A new addition to the rolecall of historical detectives is Inspector Pekkala, Stalin's number one investigator in pre-WWII Soviet Union. A former servant of the Tsar, Pekkala was the former leader's top man, given go-anywhere, do-anything, no-questions-asked privileges under the alias "The Emerald Eye" until the Tsar fell and Pekkala was exiled to Siberia. Years later, Stalin has "invited" him back to investigate murders that no one else can solve... and you don't say 'no' to Stalin.
Pekkala's latest case (this is the second novel in the series, and though I haven't read its predecessor, Eye Of The Red Tsar, everything I needed to know was explained) involves the mysterious death of a Colonel responsible for the development of a "super tank" nicknamed The Red Coffin, Russia's secret weapon in the forthcoming war against Germany. While I guessed the who in the whodunnit pretty early on, there's thankfully far more intrigue going on behind the scenes, and the actual murder turns out to be a less vital part of Pekkala's investigation. With an eye to Hollywood, Sam Eastland keeps his plot action-packed, including an explosive showdown with the rogue Red Coffin itself, but what makes this book far more interesting is Pekkala's back-story and the way it ties into a fascinating era of Russian history, something I knew very little about, but which now has me fascinated. When your supporting cast includes Stalin, Nicolas II (and his scary wife) and Rasputin, you're already onto a winner. I'll definitely be hunting down Eye Of The Red Tsar, and look forward to seeing what Pekkala does next.
