Child 44

Jen's pick for this month: 

This book has been recommended to me by several people, and I've seen it on several book lists in magazines. I am normally not into thriller books about serial killers, but I am interested in it because of the historical aspect. It is set during Stalinist time in the 1950s, but it tells the true story of the Russian serial killer Andrei Chikatilo from the 1980s. It is supposed to be very well written, so I hope everyone enjoys it.

Synopsis:

Stalin's Soviet Union strives to be a paradise for its workers, providing for all of their needs. One of its fundamental pillars is that its citizens live free from the fear of ordinary crime and criminals. But in this society, millions do live in fear... of the State. Death is a whisper away. The mere suspicion of ideological disloyalty- owning a book from the decadent West, the wrong word at the wrong time- sends millions of innocents into the MGB, the State Security Force. And no MGB is more courageous, conscientious, or idealistic than Leo Demidov. A war hero with a beautiful wife, Leo lives in relative luxury in Moscow, even providing a decent apartment for his parents. His only ambition has been to serve his country. For this greater good, he has arrested and interrogated. Then the impossible happens. A different kind of criminal- a murderer- is on the loose, killing at will. At the same time, Leo finds himself demoted and denounced by his enemies, his world turned upside down, and every belief he's ever held shattered. The only way to save his life and the lives of his family is to uncover this criminal. But in a society that is officially paradise, it's a crime against the State to suggest that a murderer- much less a serial killer- is in their midst. Exiled from his home, with only his wife remaining at his side, Leo must  confront the vast resources and reach of the MGB to find and stop a criminal that the State won't admit even exists.