markhoh's review
4.0
Set in the remote, rugged, landlocked Central Asian Kyrgyzstan, A Killing Winter is the first in a series of four books by Tom Callaghan. It’s certainly an apt title for the book centred around Inspector Akyl Borubaev of the Bishkek murder squad. The winter is dark and bleak and there’s plenty of killing. In fact, the killing is actually quite relentless as Borubaev uncovers a series of violent murders with multiple perpetrators and motives. What starts as an investigation into a particularly gruesome murder of a senior government official’s daughter quickly turns into an exposure of a plot to cause to terror and confusion in a region where political tensions run rife.
The plot runs thick and fast throughout the book and Borubaev ricochets from violence to violence. There’s very little if anything that is happy in this book, as Borubaev grieves the death of his wife 12 months earlier. His processing of her death and his grief is an underpinning theme throughout the book.
Despite the violence, bloodshed, death and sadness prevalent in this dark tale, Callaghan brings an amazing insight into the underbelly of Kyrgyzstan, a brief insight into the political tensions that exist between the ‘stans’ and Russia, an understanding of the strategic positioning of the country on the Silk Road, and a gruelling description of a dark wintry landscape. While it doesn’t make for a tourist advertisement for Kyrgyzstan it certainly does fill me with intrigue to understand more of this part of the world that has so much history yet so unknown. That’s what I love in a book. Dark, damaged heroes and dark, intriguing landscapes. A Killing Winter is a tick for me on both those.
The plot runs thick and fast throughout the book and Borubaev ricochets from violence to violence. There’s very little if anything that is happy in this book, as Borubaev grieves the death of his wife 12 months earlier. His processing of her death and his grief is an underpinning theme throughout the book.
Despite the violence, bloodshed, death and sadness prevalent in this dark tale, Callaghan brings an amazing insight into the underbelly of Kyrgyzstan, a brief insight into the political tensions that exist between the ‘stans’ and Russia, an understanding of the strategic positioning of the country on the Silk Road, and a gruelling description of a dark wintry landscape. While it doesn’t make for a tourist advertisement for Kyrgyzstan it certainly does fill me with intrigue to understand more of this part of the world that has so much history yet so unknown. That’s what I love in a book. Dark, damaged heroes and dark, intriguing landscapes. A Killing Winter is a tick for me on both those.
nwhyte's review
3.0
https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/3346896.html
It's a detective novel set in Kyrgyzstan, mostly in the capital, Bishkek, but with excursions to Osh, the second city, and to the Chinese border. The narrator, Inspector Akyl Borobaev, has recently lost his wife to cancer, and is brought in to solve the gruesome murder of the daughter of the Minister for State Security. There is a lot of very good circumstantial detail of the human and physical geography of Kyrgyzstan, a country of which I know very little, and the various characters (all deeply unpleasant, apart from a glamorous Uzbek security agent) are very vividly depicted. I was less convinced by the revelation of the villain's identity; I did not quite get the means or motivation. Still, an interesting change. Apparently the first of a series, though not sure how energetically I will seek out the rest.
It's a detective novel set in Kyrgyzstan, mostly in the capital, Bishkek, but with excursions to Osh, the second city, and to the Chinese border. The narrator, Inspector Akyl Borobaev, has recently lost his wife to cancer, and is brought in to solve the gruesome murder of the daughter of the Minister for State Security. There is a lot of very good circumstantial detail of the human and physical geography of Kyrgyzstan, a country of which I know very little, and the various characters (all deeply unpleasant, apart from a glamorous Uzbek security agent) are very vividly depicted. I was less convinced by the revelation of the villain's identity; I did not quite get the means or motivation. Still, an interesting change. Apparently the first of a series, though not sure how energetically I will seek out the rest.
writtenbysime's review
3.0
A Killing Winter is a grim and gritty, but overall rote crime novel, from debut author Tom Callaghan. Its distinguishing feature is its locale. Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan is poles apart from the customary urban landscapes explored in most crime fiction. Overwhelmingly bleak (in winter, especially), it’s a boiling pot of duelling ethnicities; Kyrgyz’s, Uzbeks and Russians, all co-existing in a country imbued with corruption, from the highest ranks of officialdom to the lower ranks of the police force. And that’s not even mentioning the country’s underbelly…
When a young woman is found brutally slayed, Inspector Akyl Borubaev of the Bishkek Murder Squad is called in to investigate. Revered as the squad’s best detective, Borubaev’s mind is not solely on the case; he’s still mourning the recent death of his wife (tick that one off the detective stereotype checklist!). Borubaev quickly comes to the conclusion this could be the inaugural victim of a serial killer. The discovery of more bodies only strengthens that assessment. But when the first victim is identified as the daughter of a leading government minister, Borubaev realizes there’s more to these murders than meets the eye. And there are dark, powerful, and violent forces who do not want the truth revealed.
A Killing Winter embraces its hardboiled roots. Borubaev is archetypally cynical and abrasive; the sole truth-seeker in a society rife with corruption. He’s also trigger-happy; Borubaev’s trusty Yarygin handgun is never far from reach. Callaghan’s prose is taut and masculine, and free of the exposition that so often plagues first-time novelists. While the plot is not exactly ground-breaking, it’s solid, fast-paced and enthralling, and leaves plenty more ground to cover in the next novel, A Spring Betrayal.
Los Angeles has Harry Bosch; Olso has Harry Hole; Edinburgh has John Rebus. And now Bishkek has Akyl Borubaev.
When a young woman is found brutally slayed, Inspector Akyl Borubaev of the Bishkek Murder Squad is called in to investigate. Revered as the squad’s best detective, Borubaev’s mind is not solely on the case; he’s still mourning the recent death of his wife (tick that one off the detective stereotype checklist!). Borubaev quickly comes to the conclusion this could be the inaugural victim of a serial killer. The discovery of more bodies only strengthens that assessment. But when the first victim is identified as the daughter of a leading government minister, Borubaev realizes there’s more to these murders than meets the eye. And there are dark, powerful, and violent forces who do not want the truth revealed.
A Killing Winter embraces its hardboiled roots. Borubaev is archetypally cynical and abrasive; the sole truth-seeker in a society rife with corruption. He’s also trigger-happy; Borubaev’s trusty Yarygin handgun is never far from reach. Callaghan’s prose is taut and masculine, and free of the exposition that so often plagues first-time novelists. While the plot is not exactly ground-breaking, it’s solid, fast-paced and enthralling, and leaves plenty more ground to cover in the next novel, A Spring Betrayal.
Los Angeles has Harry Bosch; Olso has Harry Hole; Edinburgh has John Rebus. And now Bishkek has Akyl Borubaev.
nigelbrown's review
4.0
Enjoyable is probably pushing it, but entertaining, it definitely is. If this makes it to the big screen, I suggest it will be stomach churning to say the least.
Fans of Bernie Gunther, Arkady Renko Will probably take to Arkyl Borubaev, grimmer with a lot more blood.
I would be very surprised if Tom Callaghan is allowed back in Kyrgyzstan as the picture painted of Bishkek is bleak indeed, certainly the country’s tourist board, will be no fans.
Fans of Bernie Gunther, Arkady Renko Will probably take to Arkyl Borubaev, grimmer with a lot more blood.
I would be very surprised if Tom Callaghan is allowed back in Kyrgyzstan as the picture painted of Bishkek is bleak indeed, certainly the country’s tourist board, will be no fans.
raven88's review
5.0
If, like me, you felt a sense of loss at the close of Tom Rob Smith’s trilogy (Child 44, The Secret Speech and Agent 6) I may have found something to ease our collective troubled souls. A Killing Winter is a hard-hitting and not to be missed thriller from debut crime novelist Tom Callaghan, that transports the reader to the harsh and unforgiving landscape Kyrgyzstan…
When Inspector Akyl Borubaev of the Bishkek Murder Squad is called to the brutal murder scene of a young woman, all the evidence points towards a sadistic serial killer on the hunt for more victims. But when the young woman’s father is revealed as a leading government minister, the pressure is on Borubaev to solve the case not only quickly but also quietly by any means possible. Until more bodies are found. Still in mourning after the recent death of his beloved wife, Chinara, Borubaev descends into Bishkek’s brutal underworld where violence is the only solution. And so begins a thriller that is by turns sordid, violent and yet powerfully emotive that I guarantee will keep you reading..and reading..and reading…
This book contains a number of stand-out features, most notably the author’s assured use of what to many is probably a relatively unknown location. Not only does he convey to the reader the inhospitable climate of this region, where the cold really seeps into your imagination when reading, but also the socio-economic make-up of this former Soviet enclave. It is populated by a cast of characters from both ends of the social spectrum, from the desperate day-to-day existence of the local prostitutes, to those inhabiting the higher echelons of power and the rewards this reaps. Somewhere in the middle stands our dogged detective Borubaev, a man of strong moral stature, manipulated by not only his police superior, but by the wider influence of the political sphere. As the story progresses, we gain valuable insight into the troubled history of this region, and the political machinations over the ownership of the country, and how Borubaev becomes firmly enmeshed in these warring factions.
Borubaev is an intriguing character, who pivots between an unerring toughness underscored by some emotive chinks in his armour, revealed by the references to his bereavement following the death of his wife. His emotional attachment to her memory is truly moving, and the way in which his memory of her fuels his actions, “I wanted to think of her as an unseen presence, spurring me on, watching from the sidelines”, where we feel his sense of loss consistently throughout, added to by an emotive revelation at the close of the book. Throughout the course of the investigation, he always fights for the victims, and despite the sheer physical harm that is meted out on him, his dedication to justice is embodied in his every action. I liked him very much indeed.
The plot itself proved incredibly satisfying with some nice red herrings, and reveals along the way, strengthened by the tough and unrelenting sordidness of both the language and the violence. This is not a book for the more squeamish reader, but the brutal nature of the plot worked extremely well overall. It’s rough, tough and blunt-speaking, but with the emotional counterpoint, as previously mentioned in Borubaev’s private life, works exceptionally well as a whole. A Killing Winter is a brilliant debut, and an early contender for one of my top reads of the year I feel.
When Inspector Akyl Borubaev of the Bishkek Murder Squad is called to the brutal murder scene of a young woman, all the evidence points towards a sadistic serial killer on the hunt for more victims. But when the young woman’s father is revealed as a leading government minister, the pressure is on Borubaev to solve the case not only quickly but also quietly by any means possible. Until more bodies are found. Still in mourning after the recent death of his beloved wife, Chinara, Borubaev descends into Bishkek’s brutal underworld where violence is the only solution. And so begins a thriller that is by turns sordid, violent and yet powerfully emotive that I guarantee will keep you reading..and reading..and reading…
This book contains a number of stand-out features, most notably the author’s assured use of what to many is probably a relatively unknown location. Not only does he convey to the reader the inhospitable climate of this region, where the cold really seeps into your imagination when reading, but also the socio-economic make-up of this former Soviet enclave. It is populated by a cast of characters from both ends of the social spectrum, from the desperate day-to-day existence of the local prostitutes, to those inhabiting the higher echelons of power and the rewards this reaps. Somewhere in the middle stands our dogged detective Borubaev, a man of strong moral stature, manipulated by not only his police superior, but by the wider influence of the political sphere. As the story progresses, we gain valuable insight into the troubled history of this region, and the political machinations over the ownership of the country, and how Borubaev becomes firmly enmeshed in these warring factions.
Borubaev is an intriguing character, who pivots between an unerring toughness underscored by some emotive chinks in his armour, revealed by the references to his bereavement following the death of his wife. His emotional attachment to her memory is truly moving, and the way in which his memory of her fuels his actions, “I wanted to think of her as an unseen presence, spurring me on, watching from the sidelines”, where we feel his sense of loss consistently throughout, added to by an emotive revelation at the close of the book. Throughout the course of the investigation, he always fights for the victims, and despite the sheer physical harm that is meted out on him, his dedication to justice is embodied in his every action. I liked him very much indeed.
The plot itself proved incredibly satisfying with some nice red herrings, and reveals along the way, strengthened by the tough and unrelenting sordidness of both the language and the violence. This is not a book for the more squeamish reader, but the brutal nature of the plot worked extremely well overall. It’s rough, tough and blunt-speaking, but with the emotional counterpoint, as previously mentioned in Borubaev’s private life, works exceptionally well as a whole. A Killing Winter is a brilliant debut, and an early contender for one of my top reads of the year I feel.
tlc's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
louisec's review
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Very strong on the sense of place
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