Read My Review: Winter

Read My Review, hosted by A Trillian Books, is a chance for book bloggers to share new and old reviews--all related to a theme.

What to do:

*Find one of your reviews that fits this week's theme (you can be as creative as you like when choosing what fits). It can be new or old, good or bad.

*Leave your link with Mr. Linky at the bottom of her post [Blog Name (Book Title)].

*Visit some of the other reviews and leave a "quality" comment (at least a couple of sentences).

*Grab the button and let people know about Read My Review.

And since it's getting chilly outside now, this week's theme is: Winter. So, anything wintery or set in a cold climate.

The theme stays for a week so you can leave your link anytime and check out some more fab reviews.

I don't have a previous blog review for this week's theme, so I'm going to do a "blast from the past" and choose a book that I've read and reviewed on Visual Bookshelf. My choice is The Winter Queen by Boris Akunin.

This book not only has Winter in the title (a sure winner!), but is set in Moscow--definitely got your cold climate covered. Here's the scoop: The setting is Moscow in 1876. Young sleuth Erast Fandorin is faced with the puzzle of what would cause a talented student from one of Moscow's wealthiest and most prominant families to shoot himself out in public? The public and most of the police assume that is due to a life of decadence and boredom, Fandorin does not believe it. Fandorin soon connects this strange suicide to an obvious case of murder--witnessed by our hero himself. He soon finds himself following clues that lead him across Europe and brings him to the center of an incredible conspiracy with deadly intentions.

Begining with a bang (literally), this story has lots of intrigue, suspense, beautiful women, suspects in high places, and secrets galore. Fandorin as an engaging main character and I enjoyed the author's writing style. It was very smooth and easily carries the reader along on Fandorin's adventures. Fandorin is absolutely entertaining in his interactions with Moscow's upper crust and the book is worth it for his adventures in Amalia's house. Amalia is a fine character in her own right. The mystery is very well done and Fandorin makes a fine showing as the detective. And the ending--it totally surprised me. When I finished the book, I was still pondering whether I like the ending, although I could see the logical progression.

I could not, however, agree with reviewers who have compared this book and main character to Holmes and Lord Peter Wimsey. Fandorin is a good detective--but I just cannot put him in their league. Three and a half stars out of five.