EBMRG discussion

EYE OF THE RED TSAR (Susp, Pekkala, Russia, 1918) – 1st in series – Sam Eastland (aka Paul Watkins)
It is the time of the Great Terror. Inspector Pekkala - known as the Emerald Eye - was the most famous detective in all Russia. He was the favourite of the Tsar. Now he is the prisoner of the men he once hunted. Like millions of others, he has been sent to the gulags in Siberia and, as far as the rest of the world is concerned, he is as good as dead. But a reprieve comes when he is summoned by Stalin himself to investigate a crime. His mission - to uncover the men who really killed the Tsar and his family, and to locate the Tsar's treasure. The reward for success will be his freedom and the chance to re-unite with a woman he would have married if the Revolution had not torn them apart. The price of failure - death.

Andrea – Good – It did keep her reading but doesn’t seem very believable. She did, however, find this selection to be an interesting match with our second book (Belshazzar’s Daughter), as both had to do with the murder of the Romonov’s. She probably won’t read another book by this author.
Libby – G+ – She finished it. The story made her want to keep reading; it kept her going. She has had a problem with the Russian names and finds the plot a bit farfetched, but she learned a lot from it and found it enjoyable.
Linda S – VG – Really liked it, especially the scenes when the protagonist is in Siberia and how he survives; it made her think of the old west. She liked the way the author wove in the backstory of the protagonist and the two characters of Pekkala and the young soldier who is a chef, not a cook.
LJ – VG – I’m with Linda S on this one. I really enjoyed it. The building relationship between Pekkala and Lt. Kirov works very well. Linda’s right, the do remind me, in the end, of buddies from the Old West. There is delightful occasional humor and a fascinating backstory of the main character. Wonderful dialogue and an informative look at the that period; a very different view of Rasputin was interesting. There was a very good red herring followed by an interesting twist, capped by a tragic and dramatic climax, but the very end didn’t quite work for me, or at least, I didn’t quite believe it. I particularly liked that the author didn’t take 400 pages to tell what really was quite a good 200-page story. I would probably read another book by Eastland.
Marcy G – Okay - She didn’t think the writing was that good and felt the story rather unbelievable. What particularly bothered her was the lack of a sense of the book being “Russian.”

Group rating average - Good


BELSHAZZAR’S DAUGHTER (Pol Proc, Insp. Cetin Ikmen, Istanbul, Cont) – 1st in series – Barbara Nadel
When Leonid Meyer is horribly murdered in his flat in Balat, Istanbul's decrepit Jewish quarter, it seems frighteningly likely that the motive is racial. But Inspector Cetin Ikmen is not one to acquiesce in the obvious.

Andrea – G+ overall - Andrea recommended this book and has now read three books in the series. She likes the characters, but the writer is no Donna Leon, in spite of book cover comparisons. She does like the characters very much, particularly Suliman. All the of characters and the interaction is much more interesting than the mystery itself. She rates the writing, characters and setting as being VG, but the story, only as Good.
Charlotte – G+ - Nadel is no Donna Leon. She thought the writing was good. She didn’t like the characters at first, but got into them more. She found the story rather creepy but is very tired of the alcoholic detective and the antagonistic boss. However, she would read more books in this series.
Libby - Ex - Really liked it; liked the characters and sense of place. She appreciated that the author used words she had to look up as she didn't know them. She also like the way this book tied to "Eye of the Red Tsar", a happy coincidence.
Linda F – Okay - She read it but didn’t care that much for the plot and didn’t like the ending; though it was melodramatic. She did like Ikmen’s father, though, and feels Nadel is a good writer.
Linda S – VG – She tried to read it before but couldn’t get into it. She read it now and really liked it, particularly the characters of Ikmen and Suliman. All the characters seemed fleshed out, but felt it was a creepy story. It had a good sense of place, but not of a place you’d want to go. It was an interesting look at the culture. Linda did like the synergy between this book and “Red Tsar”. She would read more in this series.
Marcy G – DNF – She read 135 pages and knew it wasn’t for her. The story was too weird. She might try a later book in the series.

Group rating average - G+

CHARLES JESSOLD, CONSIDERED AS A MURDERER (Thriller, Leslie Sheppard, England, 1920s) – 3rd Standalone – Wesley Stace
England, 1923. A gentleman critic named Leslie Shepherd tells the macabre story of a gifted young composer, Charles Jessold. On the eve of his revolutionary new opera’s premiere, Jessold murders his wife and her lover, and then commits suicide in a scenario that strangely echoes the plot of his opera---which Shepherd has helped to write. The opera will never be performed. Shepherd first shares his police testimony, then recalls his relationship with Jessold in his role as critic, biographer, and friend. And with each retelling of the story, significant new details cast light on the identity of the real victim in Jessold’s tragedy.

Moved to being a September, 2011 read – Because members either were unable to obtain this book, or just didn’t get around to reading it, we’ve decided to make this a September read.