Old fashioned true-life story

Freezing Order by Bill Browder, Simon & Schuster, $37.99 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

The most frightening thing about this latest offering from Russian expert Bill Browder is that it's a true story written like a novel.

Browder's previous book, Red Notice ,wasa best seller, and also true. His young Russian lawyer was beaten to death in a Moscow jail and Browder went after his killers. He'd originally set up a finance firm, and when Putin came to power intending to stamp out the oligarchies, Browder backed him. He made a fortune, but then Putin deported him and raided his offices, using his papers to stage a tax rebate scam, blaming him for the disaster. His young lawyer exposed the scam and was murdered in prison.

The Russians were out to get Browder and he was targeted — and those who are targeted by Russia tend to die in unusual circumstances.

That makes this a good old-fashioned thriller, as well as being a true story. —

Linda Thompson