Just Finished Reading: A Gentle Axe by R N Morris

St Petersburg, Russia – 1866. As a freezing winter grips the city a woman looking for firewood comes across what appears to be a murder-suicide. Reported to them much later, the police initially agree with the assessment until Police Detective Porfiry Petrovich examines the crime scene more closely. Over the objections of his superiors, who think he is wasting his time, Petrovich just wants to clear up a few nagging doubts. Soon he finds himself buried deep in the cities underclass before returning to more gentile surroundings in search of those who dabble in child prostitution, pornography and murder.

The well read amongst you will recognise the name of Police Detective Porfiry Petrovich. For those who don’t (I didn’t) he was the investigator in Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. The events in this novel take place approximately 18 months after the events in C&P. I did worry a bit that I’d be lost as I had not read the Dostoevsky novel. I need not have worried. Although the events in C&P are mentioned briefly in passing they are not central to the plot of this impressive story. I was impressed, as always, by good characterisation and a very striking sense of place. Not only was the city of St Petersburg the backdrop against which the action and intrigue took place it was almost a character in itself. The dominating part of the book I found – apart from the deep feeling of despair emanating from the teeming underclass – was the ever present and energy sapping cold. You could feel it at the turn of every page like a physical thing trying to get out of the book. It crushed the poor especially who spent most of their time either huddled around inadequate fires, searching for anything to burn or drunk on cheap vodka as a way of keeping at least the illusion of warmth. Although not a racy novel complete with car chases and dramatic fights, this book certainly did not plod along. It moved relentlessly to its conclusion powered by the detectives unbending curiosity and his desire to uncover the truth. Without anything but the most basic forensic help, which was only just coming to prominence, he followed clues, checked stories and inexorably followed the evidence. He was implacable and is a worthy addition to the historical detective fraternity. This is the first book in the series and I have added the next three to my Wish List. Recommended, but I’d advise wearing something warm before you settle down to read it.