The Holy Thief
Captain Alexei Dimitrevich Korolev Series, Book 1
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کتاب های مرتبط
- اطلاعات
- نقد و بررسی
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نقد و بررسی
Starred review from June 14, 2010
Set in 1936, Ryan's impressive debut introduces Capt. Alexei Korolev of the Moscow Militia's Criminal Investigation Division, who looks into the murder of a young woman found butchered in a church. Signs of torture suggest the killer may have been trying to get information out of the victim. Colonel Gregorin, an NKVD officer who takes an interest in the case, believes the crime has "a political element." With Gregorin's help, the captain identifies the woman as an American nun, who may have been involved with smuggling valuables out of the Soviet Union for sale abroad. After a second similar murder, Korolev enlists the help of a motley assortment of allies, including a contingent of would-be Baker Street Irregulars and acclaimed writer Isaac Babel. Ryan, who merits comparison to Tom Rob Smith, makes palpable the perpetual state of fear of being reported as disloyal, besides dramatizing the difficulty of being an honest cop in a repressive police state. Readers will hope Korolev has a long career ahead of him. 125,000 first printing; author tour.
Simon Vance's narration evokes the ambiance of the Soviet Union of 1936, when this novel is set. If it were a color, it would be a smoke-stained gray. But that doesn't mean his voice is flat and expressionless. It merely reflects the surroundings and the dark tone of the story. Vance gives the Russian speakers a touch of a Slavic accent to differentiate them from the American characters. This allows the listener to distinguish characters easily during dialogue. The plot involves murders surrounding the international trafficking of religious icons. The mystery itself carries the listener along nicely as the hero, a Moscow police detective, unravels the clues. R.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine
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