A Swedish student, Zena Dahl, daughter of a billionaire goes missing in St Petersburg and Captain Natalya Ivanova is put in charge of the investigation. She encounters resistance from both within the police force and from Zena's father to stop the investigation which makes her more determined to investigate.. I loved the book. It is an extremely well written,, engrossing book. Captain Ivanova is a wonderful character and you can feel how as a woman she is being treated as not the equal to her male counterparts. Looking forward to more.of her exploits.in future books. Highly recommended.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Mirror Books for a review copy of Motherland, the first in a projected series of thrillers set in present day St Petersburg.

Captain Natalya Ivanova is redirected from the domestic assault case she is handling to investigate the disappearance of a missing teenager. With no evidence of a crime, the girl being missing for less than 48 hours and over 18 she is puzzled until she learns that the girl is Swedish and seriously rich. Zena Dahl's disappearance requires investigation but Natalya is unprepared for the level of investigation required and the danger she will face.

I enjoyed Motherland which is a big book with a multi-faceted plot and great insight into modern day Russia. The plot is interesting and held my attention but I found the politics hard to warm to and almost fantastical, if I didn't know that they are realistic. I found the abuse of power difficult and uncomfortable to read.

Motherland is a difficult novel to review without spoilers because the plot and lifestyle are inextricably linked. There is a lawlessness that runs through the whole novel whether state sponsored or on the part of the characters. Nobody, apart maybe from Natalya, is wholly as they appear and everyone has secrets. The novel has a pervasive sense of menace and lack of personal security which makes it a dark, gritty read. It reminds me of the Stasi series where big brother is always watching.

The novel is excellent on the minutiae of Russian life and attitudes which, to Western sensibilities, seem decades old. For example, domestic abuse is not punishable unless the victim is half or fully killed and there are moves afoot to downgrade it to an administrative misdemeanour. On the other hand police officers have to take a breathalyser before driving. This mixture of attitudes is evident throughout. Natalya Ivanova is seen as an outsider due to spending her teenage years in Germany and her "liberal" views on policing and human rights. This allows the reader to identify with her and get a genuine feel for the setting. It's an inspired idea.

I think that as a first novel in a series Mr Abson has to do a fair amount of scene setting which, while interesting, does at times distract from the plot and makes the novel wordier than a less complex setting would require. The novel doesn't drag but sometimes goes a bit slower than I would have liked.

Motherland is a very interesting début and I will definitely be reading the sequel so I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.

Thank you Netgalley , Mirror Books and G.D. Anson for the eARC.
What a great book this is, I loved it!
Captain Natalya Evanova is a very appealing character, honest and steadfast in a society that's anything but. She is looking into the case of a missing young Swedish student and when the burned body of a female is found, it's believed to be her. The girl's father is a ultra rich businessman, but difficult to reach and mostly tight lipped when interviewed. He's obviously very upset, but Natalya is suspicious of him; she believes he's being less than truthful.
Navigating the police hierarchy and the shadowy world of the Russian secret service, her life is in danger and her husband, also with the police, pleads with her to let it go. He fears for her and his son. Even though his son is her stepson, she loves him dearly and it's a tough choice for her to make. However, she's determined to find out what happened to the girl, despite being warned and obviously shadowed by some very scary characters.
It's an excellent mystery with lots of action and a surprising ending. What I loved most though is the description of life in Russia under Putin; the tightrope many have to walk to live normal lives under a schizophrenic regime. I've always been fascinated by St. Petersburg and love that the book takes place there.
It seems this is the first in the series, which I'm very excited about. We need more fiction set in Russia!
Highly recommended!

Motherland G.D. Abson

Set in modern day St Petersburg this is a fast-paced crime thriller, will be loved by readers of good old fashion spy books by Len Deighton, as much as lovers of modern Scandinavian Crime by people like Jo Nesbo.

Detective Natalya Ivanova works in the Criminal Investigation Directorate, a police force staffed by chauvinistic, homophobic, racist men, not least of all is her Husband Mikhail and his best friend, and Sergeant, Rogov.

When a young, pretty, and wealthy woman, is attacked in the street before going missing, Natalya is sent to look into her disappearance. It turns out the woman is the heiress to a fortune amassed by her father who is a Scandinavian Businessman, but he is being less than helpful.

The investigation is set against the oxymoron of today’s Russia. Iphones and laptops are aplenty but the technology for forensics is nearly none existent. Natalya’s one true ally is the senior criminologist (CSI) Leo Primakov, who has to buy equipment out of his own pocket and rely on American TV shows to help him keep up to date with his science.

As she begins to investigate the disappearance if the young heiress it becomes apparent that people are trying to steer her away. From gentle suggestions from at first her husband, and her boss, to outright threats by officers of the FSB, the successors of the dreaded KGB, and no less ruthless and corrupt.

Natalya’s investigations lead her to start to suspect those nearest to her, but are they trying to support her or scupper her efforts. Is Mikhail corrupt or worse.

There is a lovely line in the book where Natalya tells her husband “women hate the lie more than what it conceals” This is the whole premise of the book. Natalya is straight, and she hates people who aren’t. That means she is going to find out who took the missing heiress; and hopefully find her alive whilst keeping herself alive.

If you like your books fast-paced, gritty, and realistic this book is definitely for you.

Pages: 258
Publisher: Mirror Books

5 stars

This is a first rate debut thriller/mystery. It is very well written and plotted. It was both atmospheric and describes today’s Russia very well. I am attracted to all things Russian, so it was a delight for me to read this wonderful novel. I liked the relationship between policewoman Captain Natalya Ivanova and her husband, as well as with her step son Anton. It seems the problems with politics and rank are endemic to all police forces, not just our own. I truly enjoyed it. I predict great things for G. G. Abson. Keep writing!!

I want to thank NetGalley and Mirror books for forwarding to me a copy of this most great debut thriller for me to read and enjoy.

Superb premier of a great new series! Story is engrossing with plot twists.