Child 44

By: Tom Rob Smith

Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris

In a country ruled by fear, no one is innocent.

Stalin's Soviet Union is an official paradise, where citizens live free from crime and fear only one thing: the all-powerful state. Defending this system is idealistic security officer Leo Demidov, a war hero who believes in the iron fist of the law. But when a murderer starts to kill at will and Leo dares to investigate, the State's obedient servant finds himself demoted and exiled. Now, with only his wife at his side, Leo must fight to uncover shocking truths about a killer-and a country where "crime" doesn't exist.

Critic reviews

"Child 44 not only is one of the best mysteries of this year, but it is one of the most remarkable and original debuts in recent years. Set in post WWII Stalinist Russia, Child 44 works equally well as a hard-boiled novel, a political thriller, a regional mystery and an emotional, even romantic story about a couple rediscovering each other. It is at once gritty, chilling, depressing, hopeful and, above all, fascinating...Dennis Boutsikaris is the perfect reader for this story. Boutsikaris, who frequently shows up on Law & Order, captures the story's angst, nuances and accents."—Sun Sentinel

Drained my iPod battery

Having broken the 100 mark in my Audible Library, I have to rank this listen in my Top Five. This is a thoroughly engrossing and well written book. Sometimes I complain that authors fail to include any characters that might be deemed likable. Smith did something that is pretty much 180 degrees from that. He gave all of his characters at least a sprinkling of likability. I was late in unraveling this mystery, although Smith provided early clues. If the book had one weakness it was probably the central pretense that cemented the story line. Still I think the listener will let out an Edith Bunker-like expression of understanding when he or she realizes what has been transpiring. I surely did. Download this book. You will not be disappointed.

Slow start, interesting story but weak ending

The story has a slow start and is quite obviously a set up of a character rather than focused on the detective story, which is actually a very interesting account of how a serial killer was almost lost because of the paranoid culture of Stalinist Russia. In fact, this is the first of a trilogy, and I wished I had known that before starting, but it seems obvious now that I see how (IMO) the characters are more important than the plot. It also explains the weak ending, which just kind of fizzles out. Where the book does shine, though, is in the explanation and illustration of the carefully planned and cultivated paranoia of the era.

Loved it!

I loved this book. Very riveting with engaging characters. And I will not give any spoilers, but I TOTALLY DID NOT EXPECT the ending. I am half-Russian though so I will be partial to the setting of the former USSR. I cannot imagine people having to live like that.

Big Brother is watching you.

This book was as scary as it gets. I would consider this a more intense version of "1984"

Great story...

Life in the USSR under Stalin is the backdrop for this mystery. I really enjoyed the history lesson, story, characters, and narrator. I highly recommend this book and will leave all the accolades to the literary critics. All the positives are right on!!!