by Boris Akunin
translated by Andrew Bromfield
After a British antiquarian and his entire household are murdered in cold blood and a golden statue stolen, French police commissioner Gauche deduces that the murderer must be on the steamship Leviathan, leaving for Calcutta on its maiden voyage. An odd cast of characters fall into his net of suspicion – among them an Italian doctor, a mad British aristocrat, a Japanese man claiming to be a military man, a pregnant woman, a professor and expert on antiquities, and diplomat Erast Fandorin. Soon, though, the latter has joined forced with the Frenchman, and as secrets are uncovered and the truth becomes clearer, more bodies start hitting the deck. This is a totally delightful homage to the Agathie Christie style of whodunit. Extremely witty, erudite, full of twists and red herrings, beautifully paced. A real page-turner.
five stars
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