Bestselling mystery writer Jessica Fletcher is embarking on the trip of a lifetime. The first stop is Washington, DC -- and a series of lavish receptions, culminating in a meeting with the President. Then it's on to Russia, where Jessica and several publishing colleagues are on a mission to help their Russian counterparts build a publishing industry -- and to help nurture the struggling young democracy. Despite warnings from several friends about Moscow's high crime rate, Jessica can't wait to see the magnificent sights of the city.

But her dream trip threatens to turn into a nightmare. First, a mysterious man approaches her with a dubious request -- and within a day his corpse turns up at the Jefferson Memorial. Once Jessica reaches Moscow, things go from bad to worse after she and her publisher witness a horrifying crime. When murder turns up on the dinner menu, Jessica realizes that intrigue and espionage aren't dead in the new Russia -- and if she doesn't figure out whom to trust -- and fast -- she very may well be.