In his third novel, Moonlight Hotel, Scott Anderson expertly tells the story of David Richards, a mid-level American diplomat stationed in the obscure fictional Middle Eastern kingdom of Kutar.

Life in Kutar goes from mundane to chaos when a rebel army (a type of Middle Eastern Khmer Rouge) overtakes the country and demands that all foreigners leave. Ordered to stay behind, Richards, along with an odd array of diplomats, journalists, and a batty contessa, occupies an old resort - the Moonlight Hotel -determined to play out the conflict till the end. From their microcosm, they view the violent drama in adjacent Laradan, deceit, selflessness and acts of bravery amid moral compromise, all played out within the complex scenario of military and political intrigue.

A good blend of satire and character interaction makes this an interesting read, although the story drags a little at its midpoint. Even so, for those who like the political arena and its undertakings, this is a winner.

Scott Anderson is a war correspondent and has written numerous publications on war torn areas such as Beirut, Chechnya, Sarajevo, and EL Salvador. He is the author of Triage along with the nonfiction works The 4 O’Clock Murders and The Man Who Tried to Save the World.