Blood and Rubles [Mass Market Paperback]

Stuart M. Kaminsky (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 27, 1996

"TERRIFIC . . . EXCEPTIONAL."

--Detroit Free Press



Crime in post-communist Russia has only gotten worse: rubles are scarce, blood, plentiful. In the eyes of Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov and his metropolitan police team, newfound democracy has unleashed the desperation that pushes people over the edge, and a trio of nasty cases confirms their worst fears.



Deputy Inspector Sasha Tkach must find the murderous thieves who have terrorized an impoverished neighborhood. Policewoman Elena Timofeyeva joins the tax police in a raid on a house filled with priceless Czarist treasures--which disappear the following day without a trace. And relentless Inspector Emil Karpo will not rest until he finds the Mafia beasts who killed the only woman he has ever loved in a bloody drive-by shooting--and Karpo intends to punish them his way. . . .



"Deeply absorbing, full of character nuance and irony . . . Kaminsky's laconic tone and colorful prose bring [Moscow] and its denizens to life."

--The Sunday Herald



"Kaminsky excels each time he enters the harshness of post-Cold War Russia."

--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Kaminsky excels each time he enters the harshness of post-Cold War Russia, a politically and socially volatile world where his Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov is a rarity among policeman: shrewd, utterly incorruptible and destined to survive each complex political shift. As in previous Rostnikov works, including the Edgar-winning A Cold Red Sunrise, the inspector's team has several cases to crack?and, as always, Russian society itself is as much an adversary as the assembled criminals. A gang of tattooed Mafia killers stage a shoot-out that claims the life of a prostitute, the only human to break through the robotic exterior of Emil Karpo, Rostnikov's loyal assistant; three young boys are robbing and killing on the streets; a cache of valuable artifacts vanishes; and the ruthless cunning of a wealthy couple is put to the test in the aftermath of a kidnapping attempt. Fortified by his love for weight lifting, Ed McBain novels, Russian plumbing and American pizza, the rotund Rostnikov perseveres, strong as a bull, lame in one leg and quite clearly nobody's fool.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

In addition to his Edgar Award-winning Inspector Rostnikov novels, Kaminsky manages to juggle several excellent mystery series at once. Here, Rostnikov struggles against the rising tide of crime in post-Cold War Russia.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Fawcett (November 27, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804112886
• ISBN-13: 978-0804112888
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 3.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #986,021 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars outstanding post soviet russia, August 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Blood and Rubles (Mass Market Paperback)

Most writers of mystery in Soviet Russia are boring without the KGB "badguy" holding their hero back. Kaminsky does a terrific job with the new problems of Russia. Read his series from the beginning as the character development from book to book is worth it!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Probably the Stronger Book in the Series since "A Cold Red Sunrise", December 29, 2006

By 

Grey Wolffe "Zeb Kantrowitz" (North Waltham, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Blood and Rubles (Mass Market Paperback)

The Soviet Union under Yeltsin is beginning to disintegrate and the people are fearful of what will happen. Day by day there is less respect for the Government, Party and the Police. The ruble buys less every day and the old and war veterans are living on worthless pensions. Criminal gangs are taking over areas and neighborhoods, and nothing gets done without a little money to grease the wheels. Except for Rostnikov, Karpo, Tkatch and Zelach. As always there are three stories involved:

There is a mafia style shoot-out at a cafe, where a German is killed. He turns out to be a middle man interested in buying radioactive material from a gang, that he will turn over to 'third parties'. Unfortunately there are innocent bystanders who are killed and injured, and one turns out to be Karpo's friend Matilde. An American FBI agent,(who is a Russian speaking Black, so that he will blend in better) an expert in terrorism, is assigned to help Porfiry on this part of the case.

Tkatch and Zelach are assigned to find a gang of three young brothers (ages 11, 9 and 7) who have been mugging/killing drunks for their money. They know that they are kids, because every teenager now has a gun. During the case Tkatch is violently attacked by the kids and Zelach saves his life. The trial and court case tell alot about modern Russia.

Lastly, Elena is assigned to a high profile tax case, where first a warehouse full of icons and Russian antiques are found in the possession of an old woman who says that her brother saved/bought the stuff over the years. The house is put under police protection, but the next morning when the trucks come to take away the items, the warehouse is empty. Elena must find out what happened.

As an aside: Porfiry seems to be having a lot more trouble with his bad leg; Karpo is having trouble dealing with the dual loss of his friend and the fall of the Communist Party; Iosef (Porfiry's son) announce to Elena that he is in love with her and wants to marry, while at the same time he has put in his papers to join the Police.

The next book should be very interesting on the personal side.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hardship and angst in Mother Russia..., June 20, 2005

By 

Cynthia K. Robertson (beverly, new jersey USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blood and Rubles (Mass Market Paperback)

Stuart Kaminsky's Blood and Rubles is the 10th book in his Porfiry Rostnikov series, and I enjoy each book even better than the last.

After the communist government has fallen, Russia finds herself in a state of unrest. As a result, crime is rampant and Moscow Special Crimes Investigator Rostnikov and his associates have more than enough to keep them busy. Rostnikov is probing the kidnapping of a wealthy businessman. Emil Karpo is searching for the Mafioso whose crossfire killed his innocent girlfriend. Elena Timofeyeva is investigating the theft of tsarist treasures. And Sasha Tkach and Akardy Zelach are trying to nab three youngsters who are suspected of beating, robbing and then killing men who are walking the streets drunk. Most of the crimes are a direct result of the economic hardships within Russian. Nobody has enough money, people can't feed their children and living conditions are grim. Even the police are not immune to this domestic downturn.

Once again, Rostnikov is amazing in his grasp of the situation and his intuition. But even when cases are solved, the Russian justice system is not a well-oiled machine, and Justine is not always done.

One of the most entertaining aspects of Blood and Rubles is the black FBI agent, Craig Hamilton, who is assigned to shadow Rostnikov. The FBI and the Russian police have very different ideas on crime solving. Russians are also amazed to see a black American who speaks perfect Russian. Rostnikov and Hamilton working together provide for some comical moments.

Kaminsky may be an American author, but he writes convincingly of the Russian condition, including the angst and irony that are a part of everyday life. He definitely has become one of my favorite mystery writers. I only wish that I could read these books in order, as their personal lives progress with each book. Unfortunately, some are out of print and hard to get.