The Case of the General's Thumb - Softcover

Kurkov, Andrey

Softcover

ISBN 10: 161219060X ISBN 13: 9781612190600

Publisher: Melville International Crime, 2012

Synopsis

John Le Carré meets Mikhail Bulgakov in this international crime thriller by the author of the acclaimed Death and the Penguin

The corpse of a distinguished general is found attached to an advertising balloon—and minus his thumb. Police Lieutenant Viktor Slutsky is sent in to investigate. So, too, is KGB officer Nik Tsensky. They begin their investigations unbeknownst to each other, but quickly find themselves mystified about developments caused by the other.

Thus begins a comedy of very dangerous errors as the two crisscross Europe, Russia, and the Ukraine, catalysts in a bizarre battle between the Russian and Ukrainian secret services.

What ensues is simultaneously hilarious, tragic, and suspenseful, with a fascinating cast of characters who would seem absurd if they weren’t so compelling: a larger-than-life hitman, a deaf-and-dumb blonde, and a turtle. Then there’s the gun that shoots backwards...

And as the two faithful investigators find themselves to be pawns in a story of post-Soviet collapse, it becomes—as usual in the work of this modern Russian master—an inspiring tale of resilience against the dark forces of the day.

About this title

From the Inside Flap:

An international thriller, shot through with black satire and authentic detail, by the author of the highly acclaimed Death and the Penguin, which was short-listed for the Foreign Fiction Prize.

About the Author:

Andrey Kurkov borrowed money from friends to selfpublish his first books, which he sold himself on the sidewalks of Kiev. He has gone on to become one of the most popular and critically acclaimed writers in Ukrainian history, and his books have been translated into 25 languages.

George Bird is the translator of Kurkov's Penguin Lost and Death and the Penguin.

About this edition

• Publisher: Melville International Crime
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 161219060X
• ISBN 13: 9781612190600
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192