Victory Square (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: canal district, Jerzy Michalec, Tomiak Pankov, Brano Sev (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At the start of Edgar-finalist Steinhauer's fine fifth and final entry in his series set in an unnamed Eastern European Communist country (after 2006's Liberation Movements), homicide inspector Emil Brod, now chief of police and three days from retirement, reluctantly investigates the death of Lt. Gen. Yuri Kolev. Though Kolev apparently died of a heart attack, the coroner finds deadly levels of cocaine and heroin in his blood, and a flier in Kolev's car suggests he may have been murdered by members of an underground prodemocracy group. Soon Brod uncovers a wide-ranging plot involving old friends and enemies, all of whom are frantic to take advantage of the situation when their fellow citizens, inspired by the recent fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of governments in neighboring countries, rise up to overthrow their Communist leaders. Employing an intricate story, characters both sympathetic and despicable as well as a remarkable sense of place, Steinhauer subtly illuminates an unforgettable historical moment. (Aug.)
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From Booklist

*Starred Review* In the fifth and final installment of Steinhauer's masterful Eastern European series, the story is once again told by Emil Brod. In The Bridge of Sighs (2003), it was 1948 and he was an inexperienced 22-year-old inspector in the People's Militia; now, in 1989, he's a tired 64 and its chief. Like Brod, his unnamed country has grown old. And over the course of six days, as Brod's final case leads him back to his first, the government will fall—and the fight for the future may be over before it's begun. If previous books upped the narrative ante, depicting the trials of crime solving in an iron curtain country, this one goes all in: Brod must find out why his own name is on a hit list while dodging riots, road closures, and sniper fire. This is remarkable storytelling, exploring the life cycle of a state through the eyes of political idealists, government informants, and good cops like Brod who just want to solve crimes. Steinhauer also offers a convincing portrait of the psychological shock that accompanies the downfall of even a hated dictator. Totalitarianism may have been intolerable, but as we see today in the countries of the former Soviet bloc, uncertain times can make citizens nostalgic for known evils. Graff, Keir

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books (August 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312369719
• ISBN-13: 978-0312369712
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #800,089 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Concluding Chapter to the Saga, January 28, 2009

By	J. L. Utter (Monterey, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Victory Square (Paperback)

I hesitated before purchasing this, due to several disappointing reviews. I couldn't diagree with them more. This books wraps it all up in a very moving, evocative way. I was able to place myself in Steinhauer's Iron Curtain country as the wheels came off in the late '80s. The author conveys the sense of disorientation that must have been common to entire generations of people who had lived through those decades.

My only quibble is that the point of view seems to shift from time to time without warning; sometimes in the middle of a paragraph. It's a little strange to switch from 1st person to 3rd and back again so abruptly. I don't know if this was always intentional, or just a lack of thorough editing.

In any case, I found this to be a thoroughly compelling conclusion to a masterful, unique series. Bravo!!!

5.0 out of 5 stars Behind the Iron Curtain, August 24, 2009

By	Claire Mooers "mystery mad" (Pembroke Pines, Fl. USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Victory Square (Paperback)

Amazon introduced me to Olen Steinhauer - the idea of police procedurals set in Eastern Europe was intriguing. Beginning with "The Bridge of Sighs" thru all 5 books and ending with "Victory Square", you follow the same characters as their careers progress and their experience widens. Excellent way to be reminded of the history we have lived thru in a part of the world most of have little familiarity with. As with Russian novels, I made NO attempt to try to pronounce any of the names !!

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best from Steinhauer!, December 21, 2007

By	BookLover - See all my reviews

The best and final of the series. Steinhauer is one of the best and this book proves it.