After five years spent abroad building up a business as a private investigator, the handsome, stuttering Fandorin is back in Moscow—and in for a case that entangles him with the highest echelons of Romanov royalty.

“Akunin keeps the action fast-paced, and the logical twists head-spinning, without sacrificing humor or depth of characterization.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

The first novel in the Rowland Sinclair WII Mysteries introduces readers to an amateur sleuth with wit, heart, and a knack for solving inscrutable crimes. A historical mystery by an award-winning author, this murder mystery will appeal to fans of Rhys Bowen, Kerry Greenwood, and Jacqueline Winspear.  

A police detective’s secret jeopardizes her career and her hunt for a serial killer in northeastern England in this crime thriller series debut.