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Title: Works well on several levels
Review: This very engrossing book is both an interesting detective story and an interesting insight into Soviet life in Moscow at a certain time in the near past. By setting what would otherwise be a traditional murder mystery (with some traditionally current grotesque elements) in Moscow, Martin Cruz Smith is able to introduce a host of fresh elements into a tired genre. The Russian hero has a whole different set of personal and professional concerns than would his New York counterpart, and the characters and situations encountered are likewise different, strange and interesting because new to this type of fiction. Finally, the basic plot - the nature of the murder and the crime's solving - are totally dependent on the Moscow setting.Great stuff. A real original and highly recommended for anyone wanting something different from the same old stuff.
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