Τομέας 12

Captain Alexei Dimitrevich Korolev #3

by William Ryan

Μόσχα, 1937. Ο αστυνόμος Κόρολεφ φιλοξενεί τον μικρό του γιο, τον Γιούρι, που είχε να τον δει καιρό, και περνάει μαζί του ευχάριστες στιγμές. Ξαφνικά ένας διάσημος επιστήμονας βρίσκεται νεκρός, με μια σφαίρα στο κεφάλι, σε απόσταση αναπνοής από το Κρεμλίνο. Ο Κόρολεφ αναλαμβάνει να βρει το δολοφόνο.
Όσο η έρευνα προχωρεί, έρχεται στο φως ότι το θύμα, ένας άνθρωπος που, απ' ό,τι φαίνεται, δεν θα σταματούσε μπροστά σε τίποτα προκειμένου να εκπληρώσει τις φιλοδοξίες του, είναι αναμεμειγμένο σε μια έρευνα που έχει πολύ μεγάλη σημασία για τα ανώτατα κλιμάκια της εξουσίας στη Σοβιετική Ένωση. Όταν ακόμα ένας επιστήμονας βρίσκεται άγρια δολοφονημένος και τα στοιχεία από τα ύποπτα πειράματα του καθηγητή εξαφανίζονται εσπευσμένα, ο Κόρολεφ αρχίζει να συνειδητοποιεί πως, εκτός του ότι έχει μια πολύ δύσκολη υπόθεση να εξιχνιάσει, έχει εμπλακεί και σε έναν επικίνδυνο πόλεμο ανάμεσα σε δύο αντιμαχόμενες φατρίες της ΝιΚαΒεΝτέ, της Κρατικής Ασφάλειας της ΕΣΣΔ. Και τότε εξαφανίζεται μυστηριωδώς και ο γιος του ο Γιούρι...

Μια αδυσώπητη μάχη με το χρόνο, με φόντο μια πόλη που ζει κάτω από τον μεγάλο τρόμο του Στάλιν και είναι γεμάτη σπιούνους, κατασκόπους, παιδιά του δρόμου και κλέφτες.
Ο Τομέας Δώδεκα αναδεικνύει τον Γουίλιαμ Ράιαν ως έναν από τους πιο επιβλητικούς συγγραφείς αστυνομικών μυθιστορημάτων της εποχής μας.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Mystery, Russia, Crime, Thriller, Historical Mystery

464 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2013

About the author

William Ryan is the Irish author of six novels, including the Moscow Noir series, The Constant Soldier and, as W.C. Ryan, The Winter Guest and A House of Ghosts. They have been shortlisted for numerous awards, including the Irish Fiction Award, the Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year, the Endeavour Historical Gold Crown and the Crime Writer Association’s Gold, Steel, Historical and New Blood Daggers. His latest novel, The Winter Guest, set in the Irish War of Independence, has been described as ‘a gem of a novel’.

William lives in London and is a licensed mudlarker and keen cyclist. Not both at the same time.

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Twelfth Department is the third in Ryan's detective series based in 1930's Moscow. I haven't read the first two and The Twelfth Department is a true, successful standalone - and one not to be missed if you appreciate historical mysteries/detective/suspense novels. The "whodunit" element is complex, well-handled and the explanation both factually-based and stomach-turning. What made this a 5-star read for me, though, was a combination of the authenticity of the main character, Korolev - police investigator, father, ex-husband, partner, patriot, hero of the Revolution, survivor - and the suspense and threat posed by Korolev's efforts to operate successfully within the Soviet governmental system. Is he supposed to solve the crime? Is he not? On what team are the guys tailing him? Can he trust his supervisor? Korolev is every man. Trying to do the right thing, but aware that his ex-wife and son are missing, as a result of separate government-directed events. Trying to solve the crime that perhaps those in charge don't want solved. Trying not to implicate an innocent man, notwithstanding the pressure to do so.

In the Twelfth Department, Ryan masterfully creates Korolev's Soviet Union. Korolev can trust no one but his son and his girlfriend. Then - geek heart be still - the historical notes at the end include a checklist of additional nonfiction resources.

I recently find myself drawn to detective stories where the protagonist is forced to solve crimes in the context of an oppressive or totalitarian regime, and without a plethora of CSI or other lab resources. Exploring a historic period that hasn't been done to death is a bonus, and Ryan does it with panache. I eagerly anticipate reading whatever Ryan writes next, and backing up to read the first two novels in the Korolev series.

[Eliasdgian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Δύο επιφανείς καθηγητές της ιατρικής, ο διευθυντής και ο αναπληρωτής διευθυντής του ίδιου επιστημονικού ινστιτούτου, βρίσκονται δολοφονημένοι με διαφορά μιας ημέρας. Τα δύο εγκλήματα, μολονότι διαφορετικά όσον αφορά τον τρόπο τέλεσής τους, συνδέονται και, λόγω της φύσης των ερευνών που διεξάγονταν στο Ινστιτούτο Αζάροφ, φαίνεται εν τέλει να αφορούν πολύ περισσότερο κόσμο από τη Διεύθυνση Ποινικών Ερευνών της Μόσχας και τον επικεφαλής αστυνομικό Αλεξέι Κόρολεφ∙ όπως, για παράδειγμα, τον Τομέα Δώδεκα της ΕνΚαΒεΝτε (НКВД), κρατικής υπηρεσίας της ΕΣΣΔ, προδρόμου της ΚαΓκεΜπε (КГБ).

Ο William Ryan τοποθετεί τη δράση του αστυνομικού του μυθιστορήματος στην Μόσχα του 1937, εποχή που οι μαζικές εκκαθαρίσεις του Στάλιν έχουν ήδη ξεκινήσει και ο Τομέας Δώδεκα της ΕνΚαΒεΝτε κάνει ό,τι μπορεί για να εδραιώσει τον Γενικό Γραμματέα του ΚΚΣΕ σε αδιαμφισβήτητο ηγέτη της ΕΣΣΔ.

Ετεροδιηγητική αφήγηση μιας αστυνομικής ιστορίας με καλοδουλεμένη πλοκή και με μία μάλλον ακριβή αποτύπωση της ατμόσφαιρας του διάχυτου φόβου που ζούσαν καθημερινά οι Μοσχοβίτες την εποχή των Μεγάλων Εκκαθαρίσεων, υπό το άγρυπνο βλέμμα των μυστικών υπηρεσιών.

Τα αστέρια θα ήταν τέσσερα αν δεν το ‘τερμάτιζε’ ο συγγραφέας (μερικές σελίδες πριν το τέλος) ‘ανακαλύπτοντας' την ύπαρξη επιστημονικών εργαστηρίων που (άκουσον άκουσον!) καθάριζαν με ηλεκτροσόκ τα μυαλά (κάποιων) παιδιών, διαγράφοντας κάθε υφιστάμενη μνήμη τους, με σκοπό τη δημιουργία μικρών κομματικών ακτιβιστών που θα λάτρευαν τον Στάλιν σαν Θεό και θ’ αγαπούσαν τον Λένιν μέχρι θανάτου. Όταν όλο το υπόλοιπο είναι τόσο αληθοφανές, ξενίζει πολύ να αφηγείσαι μπαρούφες: διότι άλλο πράγμα η προσωπολατρία μέσω ενός υπαρκτού προπαγανδιστικού μηχανισμού (σταλινισμός), κι άλλο οι θεωρίες συνωμοσίας που θυμίζουν ακραία προπαγάνδα της εποχής του ψυχρού πολέμου.

[Vaso · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ένα αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα που εκτυλίσσεται στα χρόνια της Σταλινικής Ρωσίας. Ο Κόρολεφ, αν και αστυνομικός ο ίδιος, αναλαμβάνει μια νέα υπόθεση και μετά από λίγο, εξαφανίζεται ο γιος του. Τα πράγματα περιπλέκονται με την ανακάλυψη και δεύτερου νεκρού και την προσωρινή του απόσπαση στη NKVD πρόδρομο της γνωστής KGB.

[Βάιος Παπαδόπουλος · Rating 5 out of 5]

Συναρπαστικό Αστυνομικό Δράμα! Ο συγγραφέας αποτυπώνει την Σοβιετική ατμόσφαιρα, σαν να 'ζησε στην εκάστοτε εποχή, και μέσα από τα μάτια του αστυνόμου Κόρολεφ, διηγείται μια ιστορία με σκοπό να προβληματίσει τον αναγνώστη ως τα μύχια της ψυχής του. Πόσο ανθρωπιά υπήρχε, άραγε, στην ανθρωπότητα στο παρελθόν;

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are few pleasures in life akin to immersing yourself in a great read, and after the brilliant series opener The Holy Thief, followed by the equally compelling The Bloody Meadow (seek them out if you haven’t already), I settled down for another trip to the claustrophobic and suspicious world of Stalinist Russia. So how did The Twelfth Department measure up to its predecessors?

Building on the strength of this already established series, Ryan not only gives the reader the requisite amount of tension and skulduggery that we have come to expect from this excellent series, as Korolev finds himself at the bidding of two masters investigating a dastardly plot involving the brainwashing of dispossessed youths, but also skillfully interweaves an altogether more personal and introspective strand to Korolev himself. The central plot displays its usual strength, as the main theme addresses the necessity for the mind control of the average Soviet citizen to adhere to the rules and constraints of the totalitarian regime. Building on the palpable tension and inherent suspicion of others that such a society produces, Ryan constructs a world where every statement made and action taken must be in accordance with being a model citizen and woe betide those who speak or act of turn. Finding himself at the behest of the feared NKVD, Korolev must endeavour not only not to displease his masters, but also retain his essential humanity in what unfolds as a particularly unsettling investigation that strikes close to his heart and home.

What makes this a different read to the first two books is the addition of Korolev’s son Yuri to the mix, on a long overdue visit to his father, and this enables Ryan to expose the more personal fragility of Korolev, which had only been addressed previously in his tentative relationship with Valentina (who shares his apartment with her young daughter). As Korolev refamiliarises himself with his son, aspects of Yuri’s schooling weigh heavily on him, again drawing on the mind control theme of the central plot, and their relationship seems stilted at first before the layers of tension begin to break down. Ryan balances their strangeness to each other beautifully, and we begin to see the softness that lays beneath both their veneers. As Yuri becomes a pawn in the plot, Korolev must balance his natural role as protector and father with the needs of his professional demeanour to uncover the truth behind a series of deaths in the scientific community, and the disappearance of other young boys. Likewise, the father/son theme has an impact on another character at the heart of these books, as Count Kolya (the leader of the criminal gang The Thieves) also turns to Korolev when his own son disappears, demonstrating for both men the intrinsic value of family aside from their public personas as detective or criminal. As Ryan unfolds these other layers to Korolev and Kolya, the book illustrates the depth and control of Ryan’s characterisation, supported by a whole host of other equally well-defined protagonists connected to both Korolev and the murder victims.

So with exceptional plotting, the assured building of atmosphere and the seamless interweaving of historical detail, supported by a more introspective feel to the characterisation, Ryan has once again produced a superlative read. As I say in the introduction this is a series that deserves attention, so if you haven’t had the pleasure of reading these yet you are in for a treat…

[Liviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I enjoyed - a bit unexpectedly - the first two installments, with this one the author hits it out the park, as the novel is a pitch perfect recreation of life in Moscow 1937

The bursting communal apartments, the all present Cheka/NKVD and its many informers, the very guarded talk, the privileges of the few but their terror too - as one housemaid to the nomenklatura puts it, I had 2 arrested, one moved and one killed himself, referring to her former masters, adding that it is safer just to cook and clean...

Also the action is less sensationalistic than in earlier books and that is a plus

Veteran policeman Korolev is caught between opposing Cheka departments and has to make quick decisions to survive, save his son and maybe even his ex , while dealing with the brutal murders of high ranked scientists involved in very dark work for the regime

Not to speak about his dark fears that his 12 year old son was the cause of his ex wife troubles in the provincial city the two currently live either by saying something incautious at school or even by denouncing his mom as quite a few indoctrinated kids did in that dark time - one reason Yuri is in Moscow for a week with his dad could be for safety and of course that turns to be quite darkly ironic too

This one made me a definite fan of the series and the next is an asap

[Mohikanos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Αυτό το βιβλίο είναι μια ωραία ευκαιρία για να αναλογιστεί κανείς μερικές από τις μεγαλύτερες σύγχρονες πλάνες, ψέμματα που μας προβάλλονται και μας πασάρονται αφειδώς, αφηρημένες έννοιες χωρίς καμία υπόσταση και καμία δυνατότητα υλοποίησης, πάνω στις οποίες όμως έχουν χτιστεί τα θεμέλια του σύγχρονου κόσμου και η συνοχή των κοινωνιών, έννοιες όπως "δημοκρατία", "κομμουνισμός", "σοσιαλισμός", "ειρήνη", "ελευθερία", "ισότητα", κ.τ.λ.
Εδώ, λοιπόν, για άλλη μια φορά ο συγγραφέας (τρίτο του βιβλίο γαρ) μας παρουσιάζει πολύ γλαφυρά το "θαύμα" του κομμουνισμού όπως εγκαταστάθηκε και λειτούργησε στην ΕΣΣΔ την εποχή του Στάλιν (στα 1937). Είναι τόσο παράλογα όλα αυτά που διηγείται και περιγράφει (ιστορικά αληθή γεγονότα), παρουσιάζοντας μια χώρα όπου όλος ο λαός σαν υπνωτισμένος πιστεύει στην ισότητα και στη δημιουργία μιας κοινωνίας δικαίου, από το λαό και για το λαό, στην οποία όμως - στο όνομα όλων των προηγουμένων - βασιλεύει μια δικτατορία κατά πολύ χειρότερη των πραγματικών δικτατορικών καθεστώτων. Μια χώρα όπου κανείς δεν τολμάει να μιλήσει φοβούμενος μην καταδοθεί, όπου όποιος εκφράζει απόψεις διαφορετικές από αυτές που το Κόμμα πιστεύει θεωρείται εχθρός και συλλαμβάνεται, όπου κάποιος μπορεί να θεωρηθεί εχθρός επειδή κάποιος άλλος τον μισούσε και τον κατέδωσε ψευδώς, όποιυ κανείς άνθρωπος δεν έχει τίποτα δικό του, καμία ιδιοκτησία, παρά μόνο όσοι ανήκουν στο Κόμμα, όπου άνθρωποι από τη μία στιγμή στην άλλη από φίλοι κυρήχθηκαν εχθροί και σκοτώθηκαν, όπου ο κόσμος ζει με ξεροκόμματα ενώ οι φίλοι του Κόμματος καλοπερνάνε, όπου οι άνθρωποι, τελικά, ζούνε σε μια τεράστια φυλακή αλλά δεν διαμαρτύρονται είτε γιατί φοβούνται είτε γιατί πιστεύουν πραγματικά στην αλλαγή και στο - παταγωδώς αποτυχημένο - πενταετές πλάνο!
Ουφ, μετά από όλα αυτά τι να πει κανείς για το βιβλίο; Απλώς να επισημάνω για άλλη μια φορά την εξαιρετική περιγραφική ικανότητα του συγγραφέα, που σε βάζει στο κλίμα της εποχής, δημιουργεί μια αγωνιώδη και αγχώδη ατμόσφαιρα όχι από την ιστορία του αλλά από το περιβάλλον μέσα στο οποίο αυτή διαδραματίζεται, και σε κάνει σε πολλά σημεία να θέλεις να μπεις μέσα στο βιβλίο και να ξυλοφορτώσεις κόσμο...
Ωστόσο, επειδή πρόκειται για αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα, οφείλω να πω ότι εκεί υστερεί λίγο ο συγγραφέας, καθώς ούτε ιδιαίτερο σασπένς μπορεί να προσδώσει στην ιστορία του, ούτε εκπλήξεις, ούτε ανατροπές, ούτε ξεχωριστό και ιδιαίτερο τέλος.
Βάζοντας, λοιπόν, σε μια ζυγαριά τα παραπάνω, δίνω ένα 7/10 αλλά πιστεύω πως είναι ένα βιβλίο που αξίζει να διαβαστεί, κυρίως από όσους τους ενδιαφέρει εκείνη η περίοδος της Ιστορίας ή από όσους ασχολούνται με τα ιστορικά μυθιστορήματα ή τα αστυνομικά νουάρ (που είναι και πολύ της μόδας τελευταία), με την απαραίτητη προϋπόθεση να διαθέτουν γερό στομάχι.

[Mal Warwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several English-language authors have written widely about crime in the old Soviet Union. Martin Cruz Smith’s terrific Arkady Renko series is the best known of the lot, but John Le Carre, Joseph Kanon, and others have notably entered the genre. One of the best is a relative newcomer, William Ryan, whose series of three novels featuring Captain Alexei Korolev of the Moscow Militia (police) makes for infectious reading.

An engrossing story

Alexei is called away from his first vacation in years with his 12-year-old son, Yuri. His boss insists that only he has the experience and the skills to investigate the murder of a prominent Soviet scientist who lives a stone’s throw from the Kremlin. The scientist is the director of a top-secret research facility.

As Alexei begins to dig into the private life of the director, the deputy director is also murdered. Soon, the case becomes tangled in high-level political maneuvering that engages the NKVD (predecessor to the KGB and today’s FSB). Alexei muses: “important people getting themselves murdered in important places was never good news for detectives . . .” He should know. He’s been in similar situations before.

Stalin’s terror in the background

Set in the mid-1930s, against a backdrop of Stalin’s terror, The Twelfth Department finds Captain Korolev in a familiar clash with the NKVD. However, this time Alexei is caught up in a dangerous conflict between two different NKVD departments. Department 12 deals with “special projects.” It’s run by an extremely nasty secret police colonel who reports directly to the notoriously cruel head of the agency. Under the circumstances, the unit more familiar to Alexei deals with counterintelligence. It’s Department 5, which comes across as relatively benign despite the difficulties it has caused him in the past.

An intimate look at Stalin’s terror

The Twelfth Department is loosely based on the historical record about brutal Soviet experimentation in behavioral therapy on human subjects. Ryan’s account is entirely fictional, but the slant in the story is consistent with the murderous reality of Stalin’s terror throughout the 1930s. As the record shows, tens of millions of Soviet citizens perished from starvation, execution, or exile to the gulag. Included among them were many of the original leaders of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917. Stalin perceived them as threats. In the twentieth century, only Hitler’s Germany and Mao’s China murdered on such a gargantuan scale.

[Violet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Science was a big deal in Soviet Russia. Scientist were obligated to fulfill such great plans, achieve the great tasks of the Party, everything for the greater future and communism was exactly right behind the corner. Actually, there was a mathematical formula:
Communism = Soviet power + electrification of the whole country. Voila!

If you thought otherwise - you were enemy. And the neat thing was, everybody could become an enemy. And thus, massive "donosy", informants everywhere. Work. School. Home. Indoctrinated children, eager to inform about their traitor parents. Neighbors, interested in better living conditions - housing problems were brutal, but a "donos" on your neighbor and you get a better accommodation! Good times.

Captain Alexei Korolev, 1937, 3 years before the Second World War. Full blown Stalin paranoia. Experiments on children, all in the name of better future. Utter helplessness. Communism = Soviet power + electrification of the whole country. That simple.

[Marleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received my copy from Mantle and rated it 5+ stars.

Captain Korolev of the Moscow Militia is supposed to have a week off when his son Yuri comes to visit him. Unfortunately arrangements like that are never certain in Moscow in the 1930’s and the day after his son’s arrival Korolev finds himself ordered to investigate the murder of an eminent scientist. Because the murdered man had close connections to those in power this is going to be a sensitive investigation, but it doesn’t become clear how sensitive until Korolev and his Sergeant, Slivka, are called off the case again within 24 hours. Korolev’s opportunity to spend time with his son doesn’t last very long though. Yuri and Korolev have only enjoyed one day in the country together when two State Security agents come to pick him up and bring him back to Moscow. Yuri flees from the threatening looking and sounding men and Korolev is brought back to Moscow not knowing where his twelve year old son is or whether he is safe.

Back in Moscow Korolev discovers that a second man has been murdered, the assistant of the first victim, and that he is back on the investigation. This time though he’ll be working for State Security rather than the Militia. With two competing State Security departments having a vested interest in the investigation and the outcome, Korolev finds himself a pawn in their power-struggles. With Yuri now captured by one of those departments, it seems that our investigator has no choices if he wants to see his son again. Korolev finds himself breaking his own rules, fighting his conscience and depending on questionable allies in order to bring the whole affair to a conclusion he can live with.

Wow, all I can say is ‘wow’! This is an amazing book with a fascinating story.
As he did in his two previous Korolev books, William Ryan has managed to impress and captivate me. He writes wonderfully plotted mysteries but it is the setting and the historical detail that make these books true works of genius. This is a mystery/thriller so you’d expect the tension that results from the crimes under investigation and the intrigue around who might be guilty of them. But with the story set in Moscow in 1937 where Stalin’s Great Terror is in full swing, there is a lot more suspense. There is the constant menace and fear resulting from the characters living in a society where nobody is innocent of anything, a place where a good man is afraid to do an honest job because the results he may come up with might not satisfy his superiors. And William Ryan does a brilliant job showing this underlying threat in all its horrifying glory. All Korolev wants to do is solve the crimes he’s ordered to investigate. He doesn’t want to get involved in politics and yet finds himself, time and again, trying to balance his conscience with the safety of those around him and himself.

A lesser author might have taken this setting to write a story in which the fear and suspense are unrelenting. Ryan however knows that life and people don’t work that way. Even in a totalitarian society, where danger lurks around every corner and the wrong expression on your face could get you arrested, people have to live their lives; they still fall in love, make jokes and worry about the little stuff. The fact that Korolev does just that, even while his whole life is in turmoil, makes this character and his story more realistic and captivating. In the midst of all the tension there are lighter moments such as:

“If murders could be committed without producing corpses then he’d be a happier detective.”

Or there is the chapter set in Moscow Zoo. While it plays an important part in the overall story, it also gives us a nice insight into Korolev’s private life and his feelings. I loved the scene involving the elephant and the children’s fascination with the lions and their feeding habits is something every parent will recognise. But most of all I loved that the Zoo Keeper mentioned in the story, Vera, is a real person, who lived and worked there at the time.

There is a wonderful balance as far as the characters in these books are concerned as well. We get our fair share of scary party officials, which is to be expected given the setting of the story, but we also encounter Count Kolya, the Chief Authority of the Moscow Thieves and his niece, Sergeant Slivka who is Korolev’s colleague. And the relationship that is slowly developing between Korolev and Valentina, the woman he shares an apartment with, is a delight to watch.

I could go on gushing about this book indefinitely but I won’t. I’ll end this review with this advice: Go and get the book, read it and be enthralled. If you haven’t read The Holy Thief and The Bloody Meadow yet I’d advise you to read them first. Having said that, it isn’t necessary to have read those two books in order to enjoy The Twelfth Department.

[Speesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third of William Ryan’s books set in 1930’s Russia and involving the character of police Captain Korolev. It’s the best of the three, but I sure do hope it’s not the last.

It’s quite a slow-burning and, appropriately enough, Russian doll-type tale. Lots of layers of thought-provoking atmosphere and moral problems all under the watchful eye of the secret police and Uncle Joe. It’s more subtle, more involving and all-round better than the previous books. Though, you couldn’t have got here without them, they have been leading here. Like stages on the way to the summit.

This sort of thing has been done a lot before, I’ve read several series now in this era - Sam Eastland, Tom Rob Smith, etc - however, The Twelfth Department is at least equal to the very best. I think the ‘attraction’ if you can call it that, with this era, is because to me, that is to us, western Europeans, it’s hard to even contemplate how it could have got to this stage. Especially now as it’s gone (though perhaps opponents of Putin would disagree). The paranoia on all sides, is stifling. And paralysing. Inaction is action. Though doing nothing is not an option. Neither is doing something.

It’s written in, or at, a leisurely pace. For me, this gives enough room for you to fill in the gaps. Here, it’s you, your imagination, that creates the nightmare world, the words on the page just light the touch-paper and then retire, as it were. In part, the interesting sections are those where I’m thinking around the thought Korolev once expresses of ‘what happened to our revolution?’ Korolev does, if I remember rightly, span pre- and post-revolution Russia. His bemusement is how did we let ‘them’ steal the revolution he and other Russians deserved. The ‘ordinary’ people had a right to own the revolution. The ‘intellectuals’ took it over, then used it to secure their own place at the top of the pile. Before the people could take a breath, take a step back and see what was happening, it was too late and then, all they could do was survive. Hope to survive. Or not. No one knew how. The ripples analogy sat the end, should also be used for the ‘guilty by association’ process. You must have known something, because you knew the person we arrested. If you say you didn’t know anything, you must be lying. If you're married, your wife knew. Your mother father knew, the people they knew, knew...

I found actually, I had more sympathy for Korolev’s situation here. Not because it involved a search for his missing son, just that I could finally see what was making him tick and why he was, despite his son and ex-wife and colleagues, all alone. Had been all the time. He could rely on no one, no one was going to help him…or were they? The only people he perhaps could rely on, were those we wouldn’t think of, leading to another of my thoughts about his situation, that a decent man had more in common with the criminal than his equals or peers.

As I say, if you are interested in the post-revolution period in Russia, there are some really splendidly well-done books to go at. Which one of the three would I grab from my burning house? This one.

All my reviews are here: Speesh Reads
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[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Ryan resurrects Captain Alexei Dmitriyevich Korolev for yet another case involving murder, corruption and government cover-ups. Set in 1930s pre-war Russia, a time when Stalin rules with an iron fist and citizen’s are in fear of being imprisoned by the government for uttering a wrong word.

Prepared for an overdue vacation with his son Yuri, who he seldom gets to see, his plans are cut short when he is instructed by his chief commander to investigate the murder of an important man. Early on in the investigation Korolev learns the murder is being covered up by state security and to solve it could mean finding himself once again imprisoned and those closest to him under scrutiny.

When an additional murder takes place Korolev’s suspicions of corruption cause him to work with Count Koyla, The leader of the Moscow Thieves who has an agenda of his own. Missing boys are connected to the murders adding a whole new dimension to the investigation.

I’ve been a fan of William Ryan’s since reviewing an ARC of his first novel “The Holy Thief” and was fortunate to review the ARC of his second novel “The Bloody Meadow.” “The Twelfth Department” is the third installment of the Captain Korolev series and I certainly hope it won’t be the last.

With each of his books Ryan has done his homework, and that shows in the historical details he includes creating an authentic picture of the quality of life in pre-war Russia. The descriptors he uses in painting the hopelessness of citizens enduring corporate rule, food rationing and the bleakness of their lives during Stalin’s reign leave the reader with a pit in their stomach. Another reason Ryan’s books are so readable is that he brings forward characters from the previous two installments creating further cohesiveness. Ryan continues to add depth each of the protagonist’s personalities and the new players added to the mix are given histories and personalities creating well rounded characters.

The plot is well developed and takes on many twists and turns that keep the reader guessing at who the murder is until the last pages of the book. Readers will be engrossed from action in the first few pages through to the conclusion creating a book that is unputdownable.

Final thought: This historical crime thriller should be on the top everyone’s fall reading pile. The book can be read as a standalone if you haven’t read any of the previous installments but after reading “The Twelfth Department” you will surely be scrambling to get your hands on the first two.


Disclaimer: The ARC of this book was given to me by Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Nigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alexei Korolev, a policeman in Moscow, 1937, is once again drawn into a case where the murderer is less terrifying than the political snares the investigation has to navigate to find them. A scientific director is found shot, but his work was for the security services, meaning that it was both secret and of questionable ethics. It may not even have been particularly scientific, according to his replacement, who ends up stabbed a few days later. Korolev is on the case and then, because a quick and efficient answer is more desirable than an accurate one, he's off it. Then he's back on it again, ostensibly to get to the truth, but also as part of a deadly power struggle between competing security departments. To make matters considerably worse, Korolev's son, Yuri, is missing, and may be in the hands of the institute where unspeakable experiments were performed on men and boys. Korolev doesn't care about himself, he wants to save his son, and catching the killer is less important than finding a way to survive.

Another superb thriller set in Russia at the height of Stalin's Terror. Ordinary lives lived in the shadow of fear and paranoia, and the near impossibility of doing the right thing and getting away with it give this whodunnit a texture of suspense and humanity, and Korolev, the tough but dogged and good-hearted policeman is a hero who can never be out of danger.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another murder mystery for our Militia Captain in the bad old days of Stalinist Russia. Paranoia is running rampant, neighbors and family members denouncing one another getting them sent off to some camp in the middle of nowhere. And that horrible knock on the door in the middle of the night. Midst all this Korolev will soon find himself between two different departments of State Security, one of them the Twelfth Department, attempting to locate a killer. Great stuff for those fans of Russian historical fiction. There is a large list of characters at the beginning of the book to assist readers in following who is who in the book. I found that this was not needed as Ryan does a fine job of weaving all of his characters through this fast paced read. Also of note is how much research Ryan puts into his books. Included at the end of the book Ryan breaks down how he uses actual characters and places to create these great books.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I generally don't do a good job getting free books. I have won 2 books at library thing but never received them. I never win giveaways. Just imagine my surprise when this book showed up. I had not heard of the author and it was the third in the series. The great news is what a discovery. Captain Korolev lives in 1937 Russia in the middle of the Stalin era. When two murders take place in two days he must worry more about the involved police organizations more than anything else. Can he solve the crime without landing in Siberia or dead. He is political in a survival way and eminently human. He represents a remarkable characterization within a marvelously researched exciting novel. I have already ordered the first two books but nothing would be lost reading this book first.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I may have been a little harsh on William Ryan in my review of Korolev #2, having criticised the book on the grounds that the protagonist is not as interesting as others in similar series. And while it's true that Korolev is perhaps a little too like Arkady Renko, and that he's no Demidov or Pekkala, there's more to this series than the main character.

What Ryan does better than the books featuring the detectives listed above is to weave the darkness and fear of Soviet life into his narratives. He's done his homework, he's adept at making the reader experience the endless uncertainty, and he's written a series which is getting better by the book.

[Yanper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ο συγγραφέας σε βάζει στο κλίμα της Σταλινικής εποχής, μίας εποχής όπου οιοσδήποτε εκφράζει άποψη διαφορετική από το Κόμμα, θεωρείται εχθρός του κράτους και συλλαμβάνεται.Είναι διάχυτος στην ατμόσφαιρα ο φόβος που επικρατεί σε όλες τις βαθμίδες της κοινωνίας και μέσα σ’ αυτό το φόβο ο αστυνομικός Κόρολεφ καλείται να λύσει την υπόθεση δύο φόνων, παγιδευμένος ανάμεσα σε δύο Διευθύνσεις των μυστικών υπηρεσιών. Η ιστορία αυτή καθ’εαυτή δεν είναι τόσο ενδιαφέρουσα όσο το περιβάλλον μέσα στην οποία διαδραματίζεται

[Paul Hargreaves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masterful history lesson and detective story in one!

If you like Gorky Park, this is similar, but set in the 30s

Also reminds me (in a good way) of Robert Ellis' Los Angeles fiction.

Any chance of Korolev #4?

[Πάνος Τουρλής · Rating 4 out of 5]

1937. Η μεγάλη εκκαθάριση του Στάλιν που αγωνίζεται να καθιερωθεί στο χώρο της προεδρίας της χώρας. Ο κομμουνισμός και η Επανάσταση έχουν επιφέρει τα αποτελέσματά τους: πείνα, εξαθλίωση, ανέχεια, φτώχεια. Μέσα σε αυτό το ζοφερό περιβάλλον ζει και ερευνά ο αστυνόμος της Διεύθυνσης Ποινικών Ερευνών και Λοχαγός της Πολιτοφυλακής της Μόσχας ("Μιλίτσια") Αλεξέι Ντιμιτρίεβιτς Κόρολεφ.

Μιλίτσια ή Πολιτοφυλακή των Εργατών και των Αγροτών ήταν η Αστυνομία της πρώην Σοβιετικής Ένωσης. Τις ποινικές υποθέσεις διερευνά η αντίστοιχη Διεύθυνση στην οποία ανήκει ο Κόρολεφ ενώ τις πολιτικές η ΝιΚαΒεΝτε (NKVD), δηλαδή η Κρατική Ασφάλεια (NKVD = Λαϊκό Κομισαριάτο Εσωτερικών Υποθέσεων) με έδρα τα γραφεία της Λουμπιάνκα. Η Μιλίτσια και η ΝιΚαΒεΝτε υπάγονται στο Υπουργείο Κρατικής Ασφάλειας, όπου νέος κομισάριος αναλαμβάνει ο Γιέζοφ. Πρόδρομος της NKVD είναι η ΤσεΚά και συνέχειά της είναι η γνωστή σήμερα KGB.

Το βιβλίο είναι το καλύτερο από όσα διάβασα ως τώρα της σειράς με πρωταγωνιστή τον αστυνόμο Κόρολεφ. Ζούμε επακριβώς την ατμόσφαιρα της εποχής, με τις ουρές για το ψωμί, με τα κάρα, με τις εκδηλώσεις για την επιτυχία της Επανάστασης, με την απαγόρευση θρησκευτικών πεποιθήσεων (θρησκεία είναι το Κόμμα), με την κοινωνική ένδεια των Ρώσων, με τους γαβριάδες και τα ορφανά παιδιά που πλημμύρισαν τους δρόμους της Μόσχας, με την απίστευτη φοβιστική ατμόσφαιρα όπου ο καθένας καταγγέλλει τον γείτονά του, τον φίλο του, τον αδερφό του για το παραμικρό, έστω και αν αυτό δεν ισχύει, μόνο και μόνο για να δημιουργηθούν προβλήματα, με τη σωρεία ανθρώπων που αυτοκτονούν μην αντέχοντας άλλο αυτήν την εκπεσμένη μορφή ζωής. Και το Κόμμα εκεί, να επιμένει στο σωστό της γραμμής και της σκέψης του! Όπως υποστηρίζει ο συγγραφέας: «Αυτόν τον καιρό, καταπώς φαίνεται, έπρεπε να στέκεσαι στην ουρά ακόμα και για να πέσεις από ένα κτίριο»!

Στον Τομέα 12 τα πράγματα είναι κάπως καλύτερα, αν μπορεί να τα πει κανείς καλύτερα. Οι Ρώσοι έχουν αποδεχτεί τον τρόπο ζωής τους, τις πεποιθήσεις του Στάλιν και την καθημερινότητά τους. Κάπου όμως κάποιο σατανικό μυαλό ετοιμάζει μια στρατιά από υπάκουους σοσιαλιστές, ρομποτάκια που αναμασούν τις απόψεις του Στάλιν και τις ιδέες του Λένιν. Ένα κουβάρι αρχίζει να ξετυλίγεται όταν ο διευθυντής του Ινστιτούτου Αζάροφ βρίσκεται δολοφονημένος κατά περίεργο και μη επεξηγήσιμο τρόπο. Σα να μη φτάναν όλα αυτά, σύντομα εντοπίζεται το πτώμα και του αντικαταστάτη του διευθυντή και τα πράγματα δυσκολεύουν.

Ο Κόρολεφ αποσπάται στη ΝιΚαΒεντέ κι αγωνίζεται να βρει τον δολοφόνο έχοντας να αντιμετωπίσει μυστικοπάθεια, εθελοτυφλία, πιστή υποταγή στη γραμμή του κόμματος, αυστηρές εντολές να μη διαδοθούν τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας σε ανώτερα κλιμάκια και αξεπέραστη γραφειοκρατία. Και σα να μη φτάναν όλα αυτά, εξαφανίζεται ο γιος του Αλεξέι Κόρολεφ, Γιούρι. Κι αν το έχουν απαγάγει οι ίδιοι που κάνουν τα απάνθρωπα πειράματα πάνω σε ανθρώπινους εγκεφάλους, ώστε με ηλεκτροσόκ να διαγράψουν τις μνήμες της ως τώρα ζωής τους κι από δω και πέρα να ζουν και να αναπνέουν για τον σοσιαλισμό; Κι αν όλο αυτό αποτύχει, η σοβιετική επιστήμη θα αμαυρωθεί για πάντα ή θα μπορέσει να το δικαιολογήσει με πιστευτό τρόπο;

Χιλιάδες ερωτήματα αναζητούν απάντηση, ο κόσμος του Κόρολεφ αναπαρίσταται πολύ καλά, ο συγγραφέας έχει μελετήσει και ερευνήσει εξονυχιστικά και την παραμικρή λεπτομέρεια και ο αναγνώστης κρατά στα χέρια του ένα δυνατό, σφιχτοπλεγμένο μυστήριο εποχής που δε θα το αφήσει από τα χέρια του εύκολα!

[Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captain Alexei Dimitrevich Korolev is back!

When I first started reading William Ryan’s series a couple of years ago I hadn’t expected to like it as much as I did. I’ve never really had an interest in Russian history or any fictional story that’s based in 1930’s / 1940’s Russia come to think of it but there’s something about this author’s writing and characterisation that simply draws you in to the period, suffocating the reader, keeping them prisoner for as long as the book lasts.

Once again Ryan hooked me in from the very beginning and the twists and turns and false leads kept me entertained until its satisfying dénouement. Korolev is a star, there’s no two ways about it. Put him in the modern era with limitless technology and I’m certain he’d come out smelling of roses, despite getting involved in a few skirmishes along the way. He does here, minus the mobile phones and gps tracking of course but one thing he’s not afraid to do is find out the truth. Everything is old school; a conviction is hard earned and reliant on good information, loose lips, copious amounts of dialogue and clever reasoning.

Once again the story is set in Moscow in the late 1930’s and once again the author sets an oppressive scene where ordinary Russians – governed by Joseph Stalin - are scared of the early morning tap on the door from the Militia. Ryan paints a rather bleak and atmospheric Moscow, a Moscow that holds out little hope of freedom of speech, where one careless sentence, glance or reaction could land you in prison – or worse. There’s very little to like about it. The scenes suffocate but still I kept reading, intrigued with Korolev and his friends.

Witnesses are few and far between, people are afraid to get involved for fear of reprisal. Ordinary citizens – children too - are here one day and gone the next, there is no limit to the power of the militia with millions disappearing to correctional labour camps. Ryan paints a frightening picture.

As you will no doubt have guessed by now, there’s little colour in the book – save for Captain Korolev – but neither would you expect a book set in this period to be anything but black and grey! For me, no matter what the scene or what predicament our champion finds himself in, as soon as he enters stage right he lights up the book. He somehow adds colour to the prose even though it’s not really there in its atmospheric form.

I enjoyed the storyline and although there’s not a huge amount of things going on, William Ryan delivers an exciting and real page turner of a story. The Twelfth Department is a fluid and entertaining read that sets the scene rather nicely for Russia’s future. A story of power and survival on the streets of Moscow the book is a welcome addition to Captain Korolev’s history.

And for those interested in such things, Stalin is set to rule for another 21 years so Moscow isn’t about to change overnight! If the author does move the story on a few years I’d love to see what he does with Nazi Germany and the invasion of 1941. I digress! Recommended along with the other two books in the Korolev series.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is 1937 in Soviet Russia, Stalin is in power and Alexei Korolev is a detective in the Moscow police department. Although divorced from his wife,Zhenia, he is looking forward to a visit from his son, Yuri. He has six days off and he intends to get to know his 12 year old son better. But everything planned is about to be turned upside down.
The murder of an important professor is going to require Alexei's undivided attention. He also realizes that he must tread carefully because Professor Azarov has important connections to the Russian government. First Inspector Popov warns Korolev to be careful because of Azarov's government connections. With Nadezhda Slivka assigned as part of his team , he heads off to the apartment where the body was found.
The victim was shot in the back of the head,so it is possible that he knew his killer. Because of the government connections, Korolev finds there is a natural reluctance to give up much information on the professor from the professor's colleagues.
And then everything turns upside down. Korolev is asked to drop his investigation, so he assumes the murder has to do more with internal security, then just a random murder. So off he goes with Yuri to enjoy some time together. But even this time alone is not going to work out. When he tries to get in touch with his ex-wife.....he finds out she is unavailable. And what of the two men who seem to be trailing him and Yuri.
Ryan's thriller reminds one of Martin Cruz Smith's tales of detective Arkady Renko.But his thriller can certainly stand on it's own!! I don't know how much different today's Russia is than the place where Korolev is trying to solve first one murder and then another murder connected to the same institution. Some horrible secrets are going to be revealed and Alexei doesn't know if he can stay out of the government's internal affairs.

[loretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This latest book In The life of Captain Korolev is the most gripping so far. I have thoroughly enjoyed these books about a detective in Stalinist Russia. The author has combined a good mystery with the history of a country whose communist government is often less than forthright about its flaws..... For good reason.

The twelfth department more than the previous novels instills the reader with the menacing threat of living in a totalitarian country. Neighbors disappear, no one asks questions. Every thought has to be considered before speaking. Nothing is as it seems.
there are many parallels between nazi Germany and stalin's Russia and no doubt in any other dictatorship around the world.

While investigating 2 murders, Korolev has been placed in the unenviable position of reporting to one government department while having to be wary of the 2nd. His son, Yuri, by his ex-wife, who is also being investigated, has come to stay for a bit and gets captured by the twelfth dept. He is being kept in an institution that performs surgery all in the name of making good citizens. Yuri is a member of the Pioneers which have a remarkable resemblance to Hitlers youth group. The intense pressure felt by Korolev to free his son, solve the murders without placing himself in jeopardy, while at the same time not implicating his friends, is almost too much to bear.

As the reader, I was totally immersed in the circumstances of Korolev and hoping that Comrade Korolev, who hides his bible under a floor board in his bedroom, has doubts about the revolution government whose goals he once believed in, will be able to come through this latest trial.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Twelfth Department is the third in William Ryan’s Captain Korolev series set in 1930s Russia. His previous novels in the series, The Holy Thief and The Bloody Meadow have between them been shortlisted for a range of fabulous awards including the Theakstones Crime Novel of the Year, the CWA New Blood Dagger, the Irish Fiction Award and the Ireland AM Irish Crime Novel of the Year.

The Twelfth Department is a stunning read. On every page of this novel you feel the undercurrent of tension and horror, a situation made commonplace by Stalin’s Great Terror. Yet despite living in a city caught in the vice-grip of fear, Captain Korolev is a loyal and honourable man, seeking out justice and truth, and determined to do the right thing even if that puts him in danger.

The story feels so authentic, the setting and period detail so vivid, and the story drives forward with a sense of urgency born from the very real jeopardy that the characters find themselves in. I found myself so drawn into the story - the lives of the characters and the world in which they lived - that it was a real struggle to put the book down when I had to go to work (or sleep).

While the novel is part of an ongoing series it works well as a stand alone story in its own right. A must for fans of the police procedural and historical crime fiction, and for anyone looking for a gripping mystery and emotive story that will keep you hooked to the very last page.

[Rob Kitchin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Twelfth Department is the third instalment in Korolev series and sees the detective back in his native Moscow after his excursion to the Ukraine in his last outing. Ryan does an admirable job of recreating the tension and paranoia of pre-war Russia, and the ways in which ordinary people try to survive and get by in the system. Korolev is canny, street-wise and willing to take a risk, but he isn’t corrupt nor anti-establishment, instead trying to be a good citizen and comrade in a regime that oppresses many. Given his job, he is tested often, and in The Twelfth Department Ryan provides a nice conumdrum to solve both in terms of the case and in surviving being a pawn in a game between NKVD departments. Indeed, this is a well-paced, plot-driven story, and whilst the characters are nicely penned, they are caught in the moment of the story and the reader learns little of their back story or wider situation and it would be interesting to learn a little more about Korolev and his colleagues in the next book. In compensation, there is a strong sense of place, good contextualisation, and vivid atmosphere. Overall, an enjoyable read and solid addition to what is shaping up to be a very good series.

I was fortunate enough to be send an advance copy by the publisher and The Twelfth Department is not published until May, so you have plenty of time to get your advanced order in.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another very good novel by William Ryan.

The Twelfth Department is a gripping read, a natural page turner set in a world that is almost alien to our 21st century democratic, freedom of speech, western society. The underlying premise appears to be fear and the inhumanity driven by that fear, as well as the helplessness felt by a nation of people being consumed by a beastly system controlled be psychopaths and greed. Self responsibility however, is tellingly absent; blame is placed on the apparatus.

This is the third book in the Captain Korolev series and I think I liked this one the best. It is a mystery but I wouldn't classify it in the noir genre; the protagonists while tough, are not as gritty and self centred as you would expect from a noir novel. And while some of the banter and throw away lines echo Hammett and more recently the great Philip Kerr, the darkness just isn't there although Moscow in this period does provide the setting. The Twelfth Department is more mystery/thriller and a good one at that.

I'm looking forward to the next Captain Korolev adventure.

[Lee Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did.

The setting of this story is set in Moscow area. It's basically a thriller with a bit of mystery. The main character revolves around a detective who has been assigned a case to work on.

Overall this book is excellent in my opinion. One nice thing I liked about this book is that it is clean overall as far as sexual behavior goes. The other thing I like is that pace of the story moves quickly and keeps you involved and wanting to keep reading. So many things happen that it kept me wondering what really is going on. Those things definitely got me as a reader concerned about how everything will work out and care about the wellbeing of several characters in this book.

[Matthew Ogborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My appreciation of this novel was hampered somewhat by reading it during a crazy work period where I could only manage about 10 pages at a time before falling asleep knackered. It did not jump out at me as much as Bill's first two books, however it still represents an intriguing entry in the Korolev series. I enjoyed the father and son exploration, together with Slivka's continuing emergence, more than the plot itself this time around. It got bogged down a couple of times in the first half, but got back some pace and urgency in the second half as Korolev tied the loose ends together. Three and a half stars

[DrMom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Goodreads. Set in 1930's Russia, The Twelfth Department delves into life under Stalin's reign. Korolev, a captain in the states militia, is assigned a murder investigation which unravels into state secrets, putting him between two senior NKVD officials, each of whom have separate agendas. Korolev's son Yuri, is taken by one of the colonels and he must decide how to play the game in order to get his son back safely and to save his own life. He is aided by colorful characters along the way.

[Dianeparente62gmail.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love finding new novelists, although the two page listing of Russian names and their identity at the novel's beginning almost discouraged me. Glad I kept reading and it turned out the list wasn't really needed as the author is such a competent story teller. A glimpse inside Stalinist Russia in the 30's when paranoia was justified in light of the mass persecution for non-Party thinking. The lead character is caught up in this terrifying net as he tries to solve two murders of scientists researching frightening "mind altering" technologists.

[Cerisaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series just gets better, and I hope it continues. Alexei Dimitrevich Korolev is an interesting and engaging character and Ryan does a good job fleshing out his supporting cast so even relatively minor roles are memorable (which helps with all those Russian names). The stories are complex enough to fully engage the reader's attention and keep you guessing. Best of all, however, is the way Ryan makes you feel the tense and fearful atmosphere of Stalinist Russia in the mid 1930s.