I'll be honest, I don't normally read the spy genre, but found this one such a thrill, I couldn't wait to finish it and see if Nina makes it as a spy. The book was very well written, and I was entertained until the end. Highly recommended.

Propulsive suspense…well written with a great plot.
Many thanks to The Book Whisperer and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story read very much like something I’ve already read but can’t put my finger on.

I got vibes from Jason Bourne at moments, James Bond (secret spy vibes only), even Black Widow knock off vibes. Not in all good ways with these blockbuster comparisons.

This was not an edge of your seat thriller but not a flop either. It kind of was just good.

The storyline could have ended in points but then of course what good thriller is simple and stays the course right?

The Decoy by Chloé Archambault was a great quick read and I really enjoyed this book especially as it was a new author to me and it had me gripped within the first few pages. Nina is an orphan who is groomed at age 11 to become an eager Russian spy. Brilliant and a great page turner from start to finish.

I highly recommend this new author to me.

Big Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange of a honest review,

My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
Very well written and researched engaging and gripping from first to last page, this is a clever original unusual spy story. Let's face it how often do you cheer on the Russian spy. Our heroine is brave clever fearless and sassy, the best of a number of well drawn characters. Hopefully the Author will revisit this character in more books. Atmospheric descriptive intelligent and, tense with more than enough surprises, and plot twists for this ageing reader to solve, and some exciting action scenes thrown in along the way.
Completely recommended.

Nina is a spy. Born in Russia, living in Canada, She completes assignments. She wants to do more. She and her fake boyfriend attend a conference where things go terribly wrong. Who can she trust? The author does a good job of making not only Nina question this, but also the reader. I probably wouldn’t recommend this for a book group, but I would recommend it to my friends.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. It was a very different genre for me but I am very glad I read it as it kept me guessing from start to finish.

In general terms it was an interesting book. Nina thinks she works for an organization but she is the decoy of another organization to get to somebody who cares about her. It seems the book will have sequels for the end it has.

The Decoy by Chloé Archambault.
Nina is living a dangerous lie. On the outside, she's an agreeable graduate student at McGill with doting parents. Behind that prim and proper facade is a capable and restless Russian spy. An unexpected first mission falls to her. Nina is excited at the chance to prove her worth. But, when it all explodes in her face, a lifetime of training may not be enough to save her. The line between friends and foes blurs.
Trust is a luxury she cannot afford. The lie might have slipped out of her control, but the truth is relentless. It might just crush her. Or it might set her free.
A very good read with some good characters. Kept me gripped throughout. 4*.

I wouldn’t put this on the TBR pile for “on the edge of your seat/heart pounding” thrillers but I wouldn’t write it off as a dud either. It has a hint of James Bond (from an inexperienced Russian agent in training perspective), a dash of Jason Borne, and a pinch of (??) something else.

The story follows Nina, a Russian orphan who has been brought up by agents to be a deep cover Russian spy. At this time she is a gifted student who helps Mother Russia by spreading misinformation and such to tear at the stability of the US. Then along with her assigned boyfriend agent she gets sent undercover to a G7 mission to collect secret documents from the organizations secret US Government mole. Things go a bit pear-shaped with the mole but Nina is able to retrieve what she was sent to get. Time to get out… right??? According to the boyfriend agent – No. Apparently there was another part to the mission that Nina is unaware off… Then things you could say literally blow up and Nina has to escape the G7 location, get somewhere safe, and in the process realizes that she doesn’t know who to trust.

There were enough moments of “really?” that I really began to believe that the twist was going to be that that she was dreaming until the real twist happened and I was like ok this is why the book is called “The Decoy”…

This is a good book to have on hand as a time filler for when you are waiting on an appointment, between books, commuting, waiting for the other half to finish shopping, etc.
3-1/2 stars.

This book really meets the brief of “thriller” and every page is an important part of the whole - the writer does not waste pages on unnecessary filler. Really engaging characters support a high action plot which is incredible in the best possible way.

I did enjoy this fast paced spy/espionage thriller, it had lots of twists and turns to keep me hooked. I enjoyed how in the end the story had made connections to characters. I also loved this was set in a Canadian city! The story follows graduate student Nina and her dual life as a university student and spy. It takes a turn when she begins to question what is real and what is not when on a mission, from there the story takes a turn as she searches while on the run what is the real truth.

I received a free copy from NetGalley and book Whisperer, all opinions are my own.

I would recommend this book to a friend or my book club

Nina- graduate student and Russian operative. Her objective- to handle a small handoff. But nothing is as it seems.

This is a fantastic debut novel that delves into Russian espionage. There is a nice flow of information and action that makes it read almost as a movie. The plot twists are well written and hidden until just a few pages before the reveal.

Every character has depth, no matter how small of a part they play. And I love that because readers can immerse themselves more in the world of this novel. Every action was well thought out and realistic.

There is a hint of an open-ending, which I think works beautifully. It wrapped up the story while also leaving readers (at least this reader) hoping for a sequel.

Nina Palester is a graduate student in computer science. Nina Palester is a Russian spy. Can she be both? Abandoned as a child, Nina was taken to a Russian orphanage. After scoring well on ability tests, Nina is placed in a family setting with two Russian agents. She is trained in all aspects of her job as secret agent. She spends her days researching and is asked to do the occasional mission. Recently she has been paired with another agent, Hans, to act as a couple. They have worked hard establishing their "relationship" . Nina knows she has feelings for Hans but isn't sure exactly what they are. One evening Nina and Hans are summoned to her parents house for "dinner". They learn that they have been selected for a special mission that will be the most important one to date. Before she accepts, Nina has to inform her parents of a recent event. Because of her carelessness and failure to immediately disclose the event, she is replaced by another agent. Nina has been receiving mysterious messages and a man has been seen watching her apartment. Who is this person? What do the messages mean? Does she have anyone that she can trust with this? She is afraid that she will be sent back to Russia if she discloses the latest occurrence. Days before the big mission, Nina's replacement disappears. Will Nina be allowed back on the mission? Who is her mysterious stalker?

This story seems clear. At each turn in the book, new complications arise. Nina's training has made her a compliant agent but she is tired of not knowing the whole picture. Nina is determined to prove herself and also step out of the shadows of the agents acting as her parents. The story is interesting and gives a detail oriented look at the life of a foreign agent. There is mystery and thrills develop quite rapidly in this story which is reminiscent of "The Americans" tv show. Nina is a smart young woman, what I can't understand is why someone studying computer science would accept the story of her abandonment. Is her lack of curiosity a result of her agent training? Chloe Archambault has written a very entertaining book about loyalty and personal sacrifice.

A light spy novel, very enjoyable and easy to read in one sitting. The characters are interesting and Nina, the absolute protagonist, is such an appealing character that she could be the subject of a sequel.

This is a very unique book it is the story of Nina ostensibly a student in Montreal but in reality, a deep cover Russian agent. With the alleged Russian involvement in elections in the US and in the UK, it is very timely indeed.
Nina was an orphan who has been carefully groomed by her Russian handlers she lives with two agents and to all the world they are a happy family.
Nina does tasks consisting mainly of photographing documents at the college. She plays the part of a student well and seems like any other college student.
Then comes the big assignment the president of the United States is coming to Canada for a G7 conference and someone in his entourage has been blackmailed into giving over the Russians some very incriminating evidence of the President with an underaged person also similar to a real-life situation. Nina and her alleged boyfriend (also an agent) are to go the conference and get the material from the staffer and bring it back to Montreal.
Things begin to go horribly wrong when there is an explosion at a press conference and all hell breaks loose.
Nina must sneak back into Montreal she arrives exhausted and drained. She goes to seek the comfort of her boyfriend and then home.
At that point everything turns topsy turvy who can she trust? Are any of the people that she knows and has known for years on the up and up or will they all betray her?
It is a spy story but is also rife with humanity and a lot of twists and turns.
She and the reader are in doubt as to whom to trust and who not to trust. The story is excellently written and absolutely compelling. Be prepared to read long into the night. It’s that good.

The Decoy by Chloe Archambault tells the story of Nina who was orphaned then groomed at age 11 to become a Russian operative. What a great read! I read this in a day! The story kept a good pace but didn't have you dashing from place to place. I felt all of Nina's emotions and fought along side of her and Theo. I loved Ibrahim!! What great character! There was no closure with Markus and Jacques. Nina did meet up with Stacey but not them. I was disappointed in that. I'm still not sure about the title. I understand why it's The Decoy but I'm thinking it could be more descriptive..The Orphan Spy?? I will recommend this book! Thank you for letting me review!