Child 44

作者 Tom Rob Smith著
出版社 Grand Central Publishing
出版时间 2009年4月第1版
ISBN 9780446402392
定价 69.00

内容简介

Apropulsive,relentlesspage-turner.Aterrifyingevocationofaparanoidworldwherenoonecanbetrusted.Asurprising,unexpectedstoryofloveandfamily,ofhopeandresilience.CHILD44isathrillerunlikeanyyouhaveeverread."Thereisnocrime."Stalin'sSovietUnionstrivestobeaparadiseforitsworkers,providingforalloftheirneeds.Oneofitsfundamentalpillarsisthatitscitizenslivefreefromthefearofordinarycrimeandcriminals.Butinthissociety,millionsdoliveinfear...oftheState.Deathisawhisperaway.Themeresuspicionofideologicaldisloyalty-owningabookfromthedecadentWest,thewrongwordatthewrongtime-sendsmillionsofinnocentsintotheGulagsortotheirexecutions.DefendingthesystemfromitscitizensistheMGB,theStateSecurityForce.AndnoMGBofficerismorecourageous,conscientious,oridealisticthanLeoDemidov.Awarherowithabeautifulwife,LeolivesinrelativeluxuryinMoscow,evenprovidingadecentapartmentforhisparents.Hisonlyambitionhasbeentoservehiscountry.Forthisgreatergood,hehasarrestedandinterrogated.Thentheimpossiblehappens.Adifferentkindofcriminal-amurderer-isontheloose,killingatwill.Atthesametime,Leofindshimselfdemotedanddenouncedbyhisenemies,hisworldturnedupsidedown,andeverybeliefhe'severheldshattered.Theonlywaytosavehislifeandthelivesofhisfamilyistouncoverthiscriminal.Butinasocietythatisofficiallyparadise,it'sacrimeagainsttheStatetosuggestthatamurderer-muchlessaserialkiller-isintheirmidst.Exiledfromhishome,withonlyhiswife,Raisa,remainingathisside,LeomustconfrontthevastresourcesandreachoftheMBGtofindandstopacriminalthattheStatewon'tadmitevenexists.

作者简介

AftergraduatingfromCambridgeUniversityin2001andspendingayearinItalyonacreativewritingscholarship,TomRobSmithwenttoworkwritingscriptsandstorylinesforBritishtelevision.HelivedforawhileinPhnomPenh,workingonCambodia'sfirst-eversoapoperaanddoingfreelancescreenwritinginhissparetime.WhileresearchingmaterialforafilmadaptationofashortstorybyBritishsci-fiwriterJeffNoon,Smithstumbledacrossthereal-lifecaseof"RostovRipper"AndreiChikkatilo,aRussianserialkillerwhomurderedmorethan60womenandchildreninthe1980s.Chikkatilo'skillingspreewentuncheckedfornearly13years,largelybecauseSovietofficialsrefusedtoadmitthatcrimeexistedintheirperfectstate.Intrigued,Smithrecognizedthepotentialofthisconceptasaworkoffictionandworkedupascript"treatment."Hisagent,however,suggestedthematerialwouldbebettershowcasedinanovel.TheresultwasChild44,agrippingcrimethrilleraboutaSovietpolicemandeterminedtostopachildserialkillerhissuperiorswon'tevenadmitexists.SmithuppedtheactionantebysettingthestoryintheStalinisteraofthe1950s,aperiodwhenopposingthestatecouldcostyouyourlife.And,inMGBofficerLeoStepanovichDemidov,hecreatedthemostfascinatingRussiandetectivesinceMartinCruzSmith'sArkadyRenko.Child44becametheobjectofanintensebiddingwaratthe2007LondonBookFair.(ThebuzzonlyincreasedwhendirectorRidleyScottboughtthefilmrights.)Butthebookprovedworthyofitshype,garneringglowingreviewsonitspublicationinthespringof2008.ScottTurow(noslouchinthethrillerdepartmenthimself)proclaimed,"Child44isaremarkabledebutnovel--inventive,edgyandrelentlesslygrippingfromthefirstpagetothelast."

其他版本

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