In Stalin's Soviet Union, crime does not exist. But still millions live in fear. The mere suspicion of disloyalty to the State, the wrong word at the wrong time, can send an innocent person to his execution. Officer Leo Demidov, an idealistic war hero, believes he's building a perfect society. But after witnessing the interrogation of an innocent man, his loyalty begins to waver, and when ordered to investigate his own wife, Raisa, Leo is forced to choose where his heart truly lies. Then the impossible happens. A murderer is on the loose, killing at will, and every belief Leo has ever held is shattered. Denounced by his enemies and exiled from home, with only Raisa by his side, he must risk everything to find a criminal that the State won't admit even exists. On the run, Leo soon discovers the danger isn't from the killer he is trying to catch, but from the country he is trying to protect.
Child 44
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Amazon Review
With so many new books in the crime and thriller field vying for our attention, alert readers need all the help they can get. In the case of Tom Rob Smith's Child 44, the numerous glowing reviews were preceded by a lively word of mouth on the book. The latter can often be misleading, but not in this case -- this is a very exciting debut. It is set in the Soviet Union and in the year 1953; Stalin's reign of terror is at its height, and those who stand up against the might of the state vanish into the labour camps – or vanish altogether. With this background, it is an audacious move on Tom Rob Smith’s part to put his hero right at the heart of this hideous regime, as an officer in no less than the brutal Ministry State Security.
Leo Demidov is, basically, an instrument of the state -- by no means a villain, but one who tries to look not too closely into the repressive work he does. His superiors remind him that there is no crime in Soviet Union, and he is somehow able to maintain its fiction in his mind even as he tracks down and punishes the miscreants. The body of a young boy is found on railway tracks in Moscow, and Demidov is quickly informed that there is nothing to the case. He quickly realises that something unpleasant is being covered over here, but is forced to obey his orders. However, things begin to quickly unravel, and this ex-hero of state suddenly finds himself in disgrace, exiled with his wife Raisa to a town in the Ural Mountains. And things will get worse for him -- not only the murder of another child, but even the life and safety of his wife.
Tom Rob Smith’s beleaguered hero is a protagonist who we know will (at some point) have to rebel against the totalitarian state he works for. But it is the suspense of waiting for this moment as much as the exigencies of the thriller plot that makes this such a compelling novel. --Barry Forshaw --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"An amazing debut - rich, different, fully-formed, mature ... and thrilling." -- Lee Child
"CHILD 44 is a remarkable debut novel - inventive, edgy and relentlessly gripping from the first page to the last." -- Scott Turow
"CHILD 44 telegraphs the talent and class of its writer from its opening pages, transporting you back to the darkest days of post-war Soviet Russia with assured efficiency and ruthlessly drawing you into its richly atmospheric and engrossing tale." -- Raymond Khoury, bestselling author of THE LAST TEMPLAR and SANCTUARY
"Child 44 contrasts the bleakness of Stalinist Russia with a love story that unexpectedly and ironically blooms only because the lovers are nearly crushed by a relentless totalitarian regime hell bent on their destruction. As the two attempt to solve a series of brutal child murders the government is determined not to acknowledge, they must avoid being killed themselves in a simultaneous flight and pursuit across the wintry Russian landscape. Achingly suspenseful, full of feeling and of the twists and turns that one expects from Le Carre at his best, it's a tale that grabs you by the throat and simply never lets you go." -- Robert Towne
"This is a truly remarkable debut novel. CHILD 44 is a rare blend of great insight, excellent writing, and a refreshingly original story. Favorable comparisons to GORKY PARK are inevitable, but CHILD 44 is in a class of its own." -- Nelson DeMille --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
"CHILD 44 is a remarkable debut novel - inventive, edgy and relentlessly gripping from the first page to the last." -- Scott Turow
"CHILD 44 telegraphs the talent and class of its writer from its opening pages, transporting you back to the darkest days of post-war Soviet Russia with assured efficiency and ruthlessly drawing you into its richly atmospheric and engrossing tale." -- Raymond Khoury, bestselling author of THE LAST TEMPLAR and SANCTUARY
"Child 44 contrasts the bleakness of Stalinist Russia with a love story that unexpectedly and ironically blooms only because the lovers are nearly crushed by a relentless totalitarian regime hell bent on their destruction. As the two attempt to solve a series of brutal child murders the government is determined not to acknowledge, they must avoid being killed themselves in a simultaneous flight and pursuit across the wintry Russian landscape. Achingly suspenseful, full of feeling and of the twists and turns that one expects from Le Carre at his best, it's a tale that grabs you by the throat and simply never lets you go." -- Robert Towne
"This is a truly remarkable debut novel. CHILD 44 is a rare blend of great insight, excellent writing, and a refreshingly original story. Favorable comparisons to GORKY PARK are inevitable, but CHILD 44 is in a class of its own." -- Nelson DeMille --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By R J Castle
Format:Paperback
Having read a considerable amount of Russian history, and it having received such good reviews, I was eager to read Child 44 .
The story itself is set at a good pace and the plot unwinds nicely. The author has clearly done considerable research and taken great pains to accurately describe the various Soviet institutions encountered in the novel. Famous agencies like the MGB and buildings like Lubyanka are vividly drawn with confidence and the reader is given enough information to understand their importance in the world his characters inhabit. The comments on Soviet history occasionally feel forced and do not always flow from the narrative - on one occasion I felt as if I was reading a student's history exercise book rather than a novel - but on the whole it is done well. I give great credit to the author for conveying the paranoia and fear of Soviet life, the danger each person faced on a every day basis, and the cruel logic that the society used to torture an entire generation. Several ethical dilemmas are created which, though tragic and difficult for a modern western reader to understand, are interesting and extremely thought provoking. I liked the fact the author did not shy away from describing the dark - and rarely discussed by the West - events that happened during the Soviet period (like the great famine) and it is commendable that a novelist in the West writes about them with such honesty. The main characters, whilst believable, are not drawn well enough from the start, and I found myself unconcerned about their plight and uninterested by them towards the end. Scenes at the end comes across as mawkish and at odds with the dark subject matter. Where I feel the novel really lets itself down is the plot and the final twist. Read more ›
The story itself is set at a good pace and the plot unwinds nicely. The author has clearly done considerable research and taken great pains to accurately describe the various Soviet institutions encountered in the novel. Famous agencies like the MGB and buildings like Lubyanka are vividly drawn with confidence and the reader is given enough information to understand their importance in the world his characters inhabit. The comments on Soviet history occasionally feel forced and do not always flow from the narrative - on one occasion I felt as if I was reading a student's history exercise book rather than a novel - but on the whole it is done well. I give great credit to the author for conveying the paranoia and fear of Soviet life, the danger each person faced on a every day basis, and the cruel logic that the society used to torture an entire generation. Several ethical dilemmas are created which, though tragic and difficult for a modern western reader to understand, are interesting and extremely thought provoking. I liked the fact the author did not shy away from describing the dark - and rarely discussed by the West - events that happened during the Soviet period (like the great famine) and it is commendable that a novelist in the West writes about them with such honesty. The main characters, whilst believable, are not drawn well enough from the start, and I found myself unconcerned about their plight and uninterested by them towards the end. Scenes at the end comes across as mawkish and at odds with the dark subject matter. Where I feel the novel really lets itself down is the plot and the final twist. Read more ›
56 of 61 people found the following review helpful
By J. Milton
VINE VOICE
Format:Paperback
The book begins very promisingly with the first chapter detailing the lives of a village on the brink of starvation in 1930s Russia. Two boys from one family go out hunting for the only piece of meat seen in the village for a long time - a cat. However, only one of the boys returned. The other has been killed.
The rest of the book is set in post-Second World War Russia where a young MGB, Leo, is hard at work doing the dirty work of the state until he is asked to deal with a colleague who suspects that his son has been murdered. There are no murders, in Soviet Russia as murders only happen in capitalist countries, so it is recorded as an accident on a railway line and Leo suggests that his colleague accepts the result. However, a series of similar child murders and a jealous rival mean that Leo's faith in the system is shattered through a series of unfortunate events. The rest of the book follows Leo's attempts to catch the murderer in a state that doesn't accept that murders can take place.
Overall, the novel is ok and deserves 4 stars. It is fast-paced and kept me engaged, without being ground breaking, from beginning to end. The ending is where I have an issue with the book. I overlooked the naivety of Leo, who as a seasoned MGB officer gets himself into some serious pickles, as it is a means to an end of keeping the story going. However, the ending is so unlikely it verges on the farcical. The series of events that combine to create the ending could and would never happen, regardless of the country that the book is set in. For this very reason, I have given the book 3 stars instead of the four I would have given it.
The rest of the book is set in post-Second World War Russia where a young MGB, Leo, is hard at work doing the dirty work of the state until he is asked to deal with a colleague who suspects that his son has been murdered. There are no murders, in Soviet Russia as murders only happen in capitalist countries, so it is recorded as an accident on a railway line and Leo suggests that his colleague accepts the result. However, a series of similar child murders and a jealous rival mean that Leo's faith in the system is shattered through a series of unfortunate events. The rest of the book follows Leo's attempts to catch the murderer in a state that doesn't accept that murders can take place.
Overall, the novel is ok and deserves 4 stars. It is fast-paced and kept me engaged, without being ground breaking, from beginning to end. The ending is where I have an issue with the book. I overlooked the naivety of Leo, who as a seasoned MGB officer gets himself into some serious pickles, as it is a means to an end of keeping the story going. However, the ending is so unlikely it verges on the farcical. The series of events that combine to create the ending could and would never happen, regardless of the country that the book is set in. For this very reason, I have given the book 3 stars instead of the four I would have given it.
100 of 114 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was amazed to see that this is the author's debut novel - the writing is very assured, and you know you're in the hands of a craftsman from the start.
The paranoid, shabby setting of the Soviet Union in the 1950s, still under Stalin's rule and still shadowed by the war, is beautifully done - as is the characterisation, the plotting, the sheer grip of the story.
Secret policeman and war hero Leo Demidov is Soviet Man incarnate - unswervingly loyal and unquestioning in his pursuit of the State's enemies - until a powerplay by a jealous subordinate threatens his life, and that of Raisa, his wife.
Thrown out of the MGB in disgrace and exiled to a bleak factory city in the Urals, Leo's world and beliefs are turned upside down. Then he discovers that in the Communist paradise that denies that crime is possible, there exists the worst criminal of all - a serial killer of children. He and Raisa must risk everything to pursue a terrifying killer, even if doing so makes them enemies of the State...
I understand that the author has written screenplays, and this thriller has a cinematic edge and suspense, wrapped up in very fine writing - it's one of the best I've read, and I can't recommend it highly enough. If you love thrillers, you won't be disappointed.
The paranoid, shabby setting of the Soviet Union in the 1950s, still under Stalin's rule and still shadowed by the war, is beautifully done - as is the characterisation, the plotting, the sheer grip of the story.
Secret policeman and war hero Leo Demidov is Soviet Man incarnate - unswervingly loyal and unquestioning in his pursuit of the State's enemies - until a powerplay by a jealous subordinate threatens his life, and that of Raisa, his wife.
Thrown out of the MGB in disgrace and exiled to a bleak factory city in the Urals, Leo's world and beliefs are turned upside down. Then he discovers that in the Communist paradise that denies that crime is possible, there exists the worst criminal of all - a serial killer of children. He and Raisa must risk everything to pursue a terrifying killer, even if doing so makes them enemies of the State...
I understand that the author has written screenplays, and this thriller has a cinematic edge and suspense, wrapped up in very fine writing - it's one of the best I've read, and I can't recommend it highly enough. If you love thrillers, you won't be disappointed.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
How do you stop a serial killer in a society where according to the government crime doesn't exist?
11 Jan 2010
By Katy Pearce
Format:Paperback
Taking place in the 1950's amongst the terrors of Stalinist Russia, Child 44 unravels the story of Leo Demidov, a state security agent who is determined to go against the system risking both his life and the life of everyone he loves in order to gain justice and catch a child serial killer.
The novel extracts feelings of anger and aggravation reflecting on the true story of Andrei Chikatilo who murdered more than sixty children in the 1980's. Smith identified that Chikatilo continued to escape being caught due to the state refusing to admit he existed. Inspired by these events Tom Rob Smith created his debut novel, only moving the scenario back in time to the 1950's when the consequences for going against Stalinist ideals were much higher.
Child 44 fits into the thriller genre perfectly from the raised blood red font on the cover to the shocking twist at the end. The book is a frustrating yet gripping read leaving the reader eager for the criminal to be brought to justice. Unsurprisingly, the books originality resulted in it being shortlisted for the Costa book awards, in 2008. It failed to scoop the award, possibly due to Tom Rob Smith's desire to explore every element of life in Stalinist Russia, this overrides the plot, leaving complicated adjacent story lines and characters which fail to be revealed in a great depth. The book overall is a real triumph, only a limited number of books can explore the morals of the Soviet Union in such depth as well as whisking its readers to a world of suspense and emotion.
The novel extracts feelings of anger and aggravation reflecting on the true story of Andrei Chikatilo who murdered more than sixty children in the 1980's. Smith identified that Chikatilo continued to escape being caught due to the state refusing to admit he existed. Inspired by these events Tom Rob Smith created his debut novel, only moving the scenario back in time to the 1950's when the consequences for going against Stalinist ideals were much higher.
Child 44 fits into the thriller genre perfectly from the raised blood red font on the cover to the shocking twist at the end. The book is a frustrating yet gripping read leaving the reader eager for the criminal to be brought to justice. Unsurprisingly, the books originality resulted in it being shortlisted for the Costa book awards, in 2008. It failed to scoop the award, possibly due to Tom Rob Smith's desire to explore every element of life in Stalinist Russia, this overrides the plot, leaving complicated adjacent story lines and characters which fail to be revealed in a great depth. The book overall is a real triumph, only a limited number of books can explore the morals of the Soviet Union in such depth as well as whisking its readers to a world of suspense and emotion.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
amazing and horrifying
thought knew quite a bit about the Stalin times and the purges, but this really shows the mindset of ordinary people outside Moscow
Published 2 days ago by esther zuger
5.0 out of 5 stars
so good
Second time of reading, great to be brought back into Leo Demidov's life. It's been too long. Wonderful plot, great storytelling. You can't go wrong.
Published 5 days ago by Gabriel Chapman
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thrilling with twists
I was enthralled by this story. I learnt a lot about Russian history and concentration camps too. Never expected the ending.
Published 6 days ago by Brawny61
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic book
I bought this book as a gift for our son who has read it and says it is an absolutely fantastic book and a book which he
would recommend to anyone. Read more
would recommend to anyone. Read more
Published 7 days ago by Mrs. A. Nicol
5.0 out of 5 stars
good thriller
this product was 2nd hand in good condition and was good value for money. The book is a fast paced compelling read.
Published 7 days ago by freetorhyme
4.0 out of 5 stars
Child 44
As of expected of Tom Rob smith a very detailed story with great characters and plot. Obviously well researched and written.
Published 9 days ago by Paul Conway
5.0 out of 5 stars
Couldn't put it down
For anyone interested Russia under communism this is an essential read. The character development and storyline are both masterful. Read more
Published 12 days ago by Simon Stephen
4.0 out of 5 stars
Shocking insight into Soviet Russia at the time of Stalin
Having recently read various satirical books based around Soviet Russia during the reign of Stalin and Lenin I was kind of baffled as to why I hadn't read 'Child 44' before reading... Read more
Published 24 days ago by Ilona Bell
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gritty!
A really well written book. It covers some amazing detail, but gives the reader a chance to for, their own thoughts. I'd strongly recommend.
Published 1 month ago by J. Hughes
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great read!
Fantastic book, I read it in one sitting. Full of intrigue, suspense and drama with moments of heartbreaking sadness, desperation and hardship. Read more
Published 1 month ago by car81
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