Super Short Summary

The Cardinal of the Kremlin by Tom Clancy follows CIA analyst Jack Ryan on a mission to rescue Colonel Mikhail Filitov, the highest-placed CIA agent in the Soviet Union, who is compromised while gathering intelligence on a Soviet anti-ballistic missile project. Ryan must navigate Soviet political intrigues and leverage information to secure Filitov's release, ultimately dealing with defection and complex geopolitical negotiations. The book includes descriptions of torture.