Book Review: The Bridge of Sighs

Reviewed By: Donna M - RAM

The Bridge of Sighs     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Olen Steinhauer
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Police Procedural   Historical

It's Emil Brod's first day as homicide inspector with the People's Militia in a small Eastern European country under Soviet law after its liberation from the Nazis. For some reason his new colleagues appear to have taken an intense dislike to him, and his boss doesn't seem too keen to give him any cases. That changes when a State songwriter, Janos Crowder, is murdered. Brod is given the case but no-one apart from him seems to care if he solves it. In fact, it appears that some people would rather he didn't.

This is a wonderfully atmospheric book - giving a human face to the death and destruction of the aftermath of World War II - the daily struggles for life and liberty, the confusion of people having to deal with new oppressors, and the conflicts between the old ways and the new ways, which are even apparent within families. Excellent first novel.

Donna M - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Donna M - RAM