For lovers of historical fiction, romance, and a dark thriller. Nina Romano takes the reader effortlessly to 1950’s Stalinist Russia, where we are soon caught up in a twisting and dangerous search for the truth behind two, apparently related, murders. The depth of Romano’s detailed research shines through, with immersive descriptions which have you shivering in the cold, tasting the authentic food – and feeling the fear.
Anja’s dreams of being a ballerina have been destroyed by a bullying thug, who is also the father of her child. She scrapes by, looking for odd bits of work, and with the help of her ‘mother-in-law’, Calina. Under horrific circumstances, Anja meets Andrei, a police photographer with ambitions to become a full member of the force.
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The two become lovers, but their relationship must remain secret when they find themselves in the middle of trying to solve not one, but two, connected murders. Enmeshed in the dark, complex world of diamond smuggling, corruption, and brutal politics, their fight for answers, and survival, is fraught with danger. This is an unpredictable world where a wrong word, or putting your trust in the wrong person, has life-threatening consequences. And through it all is the growth of their own love for each other, raising the stakes even higher.
Read it for the murder mystery; read it for the love story; read it for the highly atmospheric setting. All three combine for an unforgettable tale.
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