Written by a former intelligence professional, Russia Rising is an international espionage thriller set within the tensions between Russia and the West. It tells the story of a global confrontation that erupts following the “Teddy Bear” bombing of Belarus by Finnish and Estonian-American human rights activists. It takes places in Finland, Estonia, Russia, Belarus, and the United States.

David Ivanovich Markoff, a CIA operative and analyst, arrives at the CIA Helsinki Station after falling out of favor at CIA Headquarters under suspicion aroused by his Russian heritage.

In Finland, Markoff survives an assassination attempt, becomes entangled in a moral and career crisis when he attempts to assist a Belarus KGB-imprisoned Estonian-American human rights activist, and encounters Finnish SUPO, Belarus KGB, Estonian KaPo, the Israeli Mossad, Russian SVR/FSB, and Helsinki-based criminal motorcycle gangs.

With twists involving a United States Ambassador to Finland, the precarious, paranoid world of CIA reality, the authoritarian police state of Belarus, and an impending confrontation between Finland and Russia, Russia Rising provides a thrilling journey as David tries to survive the power, politics and corruption of the United States diplomatic world.