Mezrich (The Accidental Billionaires) aims to shed light on the mystery of contemporary Russia by focusing here on the oligarchs who profited from the "privatization" of state assets after the demise of the Soviet Union in 1991. The author pays particular attention to businessman Boris Berezovsky (1946–2013) and his associates. We follow Berezovsky's rise and prodigious financial successes to his exile in the UK and his eventual mysterious demise. This is a tale of skullduggery and chicanery if ever there was one. One of the more informative and sinister aspects of the tale is the relationship of the oligarchs to Vladimir Putin. Mezrich provides a biographical sketch of the Russian president and his ascent to the pinnacle of power and then his moves to rein in the oligarchs. Along the way, the author highlights the corrupt and lawless state that Russia has become today. VERDICT This sensationalist though useful account sometimes veers into the coarse and crude. Ideal for readers of Russian history who enjoy an edge-of-your-seat delivery, and especially timely after the assassination of Putin opposition leader Boris Nemtsov.—Edward B. Cone, New York