Operation Double Check

They're all here: Vladimir Putin, who is so angry that he throws a Rembrandt through the window of his dacha. The "Pied Piper" (could he be the president of the United States?) who is trying to sell the Cherokee National Forest to Vladivostok America, a company in which he is supposed to end up with a 25% interest. Tiger, the president's son-in-law and number one fixer, who got his nickname by shooting a tiger from the comfort of his vehicle. And the stars of the show (think Hogan's Heroes if you are old enough), Boris, Misha and Anatoly, three bumbling and dissembling Russian diplomats, each named after a Russian chess grand master.

All matched up against Kevin, Luke and Natalie, fourteen, fourteen, and eleven years old respectively, who the diplomats believe are illegal aliens and who, according to the president, are enemies of the people, all for trying to break up the sale of the forest. Also matched up against the Russians is a park ranger, known as Ranger Bob by the three amigos, and as "No Shadow" by his associates in the CIA. Julian Assange even makes an appearance and turns out to be quite the chess player.

Watch the action unfold, beginning with a gambling team chess match deep in the Cherokee National Forest, the rematch in the Four Under Eight, an international team chess tournament in London, and the grand finale back in the Cherokee National Forest in which Tiger and one of the diplomats are unexpectedly air-lifted - in a tent - by a Chinook helicopter from the Cherokee National Forest and plopped down in front of the president and a worldwide television audience, much to the delight of Ranger Bob and the three amigos.

"...a spy caper that will have readers of all ages flipping pages as fast as they can, grinning at every absurd turn, and cheering as these amateur heroes take on global villains in the most epic game of chess and chance imaginable."