I got an uncorrected proof copy of this book as part of LibraryThing's early reviewers. There are a couple of minor proofing issues I spotted, and hopefully these will be picked up before the official release. Nothing too major (I hope!)[return][return]This is the second of the Pekkala books, but the first one I have read. As a thriller, it is enjoyable and fast paced, especially at the end. There are a number of flash backs during the book, which I can see as annoying to others, but only one (the combined memories of his ex-love) which I thought was a little shoe-horned in, and split up the narrative, even if it was only a page or so long.[return][return]Pekkala's does have a "all access pass" into Stalin's presence, which is a little difficult to understand, considering his previous relationship with the Tsar. I have read other depictions of Stalin that, rightly or wrongly, present Stalin as a paranoid control freak, so Pekkala's apparent easy access is incongrous. This may have been explained in the previous (or future?!) books.[return][return]The representation of the Tsar and Tsarina were reasonable, showing them as slightly out of touch, but so emeshed in politics and personal relationships, including that around Rasputin, that you can see where some of their problems lay.[return][return]On the whole an enjoyable read, and would read similar by this author ( )

The second Inspector Pekkala mystery, straddling his work for the Tzar in flashbacks and currently working as the special chief inspector for Stalin. Pekkala, the Russian "Bernie Gunther."
This one involves the development and intrigue around the Soviet T-34 tank, murder, and mayhem. Good and interesting characters, nice to spend some time with. Oh. And, interesting times; moments before the Molotov / Ribbentrop pact. ( )

Pekkala thriller set in pre-ww2 Soviet Union featuring Inspector Pekkala (former Tsarist eye) and his assistant Kyrov, who jointly with Stalin seek to resolve the murder of the chief designer of the T34 tank prototype. Mind! Spoiler ahead!

There is some confused plot involving an adulterous wife, her suspicious son and a network of former white guards wanting to overthrow the communist regime by provoking Germany in an early war (through creating havoc with the T34 at the Polish border, pretty hare-brained plan that is doomed to fail anyway). I liked the first Inspector Pekkala story (Eye of the red czar), but this story just did not work for me – the plot was weak and even to a large extent boring. Stalin as a leader was not credible or in character enough (he would never forgive a son who committed patricide!). The parts I liked most are the flash backs in italics where Pekkala reminiscences about Czar Nicolas and Rasputin’s antics at the court of the Czar. There is many more parts after this second installment, but I’m not sure whether I will read another one… ( )

For a long time, I wasn't really sure which way to go on this one.

Was it long and dull and miserable, with not an awful lot of any consequence happening after the initial, interesting set-up?

Or was it a slow-burning, languid, subtle study of a police investigation in late '30's Russia? A Russia still remembering and indeed revering the rule of the Tsars, whilst feeling its way forward into the true terror of the workers paradise Stalin had in store. A story where all that goes before the final third, builds quite nicely, everything falling into place, making sense and almost excusing the rather misleading cover blurb.

In the end, I think the latter has won out. But with a hefty dose of the former.

So, as the cover blurb has it;

"A secret weapon. A suspicious death. A world on the edge of war."

Yes, that's all true. But if you're looking for a fast-moving, thrilling, tense war-time novel, look elsewhere. After the set-up and before the final conclusion in the forests on the Russia/Poland border, the story sags tremendously, gets lost in morbid reminiscences and descriptions of Russian life at the ourtbreak of WWII and generally moves at a snail's pace.

The saving grace is, that if you give up expecting it to be what it isn't, a fast-paced WWII espionage thriller, it actually works quite well. The languid descriptions of Inspector Pekkala's life under Stalin and his previous life working closely with the last Tsar, Tsarina and Rasputin, are actually very interesting. Though it must be something of a cliche, that Russians are always morose. But life at that time was bleak and Sam Eastland captures the feeling of hoplessnes and nothing to look forward to except possible impending doom, quite effectively. The snail's pace actually turns out to be a considered and reflective examination of the old and 'new' Russia and generally makes you very glad you weren't around at the time. Or if you were around at that time, that you weren't unfortunate enough to be around in Russia. And especially not around Stalin.

I've got to admit that in reading 'The Red Coffin', I didn't recognise the novel all the quoted reviewers seem to have read. Maybe they're describing what seems to be the other, the first Inspector Pekkala story? But I did finally think I enjoyed this one, and will look out for the first, 'Eye Of The Red Tsar', going cheap in my local bookstore, as this one was. ( )

I received this book as part of the Early Reviewers Program and it has taken me a while to read and review it!

I haven't read Eastland's first book about Inspector Pekkala but had no difficulty in understanding the background to the novel - it works well as a stand-alone. It's a fast paced plot with flashbacks to Pekkala's earlier life as an investigator for the Tsar. In this book it is 1939 during the build up to war with Germany and Pekkala is now an investigator for Stalin. He is charged with discovering the murderer of Colonel Nagorski.

An excellent book! ( )