new a set  of initials.  The game is the same, the players too, but with a recently renovated ballpark.  A brilliant Russian ballerina is recruited by her uncle, trained and sent to ensnare a young American who is currently running the CIA's most valuable Russian asset.  Since I believe anyone who sees this post should read the book, I will simply say that the plot is a three dimensional, LeCarre-like chessboard.   The many expositions of tradecraft, by someone who actually did it in some very unpleasant places is the most enlightening part.  This is fun!