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Death on the Trans-Siberian Express

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About this listen

 'Quirky and colourful' Times Crime Club

'An absolute delight' L C Tyler

'This intriguing but charming murder mystery is packed with psychological depth and wonderfully-drawn characters' Eleanor Ray

Welcome to Roslazny - a sleepy Russian town where intrigue and murder combine to disturb the icy silence...

Olga Pushkin, Railway Engineer (Third Class) and would-be bestselling author, spends her days in a little rail-side hut with only Dmitri the hedgehog for company. While tourists and travellers clatter by on the Trans-Siberian Express, Olga dreams of studying literature at Tomsk State University - the Oxford of West Siberia - and escaping the sleepy, snow-clad village of Roslazny.

But Roslazny doesn't stay sleepy for long. Poison-pen letters, a small-town crime wave, and persistent rumours of a Baba Yaga - a murderous witch hiding in the frozen depths of the Russian taiga - combine to disturb the icy silence. And one day Olga arrives at her hut only to be knocked unconscious by a man falling from the Trans-Siberian, an American tourist with his throat cut from ear to ear and his mouth stuffed with 10-ruble coins. Another death soon follows, and Sergeant Vassily Marushkin, the brooding, enigmatic policeman who takes on the case, finds himself falsely imprisoned by his Machiavellian superior, Chief-Inspector Babikov.

Olga resolves to help Vassily by proving his innocence. But with no leads to follow and time running out, has Olga bitten off more than she can chew?

Praise for Death on the Trans-Siberian Express

'The book is an absolute delight, evocative equally of the frozen steppes, bad vodka and worse sausage, and full of larger than life characters. Olga Pushkin is an endearing protagonist, who is hopefully set for a series as long as the Trans Siberian Railway.' L C Tyler

'Written with a warmth that would thaw Siberia, this intriguing but charming murder mystery is packed with psychological depth and wonderfully-drawn characters. It also features the best hedgehog I've met in a novel.' Eleanor Ray©2021 C J Farrington Cosy Crime Detective Fiction International Mystery & Crime Mystery Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Russia Railroad Village
All stars
Most relevant
Strong characters, a great tale, enjoyed it and look forward to more 😀 Olga Pushkin is my new hero

Great Siberian mystery of corruption and murder

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This book starts very slowly but, like an express train pulling out of the station, it gradually picks up speed until it's flying along. The plot is complex, but the resolution is like a stage magician's knot, one tug and it's free. I never include spoilers so suffice to say that Olga Pushkin is a wonderful heroine, The narration is perfect, and you would be mad to miss this.

A slow burn!

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I really enjoyed the story, however found the odd English accents off putting considering it was set in Russia! It seemed at odds with the story.

Odd choice of accents

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On the face of it, this is a good solid detective story with enough complexities to make a satisfying mystery, but there is much more to it. For once, the protagonist is a good hearted working class woman with dreams of becoming more and no immediate 'rescue' in sight. There are references to Russian literature and descriptions that ensure the plot is firmly rooted in its setting. Most satisfying of all, the author is able to bring to life eccentric village characters without ever mocking or patronising them. The ending has left me wanting to know more of Olga's adventures.

I hope this becomes a series!

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I was a bit nervous that this would be a Russian Alexander Mcall Smith because non-native authors writing about a culture can be a bit icky but it’s actually a rather sweet story about ties and ambition and serial killers.

Sweet

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