3.5 Stars

This is an International Crime Thriller set in St. Petersburg in Russia, featuring Captain Natalya Ivanova.

The Captain is an intriguing character, she is very dedicated, willing to do whatever it takes to bring justice to the victims of crime. Her normal work area is in domestic violence, but because a prominent family has reported the disappearance of their daughter, Natalya is called in to investigate.

The powers that be want a quick result and the family wants their daughter back, but there are twists and turns that seem hellbent on keeping secrets hidden and lies covered up.

There is strong character development and the story premise is a good one. I felt the start was very slow but it did get faster paced as the story went on. The suspense is highly palpable in places and it all leads to a surprising, dramatic conclusion.

Many thanks to the author / Mirror Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this debut novel. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Natalya Ivanova Thriller #1.

Set in contemporary St Petersburg. When the daughter of Swedish billionaire goes missing after a night out with a friend, Captain Natayla Ivanova is assigned the case. But nothing is straightforward as it seems.

Captain Natalya Ivanova has been taken off the domestic abuse case she was investigating to investigate the disappearance of a missing teenager. As it's not yet been 48 hours since the teenager has been missing, Natalya does not think that she's been kidnapped, she thinks she's just a student who has went away with her friends. But then a body turns up and things get serious as the hunt for the killer begins. This is a well written debut novel. It's fast pace, gripping and a very tense storyline kept me on the edge of my seat. I could not put this book down. A very promising start to a new series.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Mirror Books and the author G. D. Abson for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an absolute corker of a crime fiction thriller debut from the gifted Abson set in Putin's contemporary Russia, a fearsome kleptocratic, scary and lawless nation. It is the first in the Captain Natalya Ivanova series located in beautiful and historic St Petersburg. Ivanova works in the thankless area of domestic abuse at the Criminal Investigations Directorate. She is married to cop, Mikhail, a Major, and loves her stepson, Anton, irrespective of how troublesome he can be. She finds herself investigating the disappearance of student Zena Dahl, the adopted Swedish daughter of Thorsen Dahl, a billionaire. Aware of the political repercussions of not doing anything, Ivanova's boss, Colonel Vasiliev makes her the lead investigator of a complex case where nothing is as seems.

Ivanova is faced with numerous obstacles in the case, including menacing interference from the FSB, the contemporary version of the old KGB. On top of that, Dostoynov, the new man at the Directorate, ex-FSB, and he is up against Mikhail in the fight for promotion. If Mikhail wins, Natalya will have to leave the unit due to their personal relationship. In the meantime, Natalya begins to have serious personal concerns about Mikhail, how far can she trust him? There is the presence of the mafia and gangsters, and Yulia, Zena's best and only friend goes missing. When the case appears to be solved, Ivanova is not so certain. Despite being warned off to stay away from the case, Ivanova is not a woman to give up, besides she wants justice for Zena. There are familial secrets and deception galore in every corner of the case. Natalya has no idea how heavy the price she pays will be, as ruthless and powerful forces threaten both her and her family.

Abson's research on Russia is impressive and shines throughout this outstanding novel. The highlights of the story are Abson's skills in characterisation and the relationships portrayed between Natalya, her colleagues and her family; Ivanova is a wonderful charismatic central lead, full of warmth, wit, having to negotiate the nightmare of the FSB and their outrageous demands. Ivanova's relationships, with her colleagues such as Sergeant Rogov and her family are a joy to behold. Abson gives us an insightful glimpse of the different policing and security services institutions and the deadly political machinations that take place under Putin. Russia is a place where every palm has to be greased, where a meritocracy is a elusive concept, and those in charge abuse their powers with impunity. This is a fantastic atmospheric read which I strongly urge others to read. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Mirror Books for an ARC.

I loved this book. Great story, great characters and interesting back drop and setting. I've no idea of the portrayal of the Russian police system is accurate but it's works for this reader. I'd love to see more of Natalya Ivanova.

I was so glad to see this was going to be part of a series. At first it was a bit difficult to understand all the names and nicknames of all the characters and I definitely did not know how to pronounce them. 

After a bit I just gave in and started using their nicknames which I do with my Russian friends anyway. I may have been at a loss with the names, but the core story is relatable in any language and I was eager to hear about life in Russia and what the police are like there. 

This is a fast paced police thriller that just felt real. The author's writing style flowed easily from page to page while I bit my lip and held on for the ride. I can't wait to see what come next for the detective and her family. I enjoyed meeting them all! Even the bad ones!

Miller Press   December 2017   NetGalley Reviews

Motherland by G D Abson is the first novel in the Natalya Ivanova thriller series.
Set in St Petersburg, Captain Natalya Ivanova has been asked to investigate the adoptive missing daughter of a wealthy Swedish business man. As it has been under 48 hours Natalya doesn’t yet think that it’s a case of her being kidnapped of murdered, but as she is a student she has just gone away with some friends, until a body turns up. Things start to get serious for Natalya and case intensifies and with start of the hunt for her killer.
The story also tells of her relationship with her boss who is her husband Mikael and the corruption that goes on in the police force and the KGB. I thought that this was well written and accurate presentation of life in Russia. I liked the character of Natalya. She seemed to be the only honest person in all of the police force.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

Ienjoyed reading this book and became totally involved in the story. Would recommend this as a different approach to police behaviour.

A wonderful mystery/thriller and first in a series set in St. Petersburg, Russia (present day). Since I have never been to Russia, I assume that the detailed description of the place and the people are accurate. I will admit that it all seemed very believable with the characters and the mystery.

I will definitely continue with this series.

My thanks to netgalley and Mirror Books for this advanced readers copy.

Quite superb police thriller set in St.Petersburg with beautifully atmospheric plotting. A missing girl believed kidnapped then dead is at the centre of the mystery involving the mafia,FSB,Swedish big business plus seemingly corrupt police officers all come together with a splendid heroine in a convoluted plot that never relents. Excellent stuff and I hope there will be more!

Although a typical storyline from Russia - corruption and murder, it was a good book and kept me interested.

Modern day St. Petersburg, Russia. A Swedish student, Zena, is reported missing after a night of drinking. The case goes to police Captain Natalya Ivanova, an honest cop caught in the middle of a society ripe with bribes. Normally, she gets domestic cases so this one has the potential to be big. Both for her and for her police colonel husband who is in line to be head of the force.

The investigation goes slowly until they learn her Swedish father’s identity. He is a rich industrialist. And as might be expected, he has a few secrets he is not terribly excited to divulge about himself, Zena, their history, and a connection with Russian organized crime.

When the FSB enters the game, political pressures enter the arena that attempt to protect the city’s economic impact if the whole story becomes public. Despite external pressures, all Captain Ivanova wants is to do right by Zena, politics be damned.

This is the first in a series following Captain Ivnaova and it is a series to be reckoned with. Anyone who loves those dark mysteries set in Scandinavia will be quite taken by Abson’s heroine. The pacing is excellent and the mood is elegantly nuanced. Only bad thing is the wait for the next episode.

One of my favorite procedurals with a female lead set overseas was the Saudi trilogy by Zoe Ferraris. If the next two are as unique and satisfying as this, Abson place beside Ferraris will be well earned.

Thank you NetGalley for this book.

The main reason I wanted to read this book was because the setting is St. Petersburg. I’ve visited this beautiful city last July (although not exactly during the White Nights). I always wanted to visit the Hermitage (since I was 14…) and I wasn’t disappointed.
It is so much more fun to read a book where the setting is a little familiair. I know how it feels to sit on the small beach next to the Peter and Paul Fortress. I’ve walked the mighty bridges and had lunch at Teremok, went to the opera in the Mariinsky Theatre. I took the bus, not the metro, but this was mainly because during my visit to Moskou in 2015 I’ve seen so much of the metro already. But I preferred walking, sometimes more than 10 kilometers a day, to see the city, shop on Nevsky Prospekt and meet the (often very friendly) people.
But unlike Natalya, I didn’t have to worry about bribing officials. I didn’t have to worry about my job, or the FSB, of deal with nasty politicians. I was a tourist. Natalya, having lived in Germany for a few years, clearly sees the difference between that country and hers. But she is fiercely loyal to her job and above all, to her husband with whom she works in the same station. She knows how to give in when necessary and do something completely different than people expect her to do.
The story is well-plotted and even better written. This a debut? I couldn’t believe my eyes. I’m very jealous at this author 😉. I’ve read the book in just over a day because I couldn’t put it down. I’m also very much looking forward tot he next book in the series because Natalya and her husband are very interesting characters I hope to read more about – maybe a murder in the Hermitage? Or the theatre? What will happen to Nataly and Mikhail after unraveling this nasty case, and what will happen to all the other people we just met in this book?

the voice of woman trapped in fear, with nothing but guts of steel to save her. What a powerful story with a bold and engaging protagonist. The backdrop of Mother Russia in the opening dangers of winter add to an engaging start. Well worth a read.

This well written thriller offers a bleak view of crime and policing in modern Russia.
The story is interesting, but the pacing is uneven and the book only partially grabs the reader attention. The setting is very evocative, but I struggled to maintain interest in the characters and the story.

Motherland is a good read. It’s as much about corruption in Russian society as it is about kidnapping, murder, and the attempts to solve the crime(s).

The story is set in St. Petersberg, Piter to the locals.

The book starts in 1999 with a woman who is a prisoner in her own home. Her husband is Mafia and he has been sentenced to 7 years in prison. She and her 2 year old daughter, with help from an unidentified man, flee into the night. There is an accident.

Jumping forward 17 years we are introduced to Zena, a young woman from Ostermalm Sweden, who is in Piter to study at the university. She has been drinking and is been accosted by 2 local drug addicts. They are scared off when a man approaches and he knows her name. She is reported missing.

Then the story starts in earnest.

Captain Natalya Ivanova is the main protagonist. She is a well written but not a fully fleshed out character. This is not a problem within the book as the details we get move the story along. It also adds intrigue into future books with her as a character. She is an honest officer trying to navigate the lies of witnesses, the internal politics of her department, and the FSB (the former KGB). All of the other characters have enough bones to bring them to life but everyone seems to have something to hide. She is a sympathetic character that the reader can get behind, yet flawed enough allowing you to relate to her.

The pacing of the book is very good. It ebbs and flows as information is revealed. The dialog has a nice delivery, casual when needed, professional when required. The inclusion of Russian slang, derogatory remarks, and the disdain most people have for the police is a constant reminder that things are different in Piter. The city also comes alive. Adding an additional layer to the storytelling. Further adding complexity is the overt corruption within the country. Everyone wants to have their cut, bribe, credit, etc..

G. D. Abson has hooked me with his style, content, pacing, intrigue, and characters. I look forward to more from Natalya Ivanova.

My thanks to Mirror Books, G D Abson, and NetGalley for my copy of Motherland in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Scandinavian noir takes a detour through Russia in this first in a new series featuring an idealistic policewoman surrounded by compromised officials - and fellow policemen. The adoptive daughter of a wealthy Swedish businessman is missing., and Captain Natalya Ivanova wonders whether the young woman was kidnapped, considering the potential for a rich payout. When a body is discovered, the focus of the investigation shift, and suddenly Ivanova's 15-year career is at stake.. Gritty, dark, fast-paced, and satisfying.

I thought Motherland was excellent. It is well written, has a good story and gives a very convincing picture of present-day Russia.

The main protagonist is Natalya Ivanova, a senior investigator in the equivalent of the St. Petersburg CID. She is called to investigate the disappearance of the daughter of a Swedish businessman who is very rich and therefore gets police attention to the case. A complex story of corruption, murder and mafia involvement emerges, which I found to be a gripping tale. The writing and background are so good that even when the odd familiar trope of the detective thriller crops up, it still rings true in the context.

Although this becomes a very gripping and exciting story, the plot unfolds very slowly to begin with. I though this was actually a strength of the book because what really makes Motherland stand out is the picture of life in modern Russia, with endemic corruption, mafia bosses and state enforcers acting with near-impunity and so on, while ordinary people try to get through as best they can. This includes Natalya, whose character and everyday compromises seemed very real to me, as did all the characters in the book. It's exceptionally well painted and – to this non-expert, at least – thoroughly convincing. I marked a number of passages, like this neat summation: "That's what happened when old KGB men were put in charge of a country. News studios pretended propaganda was the truth. Elections pretended to be fair. Everyone pretended to be someone else, and nobody knew who they were any more."

I think this is a very impressive debut indeed, and I look forward to more from G.D. Abson. Warmly recommended.

(My thanks to Mirror Books for an ARC via NetGalley.)

This was by far a cop and FSB a robber type of story. It takes place in St. Petersburg, Russia and involves a Russian girl thought to be Swedish, her mothers lover who is a Swedish billionaire, and what happens when she is kidnapped.

Natalya Ivanova is put in charge of finding Zena Dahl and then the story goes on from there. We go into vodka, guns, the establishment, and everything you think about Russia and even Putkin is brought out, well talked about.

The story goes around and around giving us something to think about such as red flags (n0 pun intended). We have relatives involved, bad cops, the FSB, and gangsters. It's quite a story to think about, don't think to hard it's a fun play on what we believe to be true.

Natalya Ivanova will be watched to see how well the story comes out. Will there be another story? Time will tell, but my readers will be told to get a book for themselves.

A classy police procedural set in present-day St. Petersburg. Captain Natalya Ivanova is an attractive protagonist, tough without being over-feisty, with a sense of humour and an interesting relationship with her husband Mikhail, a Major in the same police department. The story is paced though slightly goes overboard in the last 20-25% as the FSB get involved and everything gets a bit frantic.

Despite that, there's a sense of realism about this, and a naturalness in the dialogue that keeps the pages turning. If this is the start of a Russian-set series, I'd be up for the next one.

Meh. This just didn't do it for me. I can't point to anything specifically wrong with it, I just didn't click with it and didn't care about the characters or the crime. I wouldn't have finished if it wasn't both a NetGalley book and checked off a box for Read Harder.