***1/2
Pretty good. The setting alone is enough for me to continue this series.

I tried and tried to get through this story and it bore me. I read the first 100 pages of the book and the story barely developed. The author uses too many words to describe or explain a simple subject or scene. I give it a two-star rating simply because the author is very creative with his writing, but excessively verbose.

I would not give it completely 4 stars ( I would say more 3.5 or 3.75). The writing was very good, I learned some minute details that I didn't know before and I definitely plan on reading the continuation of this series. The only reason why I graded it a little lower is because the actual case that was being solved wasn't what I had hoped it would be, but that is just personal preference.

Looking forward to book 2!

Pretty average as far as historical mysteries go--a bit of a guide to the names in the story would have helped since many of the characters were called very different names within the course of a single conversation.

Neither height nor depth, but nonetheless, a reasonably well-tailored and paced in-between. There are those books that are raised by the quality of characters--this wasn't one. But for a summer sun laze around, it needed neither too much nor too little attention. One word? bemused.

In general, I enjoy novels about Soviet-era Russia - books like Gorky Park, Child 44, etc. which is what originally lead me to this novel. I felt this novel was very well done with strong, well-rounded main characters. What I found different (and very interesting) was Korolev's general attitude towards the State apparatus. In other novels of this era, the characters all seem to be moral upstanding men who are stuck in a bad position because of the Communist leaders and try to make the best of it - but most of them seem to secretly hate the State. Korolev (at least for most of the novel) isn't like that. He sees things for what they are, he is moral and has is own code, but he also has an almost child-like faith in the State and in Stalin that things are only this way because the revolution hasn't finished. That they all need to just bare with it and things will soon be paradise on Earth. Overall, I enjoyed the murder mystery aspect and watching Korolev investigate an ever-widening conspiracy. Very entertaining read - I will be reading more books by William Ryan.

The second mystery I've read this year set in the early Soviet era - is this a new mystery trend? It's a dark mystery, definitely not a cozy, and the layers of suspicion and paranoia that run through the story are interesting. If the author is accurately depicting life back then, people like Captain Korolev are rare: not a Party member, not for sale, perhaps not buying all the Party is selling but sincerely believing that this is all for the greater good.

His investigation into the murder of a young woman, who turns out to be a Russian-born, American-raised nun looking for an icon brings him into contact with Chekists, Thieves and a band of Holmesian Irregulars. It also raises many questions about who to trust and how to keep safe during this time of doubt and questioning (even the young officer assigned to him turns out to be something else).

One thing about this book that I particularly liked was the source list; while I do wonder about the bias of the materials, they look like a good place to learn more about this time in history.

ARC provided by publisher.

Russian characters with all manner of "British" accents...major distraction

A grisly murder of an American nun in a converted church in Moscow starts Alexei Korolev on a journey no one should go on. As a police officer in Stalinist Russia in 1936 he has to be wary of everyone, his co-workers, his neighbours and especially the secret police. I kept thinking how I can't imagine living the way people did back then in that place. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next one, although I am a little disappointed that Vanya won't be in it.

Tense thriller set in Stalinist Russia in 1936. Great atmosphere.