Just Finished Reading: The Master of Rain by Tom Bradby

Shanghai 1926. Newly arrived Special Branch officer Richard Field finds himself attached to a murder investigation. A young Russian prostitute has been violently stabbed to death in her own apartment. As the investigation continues Field and his compatriot Detective Caprisi discover that her death is the third in a series of unsolved murders. Things become personal when Field falls in love with the beautiful Natasha Medvedev a friend of the murdered girl who knows far more than she is telling the police.

The young and naïve Field must navigate his way through a strange and exotic city, discover who he can trust and stay alive long enough to solve the case and save the life of Natasha. But in a place where no one cares about dead Russian girls the cards are most definitely stacked against him.

This is my second Bradby book (the first being The God of Chaos) and another outing into the historical fiction genre which I must admit to enjoying greatly. Though rather long at just under 600 pages and a bit woolly in places I was impressed by several things that the author managed to accomplish. As in his previous novel the setting, this time of colonial China, felt right. The rich and very decadent owners of Shanghai – mainly British corporations – contrasted well with the poverty and violence endured by the native Chinese population. Also I particularly liked the powerful characterisation of the main players who both had real depth and real personal issues which drove them in believable ways. This I always find rewarding and interesting. Whilst not as good as Alan Furst, Bradby is capable of writing solid historical thrillers worth the time to read them. If he could just restrain himself from writing such long books and thereby tightening up the plotting a bit he could be first rate.