Summary:

On 15th March 1878 Lord Littleby, an English eccentric and collector, is found murdered in his Paris house together with nine members of his staff. A gold whale in the victim's hand leads commissioner Gauche of the French police to board the Leviathan, the world's largest steamship, as the murderer is one of the 142 first class passengers.
Commissioner Gauche of the French police has narrowed down the suspects to ten, and they are forced to eat together at every meal time in the ship's Windsor Suite until 'the Crime of the Century' is solved. But is the murderer really at the table, and can Erast Fandorin discover his or her identity before Gauche? As more passengers are murdered and the Leviathan heads towards Calcutta, Fandorin needs all his investigative skills to find the truth.

My thoughts on the book:

I loved it. It was like reading one of Agatha Christie's Poirot books. I really enjoyed it, I couldn't put it down until I finished it & I think that Erast Fandorin is becoming one of my favorite detectives & the series one of my favorites. I definitely recommend it!

My rating: 5/5

Challenges:

• Thriller & Suspense Reading Challenge 2010
• Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2010
• Read Your Name Challenge 2010
• Monthly Mixer Mele 
• 100+ Reading Challenge 2010

Summary:

It is 1877, and war has broken out between Russia and the Ottoman Empire. In the treacherous atmosphere of a Russian field army, former diplomat and detective extraordinaire Erast Fandorin stumbles upon his most confounding case. Its difficulties are only compounded by the presence of Varya Suvorova, a deadly serious (and seriously beautiful) woman with revolutionary ideals who has disguised herself as a boy in order to reunite with her respected comrade and fiancé. Even after Fandorin saves her life, Varya can hardly bear to thank such a “lackey of the throne” for his efforts. When Varya’s fiancé is accused of espionage and faces execution, however, she must turn to Fandorin to find the real culprit . . . a mission that forces her to reckon with his courage, deductive mind, and piercing gaze. 

My thoughts on the book:

I loved it. I just couldn't put it down & read it in one day. It wasn't as good as "The Winter Queen", but it was pretty good. I guess what I missed in it was more of Erast Fandorin, 'cause the storyline was more around Varya than Fandorin, although he was there, but I still loved it & I recommend it!

My rating: 4/5

Challenges:

• Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2010
• The Four Month Challenge, Part 3!
• Monthly Mixer Mele 
• The 2nd Reading Challenge 2010
• Thriller & Suspense Challenge 2010
• 100+ Reading Challenge 2010

Summary:

This is the first book featuring Erast Fandorin, a gentleman sleuth who solves murders and mysteries in Tsarist Russia. Moscow 1876. A young law student commits suicide in broad daylight in Moscow's Alexander Gardens. But this is no ordinary death, for the young man was the son of an influential industrialist and has left a considerable fortune. Erast Fandorin, a hotheaded new recruit to the Criminal Investigation Department, is assigned to the case. Brilliant, young, and sophisticated, Fandorin embarks on an investigation that will take him from the palatial mansions of Moscow to the seedy backstreets of London in his hunt for the conspirators behind this mysterious death. 

My thoughts on the book:

I just loved it. The Winter Queen is full with lots of  beautiful descriptions that really capture the historical period & has lots of twists. I started  this book 2 weeks ago & read only 40-50 pages & although I liked it, I didn't return to it until yesterday, so when I finally continue reading it, I just couldn't put it down until I finished it today! I really like Erast Fandorin as a character, so I'll definitely read the rest of the books in the series. Also I found out that for the last few years there has been a plan to make movie based on this book starring Milla Jovovich & Dan Stevens as Erast Fandorin (he was Edward Ferrars in BBC's 2008 Sense & Sensibility), although there already is a russian movie based on the book (which I'll try to find it, but I don't know if we have it here for rental), so I hope they'll finally start filming the movie, 'cause I'd really like to see it! That's how much I loved this book & I highly recommend it!

My rating: 5/5

Challenges:

• Winter Reading Challenge 2010 
• Reading Through the Seasons Challenge 
• Winter Words Reading Challenge 
• What's in a Name? 2010 Challenge 
• Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2010 
• The Countdown Challenge 
• New Authors Challenge 2010 
• 1st in a Series Challenge 
• Thriller & Suspense Challenge 2010 
• 100+ Reading Challenge