Vero author’s geopolitical thriller novel ‘Moldavian Gambit’ blends history with nuclear warfare

Brad M. Meslin’s dream almost never happened. 

A lost manuscript detailing the theft of a portable nuclear weapon, along with geopolitical blackmail and high-stakes espionage, were elements of what would later become “The Moldavian Gambit.”  

The novel, released in Oct. 2024, is a suspense-packed fictional story of intrigue inspired by true events played out on the world stage. The international thriller is now an Amazon-best-seller.  

“I began to write the book and had a partial manuscript. Many years ago, I set it aside because I didn’t have the time to complete it,” Meslin said.  

Meslin, a first-time author living in Vero Beach, began developing the novel more than 25 years ago in a Word document file on his computer. But when his computer desktop was upgraded, the manuscript was lost in the digital ether. It did not, however, fade from Meslin’s imagination.  

When a printed copy of the incomplete manuscript was discovered years later, Meslin recrafted the story – packed with authentic details and ‘what ifs’ among other twists and turns that had played around in his mind for decades.  

That moment of happenstance occurred in 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, when Meslin came across a hard copy of the manuscript tucked at the bottom of a box sitting in a closet. It was at this point that he made a decision that would change the trajectory of his writing career.  

“I started to read through the early draft and realized I had two choices: Either I could leave it on the shelf in my office, or I could invest the time, research and travel to finish the story and have it published,” said Meslin, his voice filled with conviction. “So, I decided to complete it and I’m glad I did.” 

After discovering the hard copy manuscript, Meslin penned the second half of the book in 18 months. Meslin said completing his first published novel was gratifying.  

“I believed there was an exciting, compelling, suspenseful story, inspired by actual events, that people would find interesting. The book also serves as something of a warning in terms of that toxic combination of political disinformation and nuclear weapons, which can obviously be extremely dangerous,” Meslin said. “With its obvious parallels to recent events in Eastern Europe, the story is just as relevant today as the period in which it occurs.” 

Rewind to 1991

The Moldavian Gambit, set in August 1991 during the collapse of the Soviet Union, follows four fictional characters: Mossad Officer Dov Ma’alat, a retired Israeli senior operative, Lt. Col. Sergei Rostov, a Russian KGB investigator, Dr. Peter Grantham, a brilliant U.S. nuclear physicist, and Maria Colline, a Soviet sleeper agent. Each plays a key role in the conspiracy behind the theft of a portable nuclear weapon from a secure Soviet armory by nationalists attempting to blackmail the Kremlin. 

“(The characters) are not real people, but many of their experiences, personalities and even the way they speak are composites of people that I’ve had the opportunity to meet or work with,” Meslin said. “The locations, military capabilities and historical events described in the book are authentic, which hopefully helps to make the story compelling.” 

The discovery of the nuclear device’s location – and the threat that it will be detonated – bring the United States, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), and Russia to the brink of a global nuclear conflict beyond anyone’s ability to control. The multi-layered story takes place over the course of seven days across several locations including Moscow, Moldavia (now Moldova), Paris, Washington, the skies over Eastern Europe and geostationary orbit about 22,000 miles above Earth.

In this fast-paced, spine-tingling novel, the world’s top officials race against the clock to prevent widespread destruction and mass casualties.  

Inspiration 

Meslin is no stranger to foreign affairs.  

With an extensive background in national security policy, Meslin said his work experience gave him insight into geopolitical events and the military and intelligence capabilities developed by the U.S. and its allies to address certain threats. 

“The characters and plot lines in ‘The Moldavian Gambit’ are inspired by my exposure to the national security arena over many years,” Meslin said. “That provided inspiration, content and background to describe plot lines and a story that hasn’t been told before.” 

Meslin also said he wanted the book to be authentic in terms of the locations, technologies, plot twists and the way the different government agencies described in the book operate – which required many hours of research, location scouting and writing to weave historical events into the fabric of the story.  

“If a book is believable, that makes it much more compelling to the reader than if it’s something that could really never happen,” Meslin said. “That fine line between fact and fiction results in a more suspenseful and gripping story for people to read.”

Meslin said he’s also a fan of bestselling American novelist Tom Clancy, known for his geopolitical technothrillers. One of Meslin’s favorite books by Clancy is “The Hunt for Red October.” 

Current events 

Even though The Moldavian Gambit takes place in 1991, Meslin said the events in the novel mirror current situations happening across the globe, including Russia’s deadly invasion – and now, war with Ukraine. Moldavia, a former Soviet republic, declared independence from the Soviet Union during the political upheaval sweeping the region in late 1991 and renamed itself Moldova.  

“(The book) relates to recent events in Ukraine and the attempt by Russia to expand its historical sphere of influence that included Ukraine and many of the former Soviet republics around the perimeter of Russia,” Meslin said. “Countries like Moldova that achieved independence, became democratic and often aligned with the west. Russia for many years has had an interest in recapturing its historical sphere of influence, that area of geopolitical control.  That’s what we’re seeing with the war in Ukraine.” 

Main takeaway 

Meslin said his team hopes to turn “The Moldavian Gambit” into a screenplay. “We hope the book may eventually be brought to the screen,” Meslin said, “as it has the ingredients of a limited series or a feature film; the suspense, espionage, exotic locations, and plenty of action.” 

Meslin said the book also serves as a warning of the risks that could occur in a political environment plagued by disinformation or deception along with the involvement of nuclear weapons.  

Evelyn Farkas, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia, said in a review that every U.S. citizen would be wise to read this story as a reminder of how close we are to nuclear catastrophe…and of American power, innovation and the enduring ability to make the right decisions when it matters most.