The Bloody Meadow is well written, well paced and will keep you guessing to the end about who is responsible for the events chronicled and who is on which side. It is written when everyone is Russia could be under suspicion for saying or doing the wrong thing. Korolev, the main character and detective in the novel is himself worried about this, indeed he fears the worst when he hears a car pull up at an unexpected time and immediately you are immersed in the menacing world at the time of the all powerful USSR state.
Treachery is the name of the game and if you are on the right side crimes go unnoticed and unpunished. Everyone is careful to ensure they address one another correctly and this makes the investigation more difficult for Korolev. As the case deepens the danger to Korolev and those around him worsens as well. The passages describing the film set and trying to determine who saw what and who was where when proves how complicated things are. Several people lie to cover up the possibility of being disloyal to the state. In this way Ryan writes convincingly portrays the tense atmosphere by which citizens had to live their lives.
I enjoyed this book, it is fast paced and you become absorbed in Korolev’s world and share his fears as the plot unfolds. It is a book that requires concentration as you need to keep track of the characters and what is happening to them but it well worth a read, it is more than just the usual murder mystery but a political thriller as well.
