cover image Volk's Shadow

Volk's Shadow

Brent Ghelfi, . . Holt, $25 (304pp) ISBN 978-0-8050-8255-5

In Ghelfi's mesmerizing second Russian thriller (after Volk's Game ), Alexei “Volk” Vokovoy, an ex-army colonel with a prosthetic leg who does the dirty work for a paranoid Kremlin official known as “the General,” receives what appears to be a simple assignment: find a missing Fabergé egg. The hunt quickly leads Volk into a raw, uncivilized world in which even the most basic needs of common Russians go unmet. Crime bosses work hand-in-hand with the government. The riches of oil trump all other priorities. Sexual violence surges uncontrollably. While the complicated plot can be hard to follow in places, and the Rambo-like Volk may not engage much reader sympathy, crisp characterization and strong visual prose keep the story moving to its harrowing climax in Chechnya. Those seeking a tour of the dark side of contemporary Russia will be more than satisfied. Author tour. (July)