The Man Who Walked Like a Bear

I purchased this book a couple of months ago during a Kindle sale, and when I was searching for something different after my latest library reads, I thought I'd give this one a go. It was darker than I anticipated, and unfortunately plonked me down in the middle of a series, but it was a very satisfying read nonetheless.

Our main character, Inspector Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov, is visiting his wife in the hospital when suddenly a huge, ungainly man bursts into her room, making for the window. Porfiry Petrovich manages to calm him, but not before the man whispers about the devil taking over his shoe factory. This, of course, piques Porfiry's interest, and he decides to make a few discreet inquiries, especially after the man is bundled show more out of his wife's room and taken to the psychiatric ward.

Of course, Inspector Rostnikov, being a loyal Soviet comrade, isn't really in charge of the way he conducts his investigations. He's stepped on a few too many important toes, and been relegated to the MVD, the unit that handles petty crimes. As such, he and his team (Sasha, a young detective; Emil Kapro, a cold but thorough detective who is subject to migraines, and Zelech, who is sort of the moron of the bunch) are kept busy. A mother comes in to report that she's overheard her son making plans to assassinate a member of the Politburo, and the city bus system reports that one of its vehicles - and the driver - have gone missing. The team investigates each of these mysteries, and finds roots that run deep into intrigue, politics, and terrorism.

This is a fairly heavy story (par for the course for a crime novel), but Porfiry Petrovich is a nicely balanced character. He's played the game for the majority of his life; at 57, it takes a lot to fool him. He understands the tangled web of Soviet politics and what people will do to get ahead in their careers. His scenes with his wife (in hospital recovering from brain surgery) provide a foil for the darkness of the crimes he's investigating. The ending was especially beautiful.

I also liked the other members of his team: Sasha, the sweet young man who's at a crossroads in his life - newly married with a baby, ready to get out from under his mother's unbearable thumb but having a hard time cutting the apron strings; Emil Kapro, the complete opposite, a man who is confounded by the idea of emotions and how they can interfere in his work as an investigator. I'm really curious about his background, and also his future as the series progresses, as he takes some big steps towards thawing and embracing his humanity. (He's the Sesshoumaru character, can you tell? LOL.)

Even though this is the sixth book in the series, it wasn't hard to pick up on the characters or their world, with enough hints sprinkled throughout to make the important moments shine. It's very much a game of chess, especially in the moment in time when the Soviet Union is edging towards its end.

I'm glad this book caught my eye during that sale, and I'm looking forward to reading more of the series. show less

Another installment of Kaminsky's Inspector Rostnikov series begins with reports of new policies, possibly more freedom as talk of "demokratizatsiya" sweeps Moscow, but crime continues despite perestroika. The detectives are busy with a report of plans to kidnap a high-ranking official, the theft of a city bus and driver in broad daylight, and missing pets near a sausage factory, as well as a huge and naked man wandering through a private hospital's corridors. Through it all Rostnikov keeps his team moving toward solving crime while keeping from errors that would ensure a trip to the offices of the KGB. Another satisfying read in this series.

I will never get enough of Inspector Rostnikov series, and in this one I discover one more detail about the inspector - he loves to listen to Edith Piaf just like I do! With all the mistakes in Russian phrases and the strange tendency by Mr.Kaminsky to "invent" some of the Russian names (giving them weird sounding) - there must be some purpose behind it (it can't be just lack of knowledge), but I haven't yet put a finger on it... - despite all that, I adore this series.