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Revol Rossel #1
City of Ghosts
Leningrad 1951.
The shadow of war lingers. Revol Rossel - once a virtuoso violinist with a glittering future - is now a humble state militia cop, forced to investigate desperate crimes in this desperate era.
But when five frozen corpses are found neatly arranged between railway lines, Rossel is faced with the most puzzling - and most dangerous - case of his career. His hunt for the truth leads him to the dark heart of Leningrad's musical establishment, and ultimately to the highest levels of the Kremlin itself.
It's a world he knows intimately. A world where his dreams were shattered.
A world where a killer may now be hiding...
The shadow of war lingers. Revol Rossel - once a virtuoso violinist with a glittering future - is now a humble state militia cop, forced to investigate desperate crimes in this desperate era.
But when five frozen corpses are found neatly arranged between railway lines, Rossel is faced with the most puzzling - and most dangerous - case of his career. His hunt for the truth leads him to the dark heart of Leningrad's musical establishment, and ultimately to the highest levels of the Kremlin itself.
It's a world he knows intimately. A world where his dreams were shattered.
A world where a killer may now be hiding...
410 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2020
112 people are currently reading
463 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
May 3, 2021
2,5 🌟
Kryminał stylizowany na rosyjskie lata 50. Morderstwo, brutalność, bohaterowie i klimat - to wszystko jest i było wyczuwalne, natomiast nie była to dla mnie zaskakująca lektura. Czekałam aż się skończy...
Kryminał stylizowany na rosyjskie lata 50. Morderstwo, brutalność, bohaterowie i klimat - to wszystko jest i było wyczuwalne, natomiast nie była to dla mnie zaskakująca lektura. Czekałam aż się skończy...
October 18, 2020
Take a trip with me if you will into the heart of Stalinist Russia in this rich and vivid debut novel, City of Ghosts by Ben Creed. Perfect for fans of Gorky Park, Child 44 and The Holy Thief, I was incredibly impressed with this chilling and increasingly disturbing thriller…
The absolute stand out feature of this novel is the sheer richness and wealth of historical and social detail, without it disrupting the natural flow of the plot itself, and with a real sense of keeping the reader engaged with this extra level of interest. There is a strong sense of historical authenticity running through the book from the outset, and if, like me, your knowledge of this particularly fraught and dangerous period of Soviet history is largely superficial, there is so much to be gleaned. Corruption is rife, abject poverty strongly in evidence but largely ignored by the higher echelons of power, and Creed paints an incredibly convincing picture of a society and city still bearing the wounds of the Second World War. There are numerous references to the debilitating siege of the city, the reverberation of the incredible stress and want that this caused, and yet the fierce sense of survival that arose in the populace to overcome this torrid time.
In a society riven with fear and suspicion, where a single slip of the tongue can lead to a lengthy sojourn in a Siberian gulag, or an instant death sentence, Creed captures this atmosphere perfectly throughout. In the dialogue between characters, there is a hesitation and procrastination, and a sense that no-one can be trusted with relationships, both professional and personal formed with this lingering mistrust. The reader, too, learns quickly that not everyone is as they seem, and this adds to the overarching darkness of the plot itself where a clever and twisted killer goes about their business.
Revol Rossel, the state militia cop is an incredibly deep and interesting individual, whose moral core and sense of right is put under a huge amount of pressure as the case proceeds. With a flurry of flashbacks and glimpses into his past as an aspiring and talented musician, we again bear witness to the power of the state to suppress its citizens, crushing their hopes and dreams and wreaking violence and fear amongst them. Rossel is sensitive and caring and on the surface seems wholly unsuited to his role as a harbinger of the rules and regulations that so strictly dictate society, and this makes him a compelling and interesting character. As it becomes apparent that the hideous discovery that opens the book, may be in some way related to his previous life, Creed really puts Rossel through the emotional wringer, but never losing sight of the qualities that some of his colleagues regard as ineffectual imbue Rossel with a strength and decency that proves so valuable in this extremely testing investigation. The book is incredibly rich in characterisation from Rossel’s militia cohorts, to figures from his past (in some of the most touching scenes I have read for some while), and those that come under his investigative scrutiny too.
I have read quite a few books set in this particular period, and can honestly say that Creed does bring something new and fresh to this genre of crime fiction. I loved the deeper cultural richness of this book, as some of it revolves around the world of classical music, with some intriguing clues being woven into this thread of the novel. Peppered with Russian phrases and a brilliant obscenity that I have now formally adopted (behind my mask of course) City of Ghosts felt incredibly authentic from the outset. Bolstered by the skilful weaving in of history and politics, I found this an enthralling and clever thriller, steeped in the feel of the period and the sinister atmosphere of fear and darkness in a totalitarian state. Recommended.
The absolute stand out feature of this novel is the sheer richness and wealth of historical and social detail, without it disrupting the natural flow of the plot itself, and with a real sense of keeping the reader engaged with this extra level of interest. There is a strong sense of historical authenticity running through the book from the outset, and if, like me, your knowledge of this particularly fraught and dangerous period of Soviet history is largely superficial, there is so much to be gleaned. Corruption is rife, abject poverty strongly in evidence but largely ignored by the higher echelons of power, and Creed paints an incredibly convincing picture of a society and city still bearing the wounds of the Second World War. There are numerous references to the debilitating siege of the city, the reverberation of the incredible stress and want that this caused, and yet the fierce sense of survival that arose in the populace to overcome this torrid time.
In a society riven with fear and suspicion, where a single slip of the tongue can lead to a lengthy sojourn in a Siberian gulag, or an instant death sentence, Creed captures this atmosphere perfectly throughout. In the dialogue between characters, there is a hesitation and procrastination, and a sense that no-one can be trusted with relationships, both professional and personal formed with this lingering mistrust. The reader, too, learns quickly that not everyone is as they seem, and this adds to the overarching darkness of the plot itself where a clever and twisted killer goes about their business.
Revol Rossel, the state militia cop is an incredibly deep and interesting individual, whose moral core and sense of right is put under a huge amount of pressure as the case proceeds. With a flurry of flashbacks and glimpses into his past as an aspiring and talented musician, we again bear witness to the power of the state to suppress its citizens, crushing their hopes and dreams and wreaking violence and fear amongst them. Rossel is sensitive and caring and on the surface seems wholly unsuited to his role as a harbinger of the rules and regulations that so strictly dictate society, and this makes him a compelling and interesting character. As it becomes apparent that the hideous discovery that opens the book, may be in some way related to his previous life, Creed really puts Rossel through the emotional wringer, but never losing sight of the qualities that some of his colleagues regard as ineffectual imbue Rossel with a strength and decency that proves so valuable in this extremely testing investigation. The book is incredibly rich in characterisation from Rossel’s militia cohorts, to figures from his past (in some of the most touching scenes I have read for some while), and those that come under his investigative scrutiny too.
I have read quite a few books set in this particular period, and can honestly say that Creed does bring something new and fresh to this genre of crime fiction. I loved the deeper cultural richness of this book, as some of it revolves around the world of classical music, with some intriguing clues being woven into this thread of the novel. Peppered with Russian phrases and a brilliant obscenity that I have now formally adopted (behind my mask of course) City of Ghosts felt incredibly authentic from the outset. Bolstered by the skilful weaving in of history and politics, I found this an enthralling and clever thriller, steeped in the feel of the period and the sinister atmosphere of fear and darkness in a totalitarian state. Recommended.
April 5, 2021
An unrelenting, macabre crime mystery set in Stalinist Russia in 1951. Five bodies are found neatly arranged between two sets of railway lines. Militia police lieutenant Revol Rossel and his colleagues are faced with solving these horrific murders. Along the way Rossel has to deal with interference from the MGB (the Soviet Union's secret police) and Stalin's henchman Lavrentiy Beria.
His investigation sees him delve back into his past as a young musician who was denounced, arrested and tortured. Now unable to play the violin because of a vicious MGB interrogation which ruined his hands, Rossel must use his musical knowledge to track down the killer.
His inquiries take him from Leningrad to Moscow and involve victims of the Soviet gulags to the highest offices in the land. As the story unfolds you can almost feel the cold of a freezing Russian winter and taste the fear of a population living under the rule of a paranoid Stalin with memories of the Great Patriotic War and the horrendous conditions of the Siege of Leningrad still fresh in people's minds. This is a grim but totally gripping read.
His investigation sees him delve back into his past as a young musician who was denounced, arrested and tortured. Now unable to play the violin because of a vicious MGB interrogation which ruined his hands, Rossel must use his musical knowledge to track down the killer.
His inquiries take him from Leningrad to Moscow and involve victims of the Soviet gulags to the highest offices in the land. As the story unfolds you can almost feel the cold of a freezing Russian winter and taste the fear of a population living under the rule of a paranoid Stalin with memories of the Great Patriotic War and the horrendous conditions of the Siege of Leningrad still fresh in people's minds. This is a grim but totally gripping read.
September 29, 2024
Comparable to Martin Cruz Smiths’ Arkady Renko series and if you love those books, I think you would enjoy this one immensely.
Its Russia in 1951. State militia detective lieutenant Revol Rossel heads the investigation of five frozen corpses that are found between railroad tracks in Leningrad. Of course, being Russia, it is nearly impossible for Revol to make headway into the mystery. As he slowly discovers the identities of these victims it leads him back to his musical career and into a coverup in the upper levels of the Kremlin. There came a point in the book where I was pretty sure that I figured out who the killer was, but not the reason why; long before it was revealed in the book. Which is ok because it was such an engaging book.
Its Russia in 1951. State militia detective lieutenant Revol Rossel heads the investigation of five frozen corpses that are found between railroad tracks in Leningrad. Of course, being Russia, it is nearly impossible for Revol to make headway into the mystery. As he slowly discovers the identities of these victims it leads him back to his musical career and into a coverup in the upper levels of the Kremlin. There came a point in the book where I was pretty sure that I figured out who the killer was, but not the reason why; long before it was revealed in the book. Which is ok because it was such an engaging book.
September 8, 2021
Brilliant.
January 30, 2021
Well written Stalin-era detective thriller with more than a touch of Gorky Park about it, right down to the bodies frozen in ice opening. The comparisons with Martin Cruz Smith’s hero extend to our Leningrad-based militiaman and former musician Rossell, cut out of the same principled, stubborn stock as Arkady Renko and with exactly the same romantic/fatalistic streak.
The strength of this book is in the writing, which has an immersive scene-setting similar to Cruz Smith at his early best. The late-Stalinist era is vividly rendered in all its paranoid horror, the cast is colourful and the whole thing, with its emphasis on musicology and the horrors of the infamous Leningrad blockade, has a pleasing thoughtfulness, intellectual rigour and historical depth.
The central plot is the book’s only weakness. The serial killer element and its relation to the Leningrad philharmonic is clever enough, but as a whodunnit it barely passes muster. It’s pretty obvious who the villain is before we even reach the halfway point and you keep wondering how the ultra-smart detective can’t see the obvious. The writers (yes there are two of them) also rather overdo the climax to the point of suspension of belief.
All said this is still a decent thriller with good writing and strong characters who could easily carry a series. The writers have a solid formula but need to keep readers guessing a bit more next time. Red herrings and multiple suspects may be a literary cliche - but we still need them!
The strength of this book is in the writing, which has an immersive scene-setting similar to Cruz Smith at his early best. The late-Stalinist era is vividly rendered in all its paranoid horror, the cast is colourful and the whole thing, with its emphasis on musicology and the horrors of the infamous Leningrad blockade, has a pleasing thoughtfulness, intellectual rigour and historical depth.
The central plot is the book’s only weakness. The serial killer element and its relation to the Leningrad philharmonic is clever enough, but as a whodunnit it barely passes muster. It’s pretty obvious who the villain is before we even reach the halfway point and you keep wondering how the ultra-smart detective can’t see the obvious. The writers (yes there are two of them) also rather overdo the climax to the point of suspension of belief.
All said this is still a decent thriller with good writing and strong characters who could easily carry a series. The writers have a solid formula but need to keep readers guessing a bit more next time. Red herrings and multiple suspects may be a literary cliche - but we still need them!
May 29, 2021
I do not normally write reviews just give a book stars. But there was no way to give more than 5 stars. This book is something to savour. It has a great plot, is well researched and develops characters throughout. I felt I was reading a book by a Russian who had actually lived through those terrible times. Very highly recommended.
August 30, 2021
Thriller, deren Handlung in der Nachkriegszeit spielen, haben meiner Meinung nach schon was Einzigartiges an sich. Letztes Jahr las ich den Thriller „Black Sun“ aus dem Bastei Lübbe Verlag, der identisch wie dieser Thriller in Russland in der Nachkriegszeit spielt. Da mir das Setting bei „Black Sun“ sehr gefallen hat, habe ich mich auf „Der kalte Glanz der Newa“ sehr gefreut!
In diesem Thriller befinden wir uns im kalten Leningrad. Es ist das Jahr 1951. Wie auf Notenlinien werden fünf verstümmelte Leichen zwischen den Bahngleisen aufgefunden. Ein grausamer Anblick, welcher sogar den charakterstarken Leutnant Rossel erschüttert. Trotzdem muss Rossel den Fall aufklären. Als wäre dies hart genug, da der Täter fast keine Spuren hinterlassen hat, holt den Leuntnant seine Vergangenheit ein. Kann er trotzdem seine Ermittlungen weiterlaufen lassen?
Das Buch bietet direkt einen nicht einfachen Einstieg, da man mit dem grausamen Tatort als Leser vertraut gemacht wird. Es herrscht eine gute Spannung von Beginn an, da man als Leser herausfinden möchte, warum ausgerechnet die Leichen wie auf Notenlinien hinterlassen worden sind. Zudem gelingt es dem Autorenduo schon am Anfang des Thrillers eine sehr kalte, teils düstere Atmosphäre zu kreieren. Man spürt als Leser, wie der Krieg noch die ganzen Nebenfiguren sowie die Landschaften beeinflusst hat. Zudem kann man sich alles sehr bildlich vorstellen. Das zu lesen war für mich teilweise sehr erschütternd aber interessant, da diese Zeit ich besonders aus den Erzählungen meiner Großeltern kenne.
Schwierig fand ich jedoch mir die ganzen Namen zu merken. Auch wenn ich selbst mit slawischen Namen vertraut bin, fand ich es sehr schwierig, mir die ganzen Namen der Figuren – abseits von Rossel – zu merken. Man trifft an der Seite von Rossel viele Nebenfiguren wie weitere Leutnants, Soldaten, Ärzte etc., die meines Erachtens nach, sehr komplizierte Namen haben (no offense!) und sehr ähnlich klingen.
Die Plotidee fand ich durch die Autoren auch gut gewählt. Es ist kein einfacher Fall, da ich finde, dass er sehr detailliert entworfen worden ist. Ich habe selber gemerkt, dass ich einzelne Stellen zwei Mal lesen musste, weil ich zum Beispiel ein Schlüsseldetail überlesen habe. Deswegen ist bei diesem Buch viel Konzentration gefragt. Folglich kommt man in diesem Buch auch nur recht schleppend voran, was sich aber trotzdem lohnt.
Fazit: Wer also Lust auf eine Reise in das kalte Russland in der Nachkriegszeit hat und dabei einen spannenden sowie sehr komplexen Plot verfolgen möchte, sollte sich mit diesem Thriller vertraut machen. Da es der Anfang einer neuen Reihe ist, freue ich mich schon auf den zweiten Band.
In diesem Thriller befinden wir uns im kalten Leningrad. Es ist das Jahr 1951. Wie auf Notenlinien werden fünf verstümmelte Leichen zwischen den Bahngleisen aufgefunden. Ein grausamer Anblick, welcher sogar den charakterstarken Leutnant Rossel erschüttert. Trotzdem muss Rossel den Fall aufklären. Als wäre dies hart genug, da der Täter fast keine Spuren hinterlassen hat, holt den Leuntnant seine Vergangenheit ein. Kann er trotzdem seine Ermittlungen weiterlaufen lassen?
Das Buch bietet direkt einen nicht einfachen Einstieg, da man mit dem grausamen Tatort als Leser vertraut gemacht wird. Es herrscht eine gute Spannung von Beginn an, da man als Leser herausfinden möchte, warum ausgerechnet die Leichen wie auf Notenlinien hinterlassen worden sind. Zudem gelingt es dem Autorenduo schon am Anfang des Thrillers eine sehr kalte, teils düstere Atmosphäre zu kreieren. Man spürt als Leser, wie der Krieg noch die ganzen Nebenfiguren sowie die Landschaften beeinflusst hat. Zudem kann man sich alles sehr bildlich vorstellen. Das zu lesen war für mich teilweise sehr erschütternd aber interessant, da diese Zeit ich besonders aus den Erzählungen meiner Großeltern kenne.
Schwierig fand ich jedoch mir die ganzen Namen zu merken. Auch wenn ich selbst mit slawischen Namen vertraut bin, fand ich es sehr schwierig, mir die ganzen Namen der Figuren – abseits von Rossel – zu merken. Man trifft an der Seite von Rossel viele Nebenfiguren wie weitere Leutnants, Soldaten, Ärzte etc., die meines Erachtens nach, sehr komplizierte Namen haben (no offense!) und sehr ähnlich klingen.
Die Plotidee fand ich durch die Autoren auch gut gewählt. Es ist kein einfacher Fall, da ich finde, dass er sehr detailliert entworfen worden ist. Ich habe selber gemerkt, dass ich einzelne Stellen zwei Mal lesen musste, weil ich zum Beispiel ein Schlüsseldetail überlesen habe. Deswegen ist bei diesem Buch viel Konzentration gefragt. Folglich kommt man in diesem Buch auch nur recht schleppend voran, was sich aber trotzdem lohnt.
Fazit: Wer also Lust auf eine Reise in das kalte Russland in der Nachkriegszeit hat und dabei einen spannenden sowie sehr komplexen Plot verfolgen möchte, sollte sich mit diesem Thriller vertraut machen. Da es der Anfang einer neuen Reihe ist, freue ich mich schon auf den zweiten Band.
October 23, 2020
4.5 stars
This book is just amazing.
I don’t read many historical fiction books because I find myself a bit lost in that time as I wasn’t a big fan of history in my school time but I was born and raised in an easter European country and the setting for this story is very close from home, and the description made me want to give it a try and read it. I can’t even explain how much I love it.
The research for it is just perfect to the smallest things and I could feel and vision all the settings while reading, it brought so many childhood memories, so many stories that my grandfather used to tell me from the after the second war and even now, my father remembers parts of the life from those years.
The dialogue and every interaction from the story are so reliable for those times, they all were so wary about everything and everyone as you couldn’t trust anyone, you didn’t know if a family member or friend was your ally or your enemies.
Even from the first paragraph, the author sets the story on the high-quality mystery and crime thrillers, it’s dark and whimsical in many ways but it also has moments of humanity when our hero is transported so many times in his early years and all the events he thought he left behind.
I find the music addition in this story just brilliant because, in my opinion, it makes the whole book more interesting and original.
There are many questions and secrets to be unveiled but I’m here for all of them.
This book is just amazing.
I don’t read many historical fiction books because I find myself a bit lost in that time as I wasn’t a big fan of history in my school time but I was born and raised in an easter European country and the setting for this story is very close from home, and the description made me want to give it a try and read it. I can’t even explain how much I love it.
The research for it is just perfect to the smallest things and I could feel and vision all the settings while reading, it brought so many childhood memories, so many stories that my grandfather used to tell me from the after the second war and even now, my father remembers parts of the life from those years.
The dialogue and every interaction from the story are so reliable for those times, they all were so wary about everything and everyone as you couldn’t trust anyone, you didn’t know if a family member or friend was your ally or your enemies.
Even from the first paragraph, the author sets the story on the high-quality mystery and crime thrillers, it’s dark and whimsical in many ways but it also has moments of humanity when our hero is transported so many times in his early years and all the events he thought he left behind.
I find the music addition in this story just brilliant because, in my opinion, it makes the whole book more interesting and original.
There are many questions and secrets to be unveiled but I’m here for all of them.
October 17, 2024
The fear, paranoia, distrust, and mistrust of Stalin's brutal 1950's Russia is well captured in this unremittingly grim murder novel. There is little to ever lighten the mood, and for the majority of the novel's characters life seems cold, unpleasant, and full of ways to incur the ire and wroth of officialdom resulting in their removal from society, often permanently, and with a helping of torture to speed them on their way.
At times it was a little difficult to follow, and the raison d'être for the violent murders to be solved not as strong as to be fully believable, hence the 3 star rating, but as a description of a postwar society that seemed to have little regard for its people or the effects its actions has upon them, it is excellent.
At times it was a little difficult to follow, and the raison d'être for the violent murders to be solved not as strong as to be fully believable, hence the 3 star rating, but as a description of a postwar society that seemed to have little regard for its people or the effects its actions has upon them, it is excellent.
September 17, 2022
2/5 O.k
This book started out with huge promise and I thoroughly enjoyed the first 100 pages including the reveal of murders, the scene setting and the introduction to the characters.
Sadly once this was all done the story became almost something of a literary thriller, the authors seemed more interested in displaying their knowledge of the Soviet of the time and there was page after page of talk about opera and composing.
Whilst the end was ok, it was still flooded with the music references that just started to become a bit boring as it was continual.
I did like Rossel and there was lots of promise if the next book is more plot based than I would most probably read more.
This book started out with huge promise and I thoroughly enjoyed the first 100 pages including the reveal of murders, the scene setting and the introduction to the characters.
Sadly once this was all done the story became almost something of a literary thriller, the authors seemed more interested in displaying their knowledge of the Soviet of the time and there was page after page of talk about opera and composing.
Whilst the end was ok, it was still flooded with the music references that just started to become a bit boring as it was continual.
I did like Rossel and there was lots of promise if the next book is more plot based than I would most probably read more.
June 21, 2024
Bardzo fajny kryminał z super motywem muzycznym w tle.
To co Ben Creed uchwycił w tej książce to naprawdę odczuwalny surowy, mroźny klimat, strach społeczności radzieckiej przed partią - „dajcie mi człowieka, a paragraf się znajdzie” to idealna maksyma opisująca klimat tego kryminału.
Każdy chce zatuszować sprawę i jak najszybciej ją rozwiązać podsuwając gotowe rozwiązanie pod nos, a pośrodku tego wszystkiego znajduje się Rossel, który za wszelką cenę pomimo tego jakie rozwiązanie podsuwają mu na stół stara się dociec prawdy.
Daje tej pozycji 4.5* i liczę, że kontynuacja będzie jeszcze ciekawsza!
To co Ben Creed uchwycił w tej książce to naprawdę odczuwalny surowy, mroźny klimat, strach społeczności radzieckiej przed partią - „dajcie mi człowieka, a paragraf się znajdzie” to idealna maksyma opisująca klimat tego kryminału.
Każdy chce zatuszować sprawę i jak najszybciej ją rozwiązać podsuwając gotowe rozwiązanie pod nos, a pośrodku tego wszystkiego znajduje się Rossel, który za wszelką cenę pomimo tego jakie rozwiązanie podsuwają mu na stół stara się dociec prawdy.
Daje tej pozycji 4.5* i liczę, że kontynuacja będzie jeszcze ciekawsza!
April 6, 2025
Random charity shop purchase that turned out to be pretty entertaining. Quite a gory and miserable murder mystery novel with a lot of music-related themes. The main character ends up being interesting and well developed, and I enjoyed the inclusion of lots of smaller details about the siege of Leningrad and life afterwards. I did find that some aspects of the novel were fairly standard tropes about Russia and the Soviet era, and certain characters really didn’t feel particularly original, but overall it’s definitely a fun read.
January 20, 2023
Think a fresher version of Martin Cruz Smith. This is the first of two involving a Russian cop. It is at the top of its genre.
January 31, 2021
A slow burn to an inferno
If you enjoy the intrigue of a murder mystery coupled with the historical horrors of hierarchical Stalinist Russia, you will find this book thought provoking and blood curdling with little respite even as the hero reveals his introspective longing for lost love.
With the powerful thread of the rousing classical musical greats of the time knitting the plot together, this is a who done it of the most macabre.
Don't be deterred by the wooden beginning, which for some could be a deal breaker in those first pages of deciding whether the story is worth sticking with, as you're unlikely to be grabbed instantly. As the characters are revealed, you are drawn in to a world full of desperate barely surviving survivors of war, atrocities, betrayals and hopelessness and that are made all the more realistic in the descriptions of their frailties, flaws, dreams and memories of happier times.
This debut novel is gripping, becomes a real page turner and is orchestrated to a satisfyingly blood curdling finale.
If you enjoy the intrigue of a murder mystery coupled with the historical horrors of hierarchical Stalinist Russia, you will find this book thought provoking and blood curdling with little respite even as the hero reveals his introspective longing for lost love.
With the powerful thread of the rousing classical musical greats of the time knitting the plot together, this is a who done it of the most macabre.
Don't be deterred by the wooden beginning, which for some could be a deal breaker in those first pages of deciding whether the story is worth sticking with, as you're unlikely to be grabbed instantly. As the characters are revealed, you are drawn in to a world full of desperate barely surviving survivors of war, atrocities, betrayals and hopelessness and that are made all the more realistic in the descriptions of their frailties, flaws, dreams and memories of happier times.
This debut novel is gripping, becomes a real page turner and is orchestrated to a satisfyingly blood curdling finale.
November 8, 2023
City of Ghosts by Ben Creed follows Revol Rossel, a former violinist. Long ago, as a prisoner, Major Nikitin tortured him to confession by chopping off his fingers and breaking the others. Before losing all his fingers, the militia needed all able-bodied men, including prisoners. Among 300 men sent to the front as a shield for fully trained militia, only a handful survived, Rossel being one of them. Now serving as a Lieutenant, he is investigating a gruesome, macabre scene of five bodies laid on train tracks running parallel to each other. From overhead, the bodies look like musical notes. Or is that just a coincidence?
Character development as well as scene setup were effective and the plot was interesting although I felt this book was written for a very specific audience which excludes me. Recommended for readers highly familiar with the Kremlin and music composition.
Character development as well as scene setup were effective and the plot was interesting although I felt this book was written for a very specific audience which excludes me. Recommended for readers highly familiar with the Kremlin and music composition.
May 9, 2021
Entertaining read
Set in Leningrad in 1951 this is a well written and researched story, atmospheric descriptive with a real feel for the tension of citizens who at any moment could find themselves arrested, having been informed on by colleagues family friends or complete strangers. Clever entertaining and imaginative with superb characters, as our hero a former violinist with a seemingly glittering future ahead of him, is now a state militia detective tasked with investigating the gruesome find of five dead bodies. A quality engaging mystery. So why only four stars well whilst music plays a significant part of the story, and I am afraid quite a lot of the in depth musical explanations went straight over my head and bored me.
Entertaining read
Set in Leningrad in 1951 this is a well written and researched story, atmospheric descriptive with a real feel for the tension of citizens who at any moment could find themselves arrested, having been informed on by colleagues family friends or complete strangers. Clever entertaining and imaginative with superb characters, as our hero a former violinist with a seemingly glittering future ahead of him, is now a state militia detective tasked with investigating the gruesome find of five dead bodies. A quality engaging mystery. So why only four stars well whilst music plays a significant part of the story, and I am afraid quite a lot of the in depth musical explanations went straight over my head and bored me.
Entertaining read
December 19, 2025
Przekombinowany gornokryminał (tak, panie Creed, to wyborny pomysł, żeby napisać książkę o tym, jak się panu roi Leningrad wczesnych lat pięćdziesiątych, i służba milicyjna w ZSRR. Tylko że nie. (Albo kiedy autor najpierw starannie dopasowuje inicjały nazwisk ofiar do nutek, ale potem o tym zapomina i w ogóle nie ma tematu, nikt tego nie zauważa, z muzykami włącznie)), do tego dociążony przekładem z dolnej strefy stanów średnich, okrutnie sztywnym i z błędami merytorycznymi ("dog collar" na szyi popa to nie psia obroża, a koloratka, na przykład). Nazwiska brane ze stałej puli rosyjskich nazwisk w tanich angielskich thrillerach, poza głównym bohaterem, okazjonalnie (Razin) mylone przez tłumacza z imionami, bo i czemu nie. Jednorazówka, w najlepszym razie.
January 6, 2021
The setting of an icy Leningrad in late 1951 is the best feature of a good thriller which goes a bit over the top towards the conclusion. Militia officer, Revol Rossel, a violinist whose fingers were crippled by a wartime MGB interrogation, is a major part of a team investigating 5 bodies, with ID removed, found on a railway siding. A few coincidences, particularly in relation to his torturer and a female pilot, plus a far too-gothic villain detract from some believable character portraits and the conveying of the ominous and omnipresent authorities
January 26, 2021
Ghastly story of the brutality of Stalin’s Russia
Set in Detective on the case terms, the story paints a picture of life in Russia during the rain of Stalin and Beria. It’s gripping story holds you spellbound in horror of the darkness that still pervades the Russian psyche today.
It will take centuries to wipe away such horror from the memories of people alive today who lived through the period, even longer for Russia to recover its soul.
Read this if you dare to descend into the darkness. Gorky Park is a fairy tale compared to this.
Set in Detective on the case terms, the story paints a picture of life in Russia during the rain of Stalin and Beria. It’s gripping story holds you spellbound in horror of the darkness that still pervades the Russian psyche today.
It will take centuries to wipe away such horror from the memories of people alive today who lived through the period, even longer for Russia to recover its soul.
Read this if you dare to descend into the darkness. Gorky Park is a fairy tale compared to this.
July 31, 2021
Excellent book that draws from a piece of history that should be better known, the siege of Leningrad. And, it reminds us of a better known piece of history, Russia under Stalin. I still prefer Gorky Park, but enjoyed this book in its own right. I felt that the scenes were drawn realistically and I could really feel myself there in the different places. The characters were believable and the protagonists were characters that I empathized with. The writing is strong and I recommend this book if you like good murder mysteries.
May 17, 2022
Obviously the book was inspired by Gorky Park but set in Leningrad during the bad old days of Stalin. I am not an expert on Soviet history but I have some familiarity. As such it is a little difficult to accept the excessive exaggeration of the author about that particular era. Much of the plot doesn't make sense and weak. It is obvious that the author depended much on portraying the era's political and security situation to give meat to the story. However those we are familiar with the history of the said era might find it rather unbelievable.
December 30, 2024
Tämänkin otin Hesarin kehumana. Täytyy sanoa, että tänä vuonna olen ottanut neljä kirjaa heidän kehumana ja niistä paraskin sai vain armosta neljä tähteä. Standardit ovat laskeneet Tarkka-Heikinheimo-Kajavasta. Dekkarina ok . Mutta turhia ratkaisuja ja tympeitä, suorastaan elokuvallisia tehokeinoja, jotka helppo siirtää filmille. Mielenkiintoista kyllä tapahtumapaikan vaihtaminen, joka mahdollistaisi kylmemmän ja nihilistisemmän kerronnan. Enemmän Carrea ja Ellroyta ja vähemmän perusdekkaria kaipaisi
July 12, 2021
Great book - brought all the horrors of wartime Leningrad and the utter deprivation the population suffered, to life. The events of the book are set post war during Stalin’s reign and it certainly made me appreciate how lucky we are not to have lived in that place at that time. So scary and Rossel is so brave to pursue the murderer despite the likely consequences for him and those he cares for. Excellent.
October 16, 2021
2.5 stars
The similarity to Gorky Park is greatly exaggerated. With neither the charm of Cruz Smith or his compelling prose it's hard to feel much, if anything, for the disabled protagonist. The frustrations of Stalinist life and the fear of becoming an innocent victim of the machine are vivid, but the atmosphere is uncomfortably dreary. Although the start was interesting, it wound down to a disappointing end.
The similarity to Gorky Park is greatly exaggerated. With neither the charm of Cruz Smith or his compelling prose it's hard to feel much, if anything, for the disabled protagonist. The frustrations of Stalinist life and the fear of becoming an innocent victim of the machine are vivid, but the atmosphere is uncomfortably dreary. Although the start was interesting, it wound down to a disappointing end.
April 26, 2021
Started like Gorky Park then when you realise the plot and the reason I thought it all a bit far fetched and silly. I like historical fiction and this cold war stuff but the reason for the killings was as I said silly. Good tense story though, loved the setting and the political Russian back stabbing.
June 26, 2021
Not bad, a first novel. A squabble between a sicko music conductor, a Russian cop, and the Stalinist state system set just after the end of WW2 in Leningrad. The story had a few twists and turns, it was entertaining, and kept the suspense to the end. Though—myself I put it a few steps down from Raymond Chandler. I would like to see a few more novels by this (these) author(s) and see what happens.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was well plotted and well written with believable characters. It has been well researched which adds to the enjoyment for me as a retired History teacher. There is nothing worse than reading a historical crime novel where accuracy has been sacrificed to plot.
I shall look forward to reading more by this author.
I shall look forward to reading more by this author.
February 12, 2022
Set during the siege of Leningrad in WWII, this shows how evil Stalin really was. The book is well written, with very detailed descriptions of torture and murder, and is truly gory. This is not for the faint of heart. The descriptions of the intense torture and deaths of and by the musicians of Leningrad are genuinely stomach turning.
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