"Secrets in a Time of Peace" by Robert A. Shaines takes us into the often muddled and yet riveting world of nuclear warfare. The main players in this game are of course the United States, China, Russia and Israel, countries that were often at odds with one another. Soon after the disintegration of the Soviet Union it was discovered that 68 plutonium bombs were missing from the nuclear program. The story that Robert A. Shaines has created follows the efforts of several nations to secure the missing bombs before a world wide panic starts.

This is a great story that focuses on a period of time that was dramatic in its own right. The history of the collapse of the Soviet Union is well documented and you can tell that Robert A. Shaines did his research when working on this book. The story of the novel flows well and the characters are very intense and deep. When I read a drama I want it to be very dramatic and "Secrets in a Time of Peace" met my expectations for drama. I found myself almost biting my nails several times. The prose is well-presented and the flow of the story is really good. There were some twists that I didn't see coming and found very enjoyable. I would recommend this book to any reader who loves a good drama, not only on a dramatic level but as something that is obviously well-researched and presented perfectly. "Secrets in a Time of Peace" by Robert Shaines hits every one of my boxes for a must read book.

In "Secrets in a Time of Peace", Robert A. Shaines uses his real-life experience as an attorney in Russia in the years after the breakup of the Soviet Union to craft a realistic novel focusing on the combined efforts of the United States, Russia and other concerned countries to get some control over the Russian arsenal stockpile. His main characters are two young generals, one Russian and the other American, whose friendship is taxed as they engage in a desperate search for the missing plutonium bombs called "suitcase bombs" for their small size and portability. Their search leads them to the Lubyanka in Russia, Jerusalem and the middle East and across the globe as they coordinate their efforts with other terrorist-fighting agencies and a general-turned-arms broker.

This is an exciting thriller, made even more so by the historical veracity brought to bear by the author's knowledge and expertise. The American general Diamond and his Russian counterpart Medvedev are finely drawn characters who are stunned by the immediacy and scope of their task. They bring together an international team whose sole aim is to locate these devices and get them before any terrorist organizations or countries obtain them for their own uses. "Secrets in a Time of Peace" is a fascinating read that has real life implications. It gives the reader a little-known look at the aftereffects of the Cold War in Russia as well as a history of the KGB and other Russian Governmental entities both before and after the breakup. I'll be watching for other new novels by Shaines.