A Spring Betrayal

August 8, 2016
In Callaghan’s chilling follow-up to A Killing Winter, Murder Squad detective Akyl Borubaev investigates the murders of seven infants whose bodies were found in a field near Karakol, the remote area of Kyrgyzstan where he’s been posted. With Saltanat Umarova, the beautiful Uzbek security service agent from his previous case, Akyl uncovers a ring of criminals who specialize in kidnapping, torturing, and murdering children and whose grasp reaches to high levels of government. He must rely on State Security minister Mikhail Tynaliev, a dangerous and uncertain ally, as he tries to stop a brutal gang determined to kill anyone who opposes them. Callaghan combines poetic descriptions and often eloquent prose with an unflinching examination of grisly subjects such as rape, pedophilia, and torture. Readers will find Akyl an admirable hero, and glimpses into his childhood years in an orphanage add depth to the character. Armchair travelers should appreciate not only the riveting plot but the chance to encounter this fascinating country. Agent: Tanja Howarth, Tanja Howarth Literary Agency.