Child 44 is a mystery novel where the setting is as interesting as the murder case that the characters are trying to solve. It's the debut novel from British author Tom Rob Smith and was adapted into a movie by Ridley Scott. This is the first part of a trilogy.
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This story is about a serial killer of children, but it takes place in Soviet Russia during the 1950's. It has a very Orwellian atmosphere in that everyone is so conscious of what they say and do that even the very notion of a Russian citizen killing kids could be considered treason. That's just what happens to lead investigator Leo Demidov as he tries to put a stop to the killing while also fending off accusations from fellow agents who just want to pin the crime on somebody and wrap it up.
I found the setting for this story extremely unsettling because there is some truth to it in the way that those commies treated their citizens. Did you know that during World War II they would pair up two soldiers but only one would get a rifle and the other carried ammo? The idea was that when the guy with the gun got killed, the one with the ammo would get the rifle and keep going. It's what happens when you have more citizens that what the state can provide for. This book takes some liberties with what it was like being an agent of the government during that time, but it was still believable.
Some readers may not be able to stomach the level of injustice that goes on in this story. During the investigation, many innocent people are captured and tortured for information. This was a common way of dealing with things, and the families of those people were often mistreated, too. Only one of the child killings is detailed in the story, as the rest of the bodies are found after the fact. The murder mystery part of the story has some decent twists that keep it going, but I found the backdrop of te system a unique place to set the story. You know things are bad where you can't even try to do the right thing without getting in trouble.
If you are a fan of George Orwell's 1984, then you need to check out this book. There are so many similarities that you'll be shaking your head in disgust at how people are treated. That should scare the hell out of any reasonable person who appreciates their personal freedom.
When I started Child 44, I did not realize it was part of a trilogy. Now that I have finished it and found the characters and setting so fascinating, I can't wait to check out what they do next.
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