I am enjoying the Erast Fandorin series, and this third entry is wonderful. The novel places a classic closed-circle mystery aboard a luxury ocean liner traveling from Europe to Asia. A small group of passengers becomes the focus after a violent crime, and the confined setting drives suspicion, interrogation, and deduction in the style of a Golden Age puzzle.
The characters are deliberately melodramatic, almost satirical in tone, which fits the homage to Agatha Christie. The familiar trope in which the least likely figure (a baby) becomes central to the crime appears here as well, handled with humor. The clash of cultures among nineteenth-century Europeans is sharp, including the period’s prejudices and stereotypes. Akunin’s expertise in Japanese history adds texture through a well-drawn Japanese character, which broadens the cultural context of the story.
This book is a fun and entertaining mystery with strong character work and a playful structure. 5/5 stars.
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