A fascinating premise for a detective story, but it fell a bit flat for me. The romance was jarring at first. Because of the way the characters were introduced (young and fresh-faced vs jaded and bachelor), I thought there was a huge age difference between them. Enjoyed the tidbits about history and religion.

The Sin Collector by Daria Desombre.
Masha Karavai Detective Series.
Ever since the unsolved murder of her father, law student Masha Karavay has nursed an obsession with homicide cases. 
A good read with good. Likeable story. 3*.

This is distinguished by its setting, And, to be fair, by it's well crafted protagonist. Masha's a good character, the mystery twisty, and you'll learn a bit about Russia. A good read.

The Sin Collector starts off really well. Masha has always loved crime and serial killers, and is now working in that field. She's giving some "busy work" of going through back files but she starts to discover some patterns. Very engrossing...until it's not. This falls flat in the middle and doesn't pick up for a while. It was good, but could have been better.

Tense chilling read a serial killer on the loose.A book that kept me reading late into the night.Tense multi layered valley be recommending.#netgalley#amazoncrossing.

I was able to get through a quarter of this book before I gave up. I couldn't attach myself to any characters and the story is really slow. Just doesn't seem like a book I would enjoy all the way through.

There is a smart mass murderer doing his seedy "work" in the streets of Moscow. It takes one smart girl to discover his pattern and one rough detective to cross his ways.

Masha might be a daughter of the prominent family, yet she is no self-centered princess. Driven by the murder of her father when she was 12-year-old, she has been studying the mass murderers her all life to be able to capture his killer. That's why she goes for the internship with Moscow’s Central Directorate Headquarters - to find herself horns-locked with the senior detective Andrey Yakovlev there. To get rid of the princess, Andrey allows Masha to independently reviews some bizarre cases - but she finds a pattern, which - while bizarre itself - might truly be an answer to several cruel and unusual murders. Might the killer follow an Middle Ages religious pattern?

How fun! This novel is fresh, fast-paced and interesting. And finally - an unique voice amongs all the American, British and Scandi trends (which I love, but a change is a change :)). Coming from post-communist country myself, so I had been exposed to Russian art quite a lot (not only Soviet-era art, as Russia is an old country with mesmerizing art and fascinating history), si when reading this novel I have felt like you might felt when the novel is placed in the location you know well. The details just speak to you and give you better understanding.
I love all the cultural aspects presented here, among them the Eastern Orthodox denomination's beliefs and practices.
I also love that while the topic is cruel, the book itself is quite kind. The character of Andrey Yakovlev manifests this the best - he has many surfaces under his tough face, he is complex (and full of complexes), sensitive, kind - the hidden gem of a good, normal guy under the poor clothing and ruff behaviour. Masha might be less nuanced, yet she is a fine heroine and I will gladly follow her/their adventures.
And someone plase tell me that I. is not dead, that it was just his papers found!

Sorry.I just couldn't get into this story. Writing is great and I am sure mystery lover and police /detective lovers will enjoy this book. Just not my sort of story at all. DNF.

Sorry for the inconvenience but I have lost interest in this book, I just can’t get past 50% of the story. I have tried several times to finish reading but I have hit a wall with this one.
Thank you for considering me.

After the fantasy reads and audiobooks, I wanted something a little different so I read this e-arc which is categorised on Amazon as a mystery thriller and police procedural novel. In this book we follow Masha, a university law student who wants to join the police force after the murder of her father. She joins Moscow’s Central Directorate Headquarters with detective Andrey Yakovlev as she starts to uncover a mysterious string of seemingly related murders involving the symbolic world of ancient Moscow.

The chapters are fairly short, focusing on one character's thoughts and actions which make it a relatively quick and easy read. I liked the flow of the novel as well as the mystery, the setting of Moscow and the general feel of the novel as to me it definitely felt like a Dan Brown film! However, I did not like the instalove, it felt very info-dumpy at times and it was a little to slow at times as well. I would recommend it especially if you like the Dan Brown films and the author herself is very impressive but sadly it wasn't quite as fantastic as I'd hoped although I will definitely check out the second book in the series which is hopefully coming out soon.

If you’re looking for a creepy, addictive thriller which will leave you wanting more, then “The Sin Collector” is for you. I was hooked from the beginning, and was left wanting more.

We better see these characters again! ... Please!

The book center around Andrey, a grumpy police officer, and his new intern, Masha, who has been obsessed with serial killers since her father was murdered when she was 12. Then she uncovers a disturbing pattern while on intern desk duty and the killings seem to escalate as the reluctant pair try and track down a killer who seems stuck in the Middle Ages.

I liked both Andrey and Masha and was happy to see where they went as a pair. Their relationship was kind of basic, but I liked it; it was a breath of fresh air in an otherwise dark novel. But my favorite character was Marilyn Monroe - by far!

I didn’t guess who it was before the reveal, there’s just so many moving parts and amazing different characters (Dr. Gluzman! That art collector who pees in front of fine art!)

I just wish the ending had been more enhanced. It just sort of ended. But hopefully that means we’ll be seeing more of Andrey and Masha in the future? I would love to continue with these characters!

Highly recommended.

Forever ago, I read The Sin Collector by Daria Desombre, which is the first in a new detective series starring Masha Karavai. A work of Russian noir, I was curious to see what this genre would bring, especially since this is unchartered territory for me.

The novel opened with the introduction of Masha, a brilliant law student, as she investigates a series of recent killings and navigates her way through law enforcement.  I found Masha to be a likeable and relatable lead. I found her narrative to be extremely believable and there were more than a few moments where I found myself chuckling under my breath as she dealt with difficult and seasoned detectives.

The plot itself was pretty stellar. I love when a novel is able to make past and present collide and Desombre does a brilliant job of doing just this. Medieval rituals, modern Moscow and biblical references had me captivated and I loved the premise of the "sins”. I thought this was very different which is always incredibly important to me in a new crime series!

There were a couple of things I found to be slightly problematic, for example, I struggled a little connecting with all the sub characters and their subplots. At some points, there is  A LOT going on and I did find myself moving backwards in the chapter to try and figure out where I was going and what I had been reading. I do realize though that this novel was translated from its original language, so, perhaps this is due to the translation.

Regardless of this issue, I felt like this was an enjoyable read that crime fans will enjoy! If you enjoy a police procedural with a Nordic noir vibe, then this novel will be a welcome addition to your TBR pile!

I’m not much of a reader of murder mysteries but I’m always interested in Russian writing , and found this crime novel set in Moscow both well-written and intriguing with an original and unusual plot-line. Masha Karavai is a law student who manages in time-honoured Russian way (an influential sponsor) to get an internship in Moscow’s Central Directorate. Her supervisor Andrey is initially hostile but when he gives Masha a file of seemingly random murders to investigate and she comes up with a bizarre, but ultimately plausible, connection between them, he has to admit she’s on to something – even if that “something” is a rather incredible (although in the context of the novel credible) theory involving medieval manuscripts and fanaticism. It’s good fun, well-plotted and well-paced. The back-stories of the characters add much to the overall narrative, being authentic and giving a real flavour of Russian life. It’s an atmospheric tale and a must for anyone interested in contemporary Russian society. Recommended even for readers who don’t normally enjoy crime.

Good premise but there's no hook in the story, and it moves too slowly to keep the reader going. I went in wanting to like this book - the description promises a thriller, one I wouldn't want to put down. Unfortunately, it completely failed to deliver.

Fascinating serial killer mystery, on a topic which ended up entrancing me.

A homeless person opens a department store bag left in a busy square. What she sees looks straight into her soul and makes her scream in fright. In the days to follow bodies start to appear around the city and police suspect the deaths may be linked to a group with medieval beliefs called the Old Believers.
Maya is a young legal intern so fascinated by serial killers she is writing her thesis on them. She has been drawn to them ever since the mysterious death of her father when she was only a teenager. Her tutor ominously warns her to leave the idea alone.
Andrey, one of the top detectives in Moscow, has a reputation for not taking bribes and has recently befriended a stray dog he names Marilyn Monroe. Much to his dismay Masha is assigned to work with him for experience.
Masha's two best friends are Innokenty and Katya. Innokenty aka Kenty is a prominent antiquarian who has been her friend for years. Katya has been a friend ever since they met at school.
As the bodies mount up Kenty helps Masha to work out the link between the murders and the hardest part is working out who and why. The pressure mounts after several of her friends are found murdered and she feels to blame in some way. The killer is a lot closer than anyone knows and already planning the next victim.
I thought Katya was a little strange eg entering someone's house when she knew there wasn’t anyone home and wandering around like it was her own. Her actions made me suspect she was involved in the murders. It really was a surprise when her character did not continue in the way I expected her to.
It was hard to believe that Masha would be allowed to take crime scene photos home with her let alone look at them in a public place......actually at all considering she didnt seem to be a staff member? Perhaps things are different in Russia particularly considering the mention of bribes to flesh out an officer’s salary.
Initially I thought Andrey was a lot older than he actually was perhaps due to his weary attitude towards life making him reminiscent of someone nearing retirement.
Just a little comment re Marilyn. I thought it very odd there was no mention of Marilyn leaving the apartment until almost the end when Andrey let him out into backyard.
There were a few times I thought the plot was a little hard to follow and I am not sure why. Overall I enjoyed the read and recommend it to those who enjoy murder/thrillers.

Great action. Loved the characters. Would read again!

A Novel and Interesting Read, But With a Short Dry Spell

The novel opens with the discovery of a body in a white plastic bag in Red Square. The storyline then switches to Masha Karavay the heroine. She lives with her mother and stepfather. Her father was murdered years before. She is a student at the law school at Moscow State and is up for her internship. While not for grade she has been writing a thesis on serial murders ruled as accidents. Through her dead father’s close friend, a local prosecutor, she has an internship in the local Police station hopefully consistent with her interests. She is assigned to Captain Andrey Yakovlev, a top detective. He, of course, wants nothing to do with her especially after discovering who arranged for her internship. Yakovlev gives her a desk, tells her that this is where she is to work, implying that work was the last thing he expected her to do. When Karavay asks for an assignment, Yakovlev tells her to collect information on all the homicides passed off as accidents over the past two years. So she starts researching and starts to uncover something more sinister. Now, she needs to convince not only the skeptical Captain Yakovlev but his Colonel that there is a serial killer active and responsible for recent seemingly unrelated murders. The only connection is that every murder has a number associated with it. She enlists the help of her friend since childhood, Innokenty Arzhenikov, an antiques dealer. Much evidence collection is required to convince the police that she is on the right track. Along the way, the investigation becomes very personal and very deadly.

The main storyline captured my imagination early. The B-storyline was rich with much background about Masha Karavay, her mother, her father, her stepfather, and friends and about Andrey Yakovlev whose life outside the police job is very limited. These storylines flow so well in and out of the main storyline and adds much richness to the read. Then, the main storyline shifts to many interviews of previous victims’ friends and families. For this part of the novel, the flow slowed down for me became it was more difficult to see how each murder fit into the overall pattern. The emerging underlying theory was adequately explained, but trying to fit all of these pieces into it was difficult within my mind’s eye. The reading was not that enjoyable during this section. Luckily, when the murders became personal, my imagination was recaptured and the reading became more enjoyable.

There is some sex but not explicit. There are a few f-bombs and other less vulgar language. There are grisly deaths, but they are described in the past tense which does not bother me as much as describing it as it happens. Unless you have zero tolerance for one or more of these aspects, reading this novel should not be a problem.

This novel was written in Russian and is a translation. This translation was quite good. I did not notice anything awkward in the wording that would indicate it was translated novel.

Overall, the problem of not keeping my imagination captive throughout the entire novel, I could not give this novel the highest rating that for most other aspects the novel deserved. I give this novel, four stars. Once you get by the dry spell, I believe you will find this novel an enjoyable read.

I have received a free advanced reading copy (ARC) of this novel through NetGalley from Amazon Crossing with a request for an honest, unbiased review. I wish to thank Amazon Crossing for the opportunity to read this novel early.

This is the kind of suspense you get when Cold Case meets a persistent Profiler. It's not the perfect thriller but it gets you running around looking for clues so much so that you only catch your breath in the last page, and that in itself is something thrilling if not down right refreshing!
The cold case in question begins with the murder of Masha's father, Fyodor. Masha picks up where he left always looking for clues, asking questions, connecting dots in search of serial killers and she seeks an internship with the police force. She is assigned to Andrey, a detective, who seems to be bothered by Masha's presence and though her looks haunt him, he cannot dispute the fact that she's got quite a keen eye. The two, together with Masha's childhood friend, Innokenty, start to connect the dots and find the pattern that links most of the brutal murders in Moscow.
What stood out for me was the alternating views. The author chose to narrate the story from different points of views of the characters and in so doing this made it diverse. I loved the pace, it started out slow, picked up in the middle and proceeded to an all time high as the story progressed.
I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and, in six days time, this book would be released to the world and I can't wait to hear what people would say about it. In a way, it brought back memories of reading The Shakespeare Curse and The Poet

I found the storyline to be engaging and entertaining but I found myself wanting to like it more than I did. The characters are great and the take on the serial killer is wonderful, but I found myself just a bit lost regarding the setting. A map would have been a nice addition to be able to refer to, but I didn't take any points off for not having one. The story itself has some 'meh' moments for me, but overall, I'd have to say it's one of my favorite books this year.