The murder of an Islamic cleric, loyal to the Soviet Union, has unexpected repercussions in this novel set in Gorbachev's Russia. The cast of characters includes a middle-aged judge driven by curiosity and the intellectual challenge of his work; a nervous and neurotic young historian willing to run all manner of risks to uncover the state crimes of the forties; a nerdy, well-educated and good-natured young journalist motivated principally by the desire...