Red Icon

Inspector Pekkala #6

by Sam Eastland

(Book). A big satisfying Stalin-era thriller from the master of the genre, the perfect read for fans of Phillip Kerr, Erik Larson or Robert Harris. The German Army begins to shatter before the advancing Soviet forces in 1944. Two Russian soldiers burrow into the crypt of a German church, where, clutched in the hands of a priest's skeleton, they discover a priceless icon last seen in the grasp of Rasputin, the mad monk who mesmerized the Romanovs. When news of the discovery reaches Moscow, Stalin calls upon his most trusted investigator, Inspector Pekkala, to unravel the secret of the icon's past.

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

345 pages, Hardcover

First published March 31, 2015

About the author

A pseudonym used by Paul Watkins

Reviews

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back to Russia with the “Emerald Eye” AKA Inspector Pekkala.

We find ourselves in 1945 with a Russian tank commander & also in 1914 at the outbreak of war with the Tzar, it is as per usual in this series, that we have two time lines to our plot. However, it’s the 1914 timeline that we follow from the outset bar the opening prologue (1945) with Pekkala, the Tzar & Tzarina along with Rasputin front n centre. It is as you’ve likely guessed about a “red Icon” one called “The Shepherd” that has been handed down through centuries & entrusted to the royal family who have now only gone & given it too Rasputin…. Ergo its been “mislaid” by the drunken sot…..

The earlier timeline sets the story, talks of the Red Icon, its disappearance & Pekkala’s investigation all though the early war period. Its not until we are well into the book that we shift again to early 1945 on the German border where before long we come across Pekkala again, summoned by Uncle Joe who has in his hands a certain “Red Icon”….. Its from then that we discover what did indeed happen to the Red Icon as we run forward from C 1915 which is intermingled with the current/new investigation in 1945, which all comes together quite quickly & cleverly falls into place, you’ll need to keep up as there are a few “oh yeah, him” moments……. I shall leave you to discover the unravelling’s.

I’ll admit to enjoying Pekkala in his Tzarist days moreso than under Uncle Joe, can’t put my finger on for why but I jus have a slight preference for then….

Its an engaging read, 4.5 stars for me, rounded to a five as I believe this is back on track after the last book which was perhaps a little down on the normally very high standards of this series.

[Toralf Saffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Die Jagd nach der Ikone

Die Ikone „Der Hirte“ beschäftigt Pekkala seit seiner Zeit am Zarenhof. Einst als wundertätig angesehen und am Zarenhof heilig gehalten verschwindet sie während des ersten Weltkrieges aus der Obhut Rasputins. Schon damals wurde das Smaragdauge – Inspektor Pekkala – mit der Suche beauftragt. Er fand einen Priester, welcher die Ikone angeblich vernichtet hatte und die Untersuchung wurde daraufhin von höchster Stelle beendet.
Im Frühjahr 45 steht die russische Armee in Deutschland, wo Soldaten in einer kleinen Kirche die Ikone wiederfinden. Erneut wird Pekkala, diesmal von Stalin beauftragt, losgeschickt das Schicksal der Ikone aufzuklären. Die Suche führt den Inspektor zurück in seine Zeit am Zarenhof, zu den Ränkespielen der Zarin und ihres Protegés Rasputin. Er folgt der Spur des damaligen Täters in einen Gulag bei Karaganda, durchforstet geheime Archive und muss feststellen, dass er nicht allein auf der Jagd nach der Ikone ist. Eine alte Glaubensgemeinschaft war schon seit Jahrzenten bereit alles für den Besitz des „Hirten“ zu tun.
Das Buch führt den Leser durch verschiedene Zeitstränge zu einzelnen Episoden, die erst allmählich ein gemeinsames Bild ergeben. Man bekommt einen Eindruck vom Leben am Hofe des Zaren während des ersten Weltkrieges, begleitet Felix Dserschinski, den Gründer der Tscheka – einem Vorläufer des KGB, bei seiner Jagd auf Feinde der Sowjetunion in den frühen Zwanzigern und nimmt teil am Leben einer Russlanddeutschen Familie, welche zu Beginn des ersten Weltkrieges zwangsvertrieben wurde. Das ergibt zunächst ein ziemliches Wirrwarr und man muss einige Konzentration aufbringen, um der Geschichte folgen zu können, zumal auch noch das deutsche Giftgasprogramm bei der IG Farben in der Handlung eine wichtige Rolle spielt.
Historisch ist die Geschichte wieder hervorragend recherchiert, die Protagonisten stehen im Vordergrund, der Erzählstil ist flüssig und der Spannungsbogen wird über die ganze Zeit aufrechtgehalten. Aber man muss sich auf die Geschichte einlassen, bereit sein durch die unterschiedlichen Zeitebenen zu reisen und die Puzzleteile allmählich zusammenzusetzen. Das ist halt der bekannte Stil der Reihe, ich mag ihn, deshalb gibt es von mir auch 4 Sterne.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Book #6 in the Inspector Pekkala series. Inspector Pekkala was a trusted and independent investigator for Tsar Nicholas II. When the Tsar was overthrown, Pekkala was arrested but became a special investigator for Stalin.

In this novel, two Russian soldiers seek refuge in a bombed out church and find a religious icon known as The Shepherd. This icon was a valuable piece of art, history and religion to the Romanov family so where did it come from? and how did it end up in a small village church?

There are many storylines which take place in this novel, both past and present, and author Eastland does a wonderful job of weaving these storylines together for a very exciting ending.

[Tony Nielsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Red Icon is a priceless icon called the Shepherd last seen in the possession of Rasputin, the mad monk, who was a favourite with the Tsar and Tsarina. Now in 1944 two Russian soldiers on the frontline are forced to take cover in the crypt of a church. There they discover the Red Icon, setting in motion a challenging and literal tug of war between Stalin's most trusted investigator, Inspector Pekkala and a group of radicals bent on taking revenge against Russia for being sent to Siberia. In the wake of the most brutal battles of the war between Russia and Germany, a rogue German scientist has developed a deadly gas which neither country is initially aware of. Its potential killing power is beyond anything imaginable. Pekkala stays just one step ahead in his quest to both save the Red Icon and neutralise the deadly weapon he has discovered. Covering the latter half of both wars, and the change of power in Russia this is a powerful story of death, despair and redemption.

[Krimisofa.com]

Einst hat Pekkala für den letzten Zaren Russlands gearbeitet, heute arbeitet er für Stalin. Tatsächlich spielen alle Teile der Reihe im Rahmen der Zeit unter Stalin. Pekkala arbeitet für dessen Geheimdienst, er muss nicht irgendwelche profanen Serienmörder finden, sondern bekommt verschiedenste Aufgaben von seinem Arbeitgeber gestellt. Schon unter dem Zaren wollte er das Rätsel um den „Hirten“, das gestohlene Bild, lösen, doch dieser zieht ihn vom Auftrag ab. Gerne würde ich euch Pekkalas Persönlichkeit näherbringen, aber mehr, als dass er gebürtiger Finne ist, weiß ich eigentlich nicht – und ich habe auch keine Ahnung, ob man in den restlichen vier Teilen, die ich nicht gelesen habe, mehr erfährt. Er ist ein sehr unnahbarer Charakter, der nur das Nötigste spricht und sehr versiert ist, in dem, was er tut.

Was die Reihe ausmacht, ist die irrsinnig dichte Atmosphäre. Man glaubt fast, dass man in der Zeit zurückgeschleudert wird. Dazu kommt, dass Eastland – der eigentlich Paul Watkins heißt – die Geschichte so akkurat wiedergibt, dass ich nicht nur einmal Google bemüht habe, um zu hinterfragen, ob das wirklich stimmt – seid euch sicher, es stimmt vermutlich alles. Oftmals musste ich mich vom Googeln abhalten, weil es meinen Lesefluss nachhaltig unterbrochen hat. Einmal mit dem Googeln angefangen, kann ich manchmal nur schwer aufhören damit, aber das ist eine andere Geschichte.

Die Geschichte springt in der Zeit immer wieder vor und zurück – vom Zweiten Weltkrieg in den Ersten, in die Zwischenkriegszeit und zurück – und Pekkala ist immer dabei, weshalb man immer aufpassen muss, wo man gerade ist, sonst ist man verwirrt. „Rote Ikone“ ist definitiv kein Buch, bei dem es heißt „Hirn ausschalten und los gehts“ - viel mehr muss man sich auf die Geschichte einlassen; wird dann aber auch belohnt, wenn man eine Affinität für Geschichte hat.

Nicht nur, dass man viel über die Geschichtsschreibung lernt, schweift Eastland auch gerne aus. Das war mir persönlich zeitweise etwas zu viel, zeitweise ist er etwas zu verliebt im Detailgrad seiner Erzählung. Das tut zwar der Ausstaffierung der Atmosphäre gut – aber nicht dem Lesevergnügen. Am Ende war ich aber wirklich froh, dass ich mich zum Lesen dieses Buches entschieden habe, denn die positiven Dinge überwiegen klar. Und so wurde am Ende aus dem „Warum eigentlich nicht?“ ein „Gerne wieder“.

[Wal.li · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ein besonderes Bild

Bisher hat Inspektor Pekkala alle Lebenswirren heil überwunden. Schon während des ersten Weltkriegs hat er dem Zaren gedient und nun im Jahr 1945 ist er im Dienst des neuen Zaren, genannt Stalin, eingesetzt. Die russische Armee dringt immer weiter nach Westen vor und zwei Offiziere finden in einer Kirche zufällig eine lange verschollen geglaubte Ikone, die im russischen Volk große Bedeutung hatte. Nun soll Pekkala in Stalins Auftrag klären, welchen Weg die Ikone nach ihrem Verschwinden genommen hat. Und noch andere scheinen großes Interesse an dem Bild zu haben, einem Bild, mit dem Pekkala vor Jahren schon einmal zu tun hatte.

Dies ist der sechste Band der Reihe um Inspektor Pekkala, der russische Ermittler mit finnischen Wurzeln. Pekkala ist ein knorriger und zurückgezogener Typ, der nichts so schnell vergisst. Gleichzeitig ist er ein gewiefter Polizist, der nur wenigen vertraut. In der Sowjetunion während des zweiten Weltkriegs ist es wahrscheinlich auch besser misstrauisch zu sein. Man weiß schließlich nie wie lange die Gunst des Staatsoberhauptes anhält. Bei seinen Nachforschungen hilft Pekkala seine Kenntnis von der Ikone, an deren Macht im ersten Weltkrieg auch die Zarenfamilie schwor. Wie schon damals scheint auch heute eine ganz eigene religiöse Gemeinschaft in den Fall verwickelt zu sein.

Wie eigentlich immer, wenn man ein Buch aufs Geratewohl aus dem Regal herausgreift, überlegt man, ob man eine Reihe nicht mit dem ersten Band beginnen sollte. Doch auch wenn ein gewisser Hintergrund fehlt, ist der Kriminalfall auch ohne Vorkenntnisse zu verstehen. Hervorragend dargestellt und recherchiert ist der geschichtliche Hintergrund zu dem Fall. Man kann in die Welt des Zarenreiches eintauchen und erfährt auch etwas über Pekkalas Stellung. Durch die ein wenig ausschweifenden Ausflüge in die Vergangenheit, kommt dem Roman einiges an Spannung abhanden. Dies wird aber großenteils wettgemacht durch die überraschenden Wendungen, durch die sich das Schicksal der Ikone klärt.

3,5 Sterne

[Petra · Rating 5 out of 5]

dies war das erste Buch das ich mit dem Sonderermittler Pekkala gelesen habe. Ich war beeindruckt. So spartanisch wie der Held lebt ,so spartanisch ist dieser Krimi, trotzdem hat er alles was ein sehr guter Krimi braucht. Die Morde waren aus Sicht des Täters logisch und daher nachvollziehbar. Die Ermittlungen waren spannend, aus winzigen Informationen wurden Thesen und dann Resultate erzielt. Dazu der historische Hintergrund, der wurde detailliert beschrieben und erklärt. Der Wechsel zwischen den Zeiten und gleichzeitigen Wechsel zwischen Historie und Gegenwart im Krimi sind gut gelungen.
Im Gegensatz zu anderen Krimis die ich gelesen habe, wurde hier an Beschreibungen im Bezug auf die Taten gespart, ausführlich wurden dagegen die Hintergründe beschrieben. Dieses Wissen erklärte dann wieder das Verhalten von Ermittler, Täter und andere Protagonisten.
Für mich ein überzeugender Krimi, ich werde die anderen Bücher aus der Reihe auch noch lesen.

[Wilde Sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

An investigator, working for Stalin, searches for a missing icon and a deadly chemical weapon.

This was an engrossing thriller with great writing (especially the way the various strands of the story were interweaved over the years) but it wasn’t as good as some of the other books in the series as some of the plot points were too far-fetched.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5. I wish there had been an Author's note to tell the fact from the fiction like many other books have or has the book been 95% fiction so the author felt no need for one? A small niggle: Orthodox priests are called by their first names, ergo the priest character should have been Father Alexander, not Father Detlev--his surname. Nonstop action.

[Nick Upton · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my opinion, not one of the absolute best of the series, but had this been a standalone novel there is no doubt it would have been easy to class it as excellent. Still not as good as Siberian Red, but very few things do match up to that.

There is a nice moment between Pekkala and Kirov at the end that made me chuckle. One thing I would say is that I hope in future novels, the relationship between the two of them reverts back to the jokey nature it has been in previous books. I felt that aspect was lacking this time around, which was a little bit of a shame. That said, I guess that made their laugh at Stalin's expense at the end all the more funny! Pekkala's warm nature towards genuine people is again in evidence in here too, and, finally, Zolkin is brilliant!

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The latest Inspector Pekkala!

[RumBelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed by this Inspector Pekkala novel. I have read several of Eastland's novels featuring the Inspector and been highly entertained by them, this was not always the case with this book.

This time, Pekkala is searching for an extremely valuable Russian Icon, the Shepherd. When last seen it was said to be in the care of Rasputin, but there were also rumors it had been destroyed. The Icon was said to have mystical properties and hold the fate of Russia in its hands. The fact that it was lost during World War I was rumored to have contributed to not only Russia loosing the way, but the downfall of the Romanov's.

The premise sounded interesting, and to be fair, the history and intrigue surrounding the Icon, and the ending of the novel were very intriguing, engaging and fast paced. The last three chapters in particular, when the Icon's fate is revealed and Pekkala solves his mystery were particularly enjoyable. The book was written well, and the story was solid, followed a believable path and came to a satisfying conclusion.

There were several things about this book though, that made it very hard for me to get through. First, the pace for the majority of the novel was slow, overly detailed, rambling and just boring. So much was introduced to the reader that was completely unessential to the novel, did not add anything to the plot and if anything made it incredibly slow, dull reading. A perfect example would be the first couple of chapters that talked about nothing but two Soviet soldiers who operated tanks, how the kept loosing their tanks due to war related issues, how they were never punished, received medals and how the tanks were always replaced! That was literally the fist two chapters. It, in my view, really dulled your interest in the wider novel.

Another thing that bothered me was the representation of Nicholas and Alexandra's relationship. In every book, fiction and non-fiction I have ever read about them, they are a happy, loving couple and she is a Tsarina who, for the most part, is not really interested in her people and is a very simple, somewhat egotistical woman. In this book, suddenly, she in conniving, cruel, manipulative and secretive. She keeps things from her husband, talks down about him in the company of others and is an extremely unlikable character. This was so jarring a portrayal I had a lot of trouble relating to this version of her character.

I will say, if you enjoy the Pekkala novels, or Russian fiction in general, give this book a try. It has good points, and a solid story that picks up well at the end.

[Therese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another intriguing Chief Inspector Pekkala mystery. Like its predecessors, it moves back and forth between 1914 while the Tsar, the Tsarina and Rasputin were still alive, and February 1945, when two Russian soldiers find the eponymous icon, secreted in the basement crypts of a bombed church in Ahlborn, 70 kilometers from Berlin. The icon of The Shepherd is revered by the Russian people, and this reverence provides whoever holds it with the power to manipulate, if not control those of the Russian Orthodox faith.
This book makes mentions the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian Hungarian empire, a murder that precipitated WW1. There are references to fringe religious groups, particularly the Skoptskys who were hunted almost to extinction by the Bolsheviks, and who had hidden themselves in Siberia. Stefan, a Skoptsky, plays a role in the unfolding mystery, as does his non-Skoptsky brother who is a scientist working on chemical weapons. Pekkala and Colonel Kirov traverse the vast spaces between Petrograd, Moscow and Karaganda prison/gulag. They are trying to find the path of the icon since it was stolen, hoping thereby to determine who stole it, why, and how did it end up in a ruined German church? This book also provides an opportunity to focus on the Germans who were invited into Russia by Catherine the Great to live and work in the fertile area along the Volga, known thereafter as Volga Germans. The enthralling aspect of Sam Eastland's Pekkala books is how they explain many Russian facts that we may have heard of but do not fully understand.

[Graham Tapper · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a religious icon becomes the answer to a prayer, it's fate can go one of two ways: its power can lead its believers to victory; or their opponents can seek to bring about its destruction. The power of faith can be strong.

When a famous Russian icon is discovered by a couple of soldiers purely by accident towards the end of the Second World War, an icon believed to have been destroyed, a story unfolds that spans both World Wars and links Pekkala to both the disappearance and the discovery.

And, once again, the icon is the subject of a contest for possession, between a secretive religious cult and Stalin's favourite detective. Can Pekkala spirit the icon to safety and prevent the Germans using a terrible new weapon to help them get their own hands on it?

Another first class story in what is becoming a series featuring what is becoming one of my favourite fictional characters.

[Sudhagar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid 4.5 stars.

Sam Eastland is a very good writer - his plots are intricate with superb writing. I liked his settings (War time Russia) and often his plot has some intriguing historical event or items as the background. His research is top notch and I am amazed by the level of details of the WW2 Russian life that his displays here.

This story too is very complex and has multiple layers and the writer keeps us guessing until about three quarter of the way. In this story, the sacred Icon the Shepard plays the central role. The writer also provides some interesting insight into the development of poison gas in Germany and the strange religious sects of the Old Believers of Russia.

Despite the complex story the book itself has a fast-moving plot with twists and turns that keep the reader engaged until the end.

My only beef with the book is that the last 20% of the book is not as good as the first 80%. The ending is not as believable or as strong.

[Bobbi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am convinced I had already read this book and Goodreads was right-it's been 4 years. It's always nice to spend time with Inspector Pekkala.

Pekkala and Kirov, his assistant, are hot on the trail of a found painting , The Shepard, and who might have initially stolen it. There's a chemist specializing in nerve agents and his brother who's part of cult known as the Skoptsy. Throw in Rasputin, the Romanovs, and Stalin and you have a thrilling ride through history.

I usually don't like alternating time lines but this one works really well. You have to know how the painting ended up out of the hands of the Tsar and into a crypt in Germany. And I liked the back and forth aspect-learn a little past and then learn how Pekkala is going to move forward with his investigation.

Overall, I love this series and found that even though this was probably a reread, I really enjoyed the journey.

[David Lowther · Rating 3 out of 5]

Red Icon is an entertaining enough story as we follow super detective Inspector Pekkala.

Compared with one or two earlier books in the series, it wasn't quite as dark and, consequently not as satisfying. The narrative jumps from the First World War to the closing months of the second and the immediate aftermath of the Russian Revolution. I found this slightly unsettling. The tale left one timeframe without really doing it justice. Lastly there's not enough of Pekkala - he's the main man after all. Nevertheless, a decent read.

David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil, Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War and The Summer of '39, all published by Sacristy Press.

[AdiTurbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another very good read in the Pekkala series. I can't help being amazed again and again by the author's extensive familiarity with the history and geography of Russia and the USSR, and it seems that he knows much about the mindsets of its people and about their culture. This enriches the novels of the series, this one included, and makes them much more believable, interesting and engaging. I enjoyed this read immensely. Moving on to the next Pekkala novel.

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, but not as good as others in the series. As other reviewers have noted, the jumping between timelines was confusing at times. At first, I attributed it to odd formatting of the ebook I was reading, but then remembered I've read other Pekkala mysteries in this format and did not have this problem. Also, previous books have bounced back and forth in time and that didn't bother me. Something was off with this one.

[Richard Marzetti · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘There is no truth in Russia! Only rumours backed up with the threat of violence.’

The sixth Inspector Pekkala novel, of the inspector who once worked for the Tsar, and who now does special operations for Stalin.

The history is fascinating, about paintings and icons, weird sects and weird figures, inc Rasputin, as the author trades back and forth to past events.


Not as strong as previous novels eps in the series. Though I liked the ending.

[Bryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the Inspector Pekkala series, and I was planning to love this book as well... Not so much. it really jumped all over the place as far as timelines and sometimes was hard to follow. The writing style also seemed really, really different, so I am wondering if "Sam Eastland" allowed this book to be ghostwritten by another author...

[Andrew Small · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Law of Diminishing Returns in play here. The characters have become less interesting, with Pekkala fading into the background in most cases. I'm hoping that Berlin Red is a better read. Nonetheless, this book is still quite readable and only took me a few days. It gets such a low rating in comparison with the other books in the series.

[Read a Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun continuation of the Pekkala series. A decent knowledge of Eastern European geography would help, as the characters are constantly on the move towards the final months of combat on the Eastern Front.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

There has been so much fascinating history in this series of novels. In this one, I learned about religious groups that splintered off of the Orthodox church. I am interested in learning if the story about the icon is true.

[Sascha7m · Rating 3 out of 5]

Die Rote Ikone ist ein spannend geschriebener Krimi mit interessanten Einblicken in die russische Geschichte. Literarisch gesehen ist das Buch nichts Besonderes, aber es ist ein unterhaltsames Buch für Krimi- und Russland-Fans.

[Gregory Beaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another top quality Pekkala novel. Wonderfully developed characters and fascinating twists and turns along the way make it a hard book to put down.

My only regret is that this is the penultimate book in the series. I will miss Inspector Pekkala.

[JC · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun series that is pretty enjoyable. Pekkala is in such a unique situation - that's what really makes these books for me.

[Bill Lydon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little slow getting up to speed but then great.

[Margo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fun. Well researched, and a lot of information tucked inside a decent mystery with many engaging characters. I will look for the others in this series.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pekkala #6 brings Russian religious history into play. Always interesting to read Eastland’s take on Soviet leaders’ attitudes to the events of the day and, occasionally, to each other.