What a delicious surprise this book has turned out to be! I couldn't put it down!
The author, Edward Topol, is a Russian writer, now living in the United States. The book
is set in Russia, in the late 1960s. It promised the combination of a mystery, with a
glimpse into a society we know little about.
It far exceeded the promise. What seems to be "just a mystery" takes us into the
complexities of world politics, USSR government, Nenet society (native peoples of
Siberia), love, and revenge. The story is told from the viewpoint of a woman, a Russian
police investigator. (Extra kudos for a man, writing as a woman, and doing so
convincingly)
Mr. Topol is a very good writer, and we are lucky to have him. I hope to find more of his
writings, and will definitely consider him one of my favorite authors. The book itself
will be joining my permanent collection, one of the very few to do so this year.