A stunning read...best book of year so far

books:


	• Child 44 Tom Rob Smith Grand Central Publishing, 2008 - 448 pages average customer review:based on 56 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Stunning debut

Reviewed by Danielle Feliciano for Reader Views (5/08)

"Child 44" is a stunning debut by author Tom Rob Smith that takes us into the world of Stalin's Soviet Union. Smith flawlessly recreates Stalin's world, making the reader feel the same hunger, coldness, fear and paranoia that the citizens of this time-period felt. He takes his time creating this world, clearly and carefully choosing each word he uses to describe what is going on.

Opening with a haunting tale of two brothers scavenging for food, Smith takes us into 1950s Moscow and into the life of Leo Demidov, an MGB officer. The MGB's sole purpose is to protect the system and to be sure all citizens are acting in accordance with the rules. There is to be no crime, no hunger and no need in this world. Daily life is full of double-speak to cover up the truth. The MGB buries anything that could be seen as negative and makes sure the citizens understand how they are to act. Leo lives life by the rules and strives to make sure his wife and parents are provided for.

The system is shaken with the appearance of the work of a serial killer. At first, Leo goes along with the party line that the child in question was not murdered, but quickly sees that the facts do not add up. He is uncomfortable but doe not waver on his decision regarding an investigation into the matter.

Soon, Leo is demoted as the result of a jealous rival's sabotage. He sees his chance to redeem himself once it becomes clear that there is a killer amongst them, no matter how hard the system tries to hide it. He knows his time is limited and it won't be long before the other shoe drops from the MGB. He is determined to do one last good deed before this happens.

It is unspeakable the things this society goes through, and uplifting to see Leo's awakening to what is happening around him. In a world that strives to eliminate individuality and embraces conformity, Leo finds a way to fight through and find the parts of his self that he lost. Powerful, compelling and raw, "Child 44" is a book not to be missed out on.

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EXCELLENT THRILLER

EXCITING TWISTS. INTERESTING LOCATIONS AND FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT LIVING CONDITIONS IN RUSSIA IN 1953. COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN.

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For Martin Cruz Smith fans

For fans of Soviet/Russian mystery fiction this is a real treat. If you like Martin Cruz Smith (creator of the Arkady Renko series) then I highly recommend this book. I have read a lot of books in this genre- Gorky Park is one of my all time favorite novels. Also, while harder to find, Stuart Kaminsky's Russian detective fiction series is a real stand out.
Here, the author just nails it on multiple fronts- what makes this book even more interesting is how the Stalin regime and the paranoia (justified as it was) it caused is juxtaposed against a murder mystery.
The tension is palpable on every page. A great book and I hope this author keeps them coming.

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A stunning read...best book of year so far

Tom Rob Smith has written a mystery novel that is part history, deeply moving, terrifying, sad and basically impossible to put down. If you think that a serial killer novel set in 1953 Stalinist Russia can't hold your interest, then think again. Smith's characters are memorable and fascinating. There are so many stunning plot twists that I won't reveal them but you won't see the next one coming. I read lots of mystery stories but this is the best I've read in years. You will be drawn into Leo and his wife Raisa as they struggle with their own morality and the insensitivity of the state. Can they do what is right and stay alive? Don't skip a word and you'll find yourself completely engrossed in this scary, informative thriller.

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Should Be a Major Bestseller

'Child 44' is a taut, nail biting thriller that will have you shaking your head in disbelief that this is a first novel. Set during Stalin's oppressive regime, and loosely based on a real life serial killer, the story is about a police investigator who begins to piece together that a series of brutal child murders might actually be connected, even though the government will do anything to prevent this information from surfacing. Smith makes a flawed, complex, and fascinating protagonist in Leo, a man with his own secrets and issues. This is the kind of great atmospheric writing that you can completely lose yourself in.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

A propulsive, relentless page-turner.
A terrifying evocation of a paranoid world where no one can be trusted.
A surprising, unexpected story of love and family, of hope and resilience.
CHILD 44 is a thriller unlike any you have ever read.

"There is no crime."

Stalin's Soviet Union strives to be a paradise for its workers, providing for all of their needs. One of its fundamental pillars is that its citizens live free from the fear of ordinary crime and criminals.

But in this society, millions do live in fear . . . of the State. Death is a whisper away. The mere suspicion of ideological disloyalty-owning a book from the decadent West, the wrong word at the wrong time-sends millions of innocents into the Gulags or to their executions. Defending the system from its citizens is the MGB, the State Security Force. And no MGB officer is more courageous, conscientious, or idealistic than Leo Demidov.

A war hero with a beautiful wife, Leo lives in relative luxury in Moscow, even providing a decent apartment for his parents. His only ambition has been to serve his country. For this greater good, he has arrested and interrogated.

Then the impossible happens. A different kind of criminal-a murderer-is on the loose, killing at will. At the same time, Leo finds himself demoted and denounced by his enemies, his world turned upside down, and every belief he's ever held shattered. The only way to save his life and the lives of his family is to uncover this criminal. But in a society that is officially paradise, it's a crime against the State to suggest that a murderer-much less a serial killer-is in their midst. Exiled from his home, with only his wife, Raisa, remaining at his side, Leo must confront the vast resources and reach of the MBG to find and stop a criminal that the State won't admit even exists.

Tom Rob Smith graduated from Cambridge in 2001 and lives in London. Child 44 is his first novel.

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