The Holy Thief: A Novel Audiobook

" First we had Martin Cruz Smith, then Tom Rob Smith, and now William Ryan-- yet another murder mystery set behind the iron curtain and starring a staunch Soviet detective. I've loved this genre so far, so hopefully this book can remove some of the bad taste in my mouth left behind by Smith's latest Arkady Renko novel. "

" A very well-written novel set in pre-WWII Moscow. I absolutely loved the language and the images conjured by the beautiful writing, not to mention the well researched authentic presentation of not only the mindset, but the way of life for citizens of this era. The story was intricate and unpredictable, which i found very intriguing. A solid 4 star book. "

" Neither height nor depth, but nonetheless, a reasonably well-tailored and paced in-between. There are those books that are raised by the quality of characters--this wasn't one. But for a summer sun laze around, it needed neither too much nor too little attention. One word? bemused. "

" I found the characters and setting to be vibrant and engaging. Unfortunately, I found that more interesting than the actual mystery. "

" Moscow in the 1930's with a great plot and admirable main character. Very engaging. I loved it. "

" A novel about Russia in 1935. "

" Good historical mystery set in 30's Stalinist Russia. Korolev the lead character is a Moscow CID officer caught up in politics and he just wants to solve the case. Hope this one becomes a series. "

" This was a great combination of not-too-distant history and the anatomy of "right" and "wrong." There are plenty of plot twists and suspense which kept me turning pages into the wee hours. "

" Loved this book! Mr. Ryan did a great job developing the main character and portraying the internal struggles of the individual during the 1930's in Moscow. Clean, no swearing, the descriptions of the crimes were graphic however. "

" Nicely done mystery with setting in Stalinist Russia. "

" Awesome historical mystery. I could not ask for anything more out of a book. Excellent characters, basis and plot. I just wish difficult Russian names weren't such a chore to repeat in your head over and over when you're reading a book. Otherwise, excellent book. "

" I liked this more for the glimpse into 1930s Russia than the story (which was enjoyable). "

" I really enjoyed the setting of this book but really wanted to know more about the 'Thieves', perhaps in the next book there will be more detail. Worth a read, especially if you have an interest in Russia. "

" I found the prose consistently clunky, but the characters made up for it (even the minor characters feel like full-fledged people). I was most impressed by the research that must have gone into it, though. "

" There was something about this book that just didn't sit well with me. I liked the story and the main character, but I think the author was too ambitious and introduced a lot of side stories that never really went anywhere. "

" Tense thriller set in Stalinist Russia in 1936. Great atmosphere. "

" Pretty average as far as historical mysteries go--a bit of a guide to the names in the story would have helped since many of the characters were called very different names within the course of a single conversation. "

" What an excellent Novel, I really enjoyed it, both the History of Russia and the excellent characters and story. Can't wait for the follow up. "

" Three and a half stars, rounded down. "

" a good introduction to the characters on a suspensefull mystery. "

" Audio Book. Mostly a good book but it painted a very depressing picture of communism and life in Russia. "

" Pretty average as far as historical mysteries go--a bit of a guide to the names in the story would have helped since many of the characters were called very different names within the course of a single conversation. "

" A pretty light read - nothing to mentally challenging. Perfect for a plane or train. "

" The locale of the story was very well written but beyond the first few chapters, I couldn't seem to care about any of the characters. The Russian detective was a really good one but his efforts to solve the murders became frustrating. "

" Very good, especially since it's his first book. "

" Bleak, dreary picture of Moscow during the '30s. An honest policeman trying to solve murders where nothing is as it seems. "

" I liked the Russian history. The ending surprised me a bit. "

" What an excellent Novel, I really enjoyed it, both the History of Russia and the excellent characters and story. Can't wait for the follow up. "

" What made this book fascinating was the setting -- early Stalin era Russia, where patriotism, religion and political intrigue mix in an old fashioned murder mystery. The author is very convincing. "