The Man With Two Graves

by Ian SG Smith

The Russian Royal Family were all murdered in a cellar by the Bolsheviks in 1918, and for several years afterwards imposters tried to convince the world they had survived.
Suppose there was a member of the Romanov family who did not die in the cellar?
He was already dead, as was everyone who knew he existed, but not before he had fathered a son, and this remained a secret for over 90 years.

445 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 2, 2025

Reviews

[Cah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice story and premise. I don’t usually lean towards this genre and honestly the cover threw me off, but Ian’s writing and description makes up for it. Keep up the great job, it’s very nice to see indie authors like this.

[Thea Hallam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not my usual thing but i throughly enjoyed🌟

[Abbie Hankins · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.6 perhaps
so interesting not a topic i ever read so learnt a lot and love that everything is very accurate
fun to unravel the mystery loads of plot twists at the end i was gripped
the family tree and all the links were a bit confusing to keep track of think a diagram would help

[s R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually read thrillers but anything about the Romanovs manages to capture my attention and this story was definitely not a disappointment. This story goes beyond a typical thriller, exploring a man’s confrontation with his own inner demons. If you're a fan of thrillers that explore both psychological depth and mystery, this book is a must-read in my opinion.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really excellent read which I throughly enjoyed. I found Ian’s book through TikTok and thought I would give it a go. An amazing story of a lost Romanov descendant.
I have to say it was a tad hard to follow at times (e.g, when describing the Edmundson family trees - a diagram which was later mentioned would have been helpful to refer too). Additionally I feel it would have been nice to have found out the real story behind Alix’s mother, why she was so kept away from the secrets of Madame Dubré and co.
That being said, this book is incredibly well researched - with great attention to detail given to historical matters, DNA, finances, politics and economics. I was totally gripped and COMPLETELY blindsided by the twists and turns of the last 20% or so of the book. Also, at one point I was worried I’d find a dissatisfying ending - I was wrong! Perfect ending which leaves you with the perfect balance of wanting to know more, while being satisfied with what you have found out. Thank you Ian for investing so much time in this book - I hope to read more!

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not my usual genre, but as a big history lover I thought I’d give it a go for a change. Really interesting concept, and explores its themes well, especially the thriller type aspect. The only thing I disliked was the layout, but that’s down to personal preference and is most likely different on a kindle/book, so not at all damaging to this story.

[Chelsea Cavill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly brilliant. Not something I would usually pick up, definitely not my usual genre. Saw this posted on TikTok by the author.
I am SO glad I picked this up.
Honestly I devoured it and adored it.
Twists and turns.
Uncovering Alix McBride’s family, the secrets.
Wonderfully written, fantastically researched.

[Daire Denby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This definitely got me out of a reading slump! An amazing plot & great writing. I will say one thing that got me was how many names we were introduced to, I kind of wished there had been a chart to help me keep track. But that is probably personal preference! Looking forward to the next one Ian!

[Cindy Patterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad if you can get over the appalling grammar. Plurals don't need apostrophes. They just need an s. Ian needs a new proof reader. A good yarn. It is worth a read, but not a work of literary genius.

[Oliwia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed it, would recommend to anyone who is interested in royal families or just wants to read a good book. :)

[toadsagejutsu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterpiece of historical fiction. Enthralling.

[Liv Steggar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Read

Ian is clearly very talented, i was so moved throughout this book. Can’t wait to read more of his work!

[Casarina Finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow!!!

highly recommend, well-written and truly enthralling. Its not often that I find a hidden gem like this but this one really got me.

[Lucy Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book wouldn’t be my usual genre but the writing is so impeccable that I was so interested the whole way through and really enjoyed it

[Lacey 💕 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous story!!!

[Jasminespradbery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant. A work of art

[Grace Stenzler · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different genre for me but throughly enjoyed the story and the mystery unfolding throughout!
Some editing here and there may be needed but didn't take away from enjoying the book

[Danielle Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my usual

[Beth Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ An interesting story. Not my usual read so took me a little while to get into it, but glad I stuck with it. The last 30-40% of the book really picked up and I couldn’t put it down