Highly enjoyable and remarkably informative, this book seamlessly intertwines with the curriculum of a Russian History class. Its engaging narrative and rich content make it an ideal resource for students and educators alike. The detailed exploration of key historical events and figures provides valuable insights into Russia's complex past, making it easy for readers to grasp and appreciate the intricacies of Russian history.

5 stars

This wonderful book is the comprehensive story of the search for the assassinated family of Tsar Nicholas II and his entire family in 1918 Russia.

The sad story begins with the horrible killings of the royal family as well as some of their loyal servants. When the killers went to destroy the bodies, they ran into all kinds of problems. Thankfully, they did a sloppy job.

Several interested and devoted persons went in search of the bodies. There is where it all began.

The book outlines the multitude of problems they ran into along the way. At first the USSR resisted. Then arguments between various scientists, governments and church authorities. There were arguments between the Romanov survivors and descendants. The search for the truth was slowed to a crawl.

It was a very time consuming and frustrating search. If only the different parties would have cooperated, think what could have been accomplished!

The book is well written and researched. It reads smoothly and fairly quickly. It covers all aspects of the search for the truth as well as the Anastasia mystery. The book is not at all dry. It is more like telling a story - a true story. There is a short bibliography at the end for those who would like to further explore the deaths and subsequent consequences.

I want to thank NetGalley and the University of Nebraska Press/Potomac Books for forwarding to me a copy of this interesting book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

This was a great book. The subject could have easily become a little dry and boring, but the interspersing of the historical events, the years of searching, and the author's personal family stories worked together very well. Though I knew a decent amount about the search's discoveries going in, I didn't realize there were still things up in the air, and I do wish that maybe it was being published a few years from now instead, after these final questions are resolved.

“Uncovering bones was one thing; uncovering buried resentments was quite another.” (page 136) While the bones of the Romanovs were buried over a hundred years ago, their story continues to fascinate readers and armchair historians worldwide. Sarandinaki comes to the story from a different angle than most, having a personal connection to the secret investigations of the assassinations and then later participating in the inquiries. Sarandinaki’s ties give us the first part of his book, which focuses on his grandmother Anna and her life as nobility in Russia as the country turned towards revolution and later communism. Through his grandmother and great-grandfather, he manages to bring the reader into the atmosphere of 1918’s Russia and the following years of political terror and tension.

Sarandinaki effortlessly balances his discussions of the mystery's details, providing enough details to satisfy the more knowledgeable true crime readers while supplying sufficient context and explanation for those unfamiliar with forensic techniques. He manages to do the same in his discussions of Imperial Russian culture. Though he clearly remembers the homeland his grandmother described fondly, he certainly does not hesitate to criticize Russia, especially as the book continues and he steps into the role of mediator and liaison between American and Russian scientists.

While he may have only set out to fulfill his great grandfather’s wish to solve the mystery of the Romanovs’ deaths, Sarandinaki accomplishes much more. He gives his readers insights into the last years of imperial Russia and life afterward. He showcases the White Russians emigrating to escape communism and finding themselves both as a community and at odds with one another.

In the end, Sarandinaki fulfills his great-grandfather’s wish to find the truth of the Romanov’s murders. However, he is still working to achieve his own goal— to provide all the assassinated Romanovs with a proper burial according to their religion and sainthood.

I would imagine that a book of this sort would appeal to a very small crowd, but fortunately, I am one of them. I have been interested in the Romanovs for a long time, but I never found anything that told me the story that this one does. Wonderful book

I am not really a non-fiction reader, but I do love the Romanov's, so I took a chance. I would say that it was very good for a non-fiction book.