
Dance of Death
By William Paul
Mikhail Gorbachov, leader of the new Russia and architect of the glasnost era, seems to have achieved unchallengeable political control of his country and its empire.
But beneath the surface calm, continuing nationalist unrest and a disaffected military establishment are gradually eroding his power base. The voices of those who want to return to the old ways begin to whisper insistently. In his first overseas visit for two years Gorbachov leaves the safety of the Kremlin, despite the rumour of an assassination plot, to attend a gala performance by the Bolshoi Ballet at the 50th International Edinburgh Festival.
Two men are in charge of Gorbachov’s safety, Gennadi Potapenko and David Fyfe, but one of them isn’t who he says he is. It quickly becomes impossible to tell who is there to guard and who is there to kill as the partners take the floor in a terrifying Dance of Death.
William Paul is a journalist and author from Edinburgh, where he lives with his wife and their two sons. He has also authored a number of other books, including Seasons of Revenge and The Lion Rampant.