The Darkening Field: A Novel (Captain Alexei Korolev Novels, 2)

A dedicated policeman caught in terrifying circumstances, Captain Alexei Korolev of the Moscow Militia, Criminal Investigations Department, may be unwavering in his outward party loyalty, but he is forever conflicted about what he must do to maintain that good standing.

It's 1937, and Korolev finds himself on an airplane bound for Odessa after the suspicious suicide of Maria Alexandrovna Lenskaya, a young party member who had an intimate relationship with the party director. Korolev has clear instructions: Find her killer, but under no circumstances may he reveal her ties to the director. The girl was working on the set of a movie, and the daunting pool of suspects includes the entire cast and crew as well as many locals. Korolev finds help from many surprising quarters, but none of them can make up for the one fact he cannot discuss.

The Darkening Field is another shocking and devastatingly true-to-history thriller from William Ryan.