A review by annebrooke
The Gentle Axe by R.N. Morris

4.0

This is a fascinating historical crime thriller with a rich and lyrical slow-burn feel about it. The main character Porfiry Petrovich is very interesting and I liked his relationships with his police colleagues, as well as how he handles the suspects in what is a very violent crime. There's a great deal going on and almost everyone is keeping secrets of one sort or the other. The tension begins to mount as the ending approaches and I enjoyed the way the very complex crimes are solved. The final page where Porfiry is standing alone with his thoughts is very powerful indeed. A good start to this series.