Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5) Find MASKIROVKA on Amazon Maskirovka by Thibaut Mallet is an ambitious, gritty, and intricately detailed military thriller that plunges readers into the chaos of the Balkan conflict of the late 1990s. Drawing on the Russian doctrine of deception that gives the novel its title, Mallet crafts a story where strategy, misdirection, and human grit collide in the skies, seas, and contested towns of Yugoslavia. The novel’s strength lies in its technical authenticity and sweeping scope. From Mirage cockpits to covert commando operations and the tense chess games of SAM operators, Mallet demonstrates an extraordinary command of modern warfare’s mechanics and psychology.