The Firm meets McMafia in Marina Palmer's thrilling and exciting novel, which opens the door on the Russian high life in London and corruption at the heart of British politics, reaching all the way into the Secret Services.

Packed with twists, intrigue, betrayal, romance and suspense, The Russian Doll constantly wrong-foots the reader and delivers a perfect narrative, right to the last page.

How much did she just say the salary was?

When Ruth Miller returns a dropped scarf to Elena Shilkov, she is whisked from a dreary shared flat to a world of unimagined luxury.

The super-rich Russian wants a new personal assistant and won't take no for an answer.

Ruth gets accommodation, a credit card, and a complete wardrobe makeover.

And she's good at the job; distributing gifts, attending galas, dealing with the high-society movers and shakers fighting for Elena's attention.

Then the sinister truth begins to reveal itself, that nothing is quite what it seems in Elena's dangerous, deceptive world.

Ruth should get away.

But it's already too late.

Marina Palmer is the pseudonym of bestselling British author Imogen Robertson.

Now based in London, Imogen was born and brought up in Darlington and read Russian and German at Cambridge.

Before becoming a writer, she directed for TV, film, and radio. She is the author of several novels, including the Crowther and Westerman series. Imogen was shortlisted for the CWA Ellis Peters Historical Award 2011 and the CWA Dagger in the Library Award 2012.