Murder on the Leviathan
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| cover of the Russian hardback version | |
| Author | Boris Akunin |
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| Original title (if not in English) | Левиафан |
| Translator | Andrew Bromfield |
| Country | Russia |
| Language | Russian |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | Phoenix Press (UK) |
| Released | |
| Media Type | print (hardback & paperback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-7538-1843-4 |
| Preceded by | The Turkish Gambit |
| Followed by | The Death of Achilles |
Leviathan (Russian: Левиафан; English translation titled Murder on the Leviathan) is the third novel in the Erast Fandorin series by Boris Akunin. Its subtitle is герметичный детектив ("hermetic detective"). Akunin conceived of the Fandorin series as a summary of all the genres of detective fiction, with each novel representing a different genre. Leviathan is his nod to Agatha Christie's style, with an exotic setting, a cast of unusual characters who each have secrets of their own, and a strange murder to start the action.
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[edit] Plot summary
The novel is set in 1878. The story opens with the murder in Paris of Lord Littleby, his two children, and all seven of his servants. All were poisoned except for Littleby, who was bludgeoned with an ancient Indian artifact, a golden Shiva, which belonged to Lord Littleby and was stolen from his room, along with an old Indian shawl.
French detective Gustave Gauche, in charge of the investigation, boards the passenger ship "Leviathan". Gauche knows that the murderer must be one of the first-class passengers, because one of the special golden badges for the ship's first-class passengers was left in Littleby's room. Among the suspects are a Japanese army officer, an addled English aristocrat, a married Swiss woman, and a clever young Russian diplomat on his way to his new post in Japan. The diplomat is Erast Fandorin, the master detective, who shoots down each of the ineffectual Gauche's incorrect conclusions, and in the end takes it on himself to find the murderer.
[edit] Awards and nominations
- Leviathan was nominated for Best European Crime Novel in the Gumshoe Awards 2005. [1]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Full text of the novel, in Russian, at Boris Akunin's official website.
| Books by Boris Akunin |
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Erast Fandorin Series: The Winter Queen | The Turkish Gambit | Murder on the Leviathan | The Death of Achilles | The Jack of Spades | The Decorator Nicholas Fandorin Series: Altyn Tolobas | Out-of-School Reading | F.M. Sister Pelagiya Series: Pelagiya and the White Bulldog | Pelagiya and the Black Monk | Pelagiya and the Red Rooster Series Genres 2005: Children's Book | Spy Novel | Science Fiction Other works: Comedy/Tragedy | Fairy Tales for Idiots | The Seagull |
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