A Killing Winter

by Tom Callaghan Narrated by Saul Reichlin

Overview

In this stylish neo-noir set in the mountainous Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan, hard-bitten inspector Akyl Borubaev mourns the recent death of his beloved wife--the only humanizing force in his otherwise bleak life as a homicide dective in Bishkek.

As he struggles to face his personal pain, Borubaev is assigned to investigate the murder of a young woman whose horribly mutilated body is found dumped in a public park. When Borubaev discovers the woman is the only daughter of Mikhail Tynaliev, the powerful and ruthless Minister of State Security, he realizes the case will probably destroy him, regardless of where the evidence leads.

Borubaev begins making enemies everywhere he turns, even as he is aided by a motley assortment of dangerous cutthroats: his wife's uncle Kursan, whose cross-border smuggling is the stuff of local legend; the explosive police chief, who wants the case solved as soon as possible; Saltanat, a beautiful and deadly agent of the Uzbek Security Service; an entire police force of bent cops; and members of the Kyrgyz mafia.

All of which would just be another day in the life of Akyl Borubaev--if the investigation didn't turn up a blood-chilling connection to multiple homicides across Kyrgyzstan--including one on a Russian military base.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Better than Child 44. Akyl Borubaev is a terrific creation."—Anthony Horowitz, New York Times bestselling author of Magpie Murders

"Inspector Akyl Borubaev has world-weariness, sorrow, cynical charm, toughness and brains to spare . . . by the end of A Killing Winter you'll be breathless and begging for more."—Peter Spiegelman, author of Thick As Thieves

"Well paced, beautifully written and a stonking good story to boot, you can't go wrong really."—Liz Loves Books

"Tom's writing is nothing short of incredible; the fact that this is a debut novel is just astounding."—Book Addict Shaun

"A Killing Winter is a brilliant debut, and an early contender for one of my top reads of the year"—Raven Crime Reads

"It's brutal but not cynical; you feel it. It's a hugely impressive debut; atmospheric and stirring"—Time Crime

"Callaghan is a hell of a writer, with a tremendous sense of pace and an arch ear for juicy dialogue and the pages flies by"—Crime Thriller Fella

"Callaghan has done an excellent job of introducing us to life in a former Soviet State and has created a character which has great potential for becoming a favorite for fans of the mystery and thriller genres. His characters are richly developed and the plot moves quickly, without getting bogged down with frivolous details. I look seeing more of Inspector Borubaev in future books and happily give this debut novel 4/5 stars."—Bestsellersworld.com

Kirkus Reviews

2015-07-15
The former Soviet state of Kyrgyzstan is the unusual backdrop for a gruesome crime spree in the first of a projected series featuring hard-edged but compassionate Inspector Akyl Borubaev. While mourning the death of his wife, Borubaev is under intense pressure to solve a horrendous triple murder. The daughter of the ruthless Minister of State Security has been found dead, cut open and stuffed with another woman's fetus. When subsequent, equally unthinkable murders occur, one of them on a Russian military base, a state of chaos descends on Bishkek, a Mafia-infected capital where corruption reigns supreme and seemingly every family, including Borubaev's, has a history of criminality. Considering how bleak conditions are in the country, where a large percentage of people live well below the poverty level, it's not surprising that so many of them turn to violence—and a ruthless form of heroin called krokodil that makes your skin turn green. Borubaev is not without his Dirty Harry streak, but inspired by his wife's motivational words, he maintains a certain moral code. The warmth of his devotion to her helps offset the cold, despairing tone of the book, which makes Gorky Park look like a vacation destination by comparison. Though squarely in the noir tradition, with a plot that—for all its shock value—isn't terribly original, the book establishes Callaghan as a major new voice in crime fiction with his cut-to-the-bone storytelling and descriptive brilliance. Many secrets remain to be revealed in Kyrgyzstan. Callaghan's debut is a tough, no-frills thriller with a Central Asian setting rife with dark secrets.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170408467
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	04/05/2016
Series:	Inspector Akyl Borubaev Thrillers , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged

Videos