Fall of a Cosmonaut

This lively thriller has Rostnikov and his investigators working three cases: the disappearance of a cosmonaut; the theft of the final negative of a Russian movie epic on the life of Tolstoy; and the murder of a parapsychologist. Each offers a handful of suspects, motives, and an opportunity for one of Rostnikov's detectives to take center stage: the inspector and his son Iosef on the search for the last survivor of a mission on Mir gone horribly (and secretly) wrong; Sasha, whose wife and children have left him and whose mother is driving him crazy, trying to sort out who's behind the extortion attempt on the movie producer; and Karpo and Zelach, assigned to the murder at the Center for the Study of Technical Parapsychology, where, to Zelach's dismay, his unusual (and unwelcome) telepathic gifts are accidentally discovered by a researcher who won't take no for an answer.

In due time, the cases are solved, the loose ends wrapped up, and the lives and loves of Rostnikov and his men have become as important to the reader as the guys at the 87th Precinct have become over time to McBain's readers. Both authors share a mastery of their craft, an unhurried but intellectually challenging pace, and a gift for characterization that is equaled by few other writers in the genre. --Jane Adams

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All Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review:
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

By Far One of the Best of the Series, 2007-02-25
As in all previous books, Chief Inspector Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov has three cases to solve simultaneously. All the cases have been taken on by the Office of Special Investigation because the Yak (Igor Yaklovev) sees a chance to discover information that will allow him to continue his political agenda to become Minister of the Interior.

The cases are:
1) the disappearance of a cosmonaut;
2) the theft of the final negative of a Russian movie epic on the life of Tolstoy;
3) the murder of a parapsychologist.

What makes the first case so unusual is that the Yak tells Rostnikov to find the Cosmonaut and then call him. Oddly enough the cosmonaut had, in his last message from space, asked that should anything happen to him, Porfiry Petrovich should be called in on the case. Porfiry is not to ask him any questions or to listen to a confession, only to bring him directly to the Yak and then leave. Porfiry decides to take Iosef with him as they search for the missing cosmonaut.

Sasha and Elena are assigned to find the negative from the film and to protect the director whose life has been threatened. There are a myriad of suspects, but Elena is the one who figures out that the culprit is an ardent chess player (not unusual in Russia) based on the way he conducts the negotiations and how he speaks. She also suspects that the wife of the director, who was once an actress is also involved in some way.

Emil Karpo (the Vampire) and Arkady Zelach (the slouch) are assigned to the murder at the Center for the Study of Technical Parapsychology. To his dismay Zelach who has been having 'visions' since he was beaten finds that one of the investigators has discovered his unusual gift and is very interested in researching them (as well as Arkady).

As always, Kaminsky uses a deft hand in the way the stories are brought to closure and who is the culprit is not always who ends up being designated as the 'bad guy'. Over the years, Kaminsky has spent quite a bit of time in these novels, discussing the idea of Justice versus Prosecution. Does the actual crime result in a situation where the perpetrator is more deserving of justice than the victim?

There are also some nice asides about the relationship between Sasha and his mother, Zelach and his mother, Porfiry and just about everyone, and Elena and Iosef.


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Police procedurals meet Russian intrigue, 2006-06-22

I have read a number of Kaminsky's Toby Peters' mysteries (and highly recommend them!), but this was my first experience with Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov and his team of Moscow investigators and I found myself quite interested in the mysteries that Kaminsky puts before the reader. Disappearing cosmonauts, murder at a paranormal research facility, and a movie producer threatened with death and worse, the destruction of his movie, all tie together in a neat package reminiscent of Ed McBain's fine procedurals. But you never forget you're in Russia, the cultural aspects and locales are always part of the story. The three mysteries and the characters that take the lead are of varying interest; I can honestly say I felt little concern for Sasha and his marital problems, but Karpov's Spock-like approach was intriguing and Rostnikov is a charismatic character, a wise investigator working valiantly to find justice in the occasionally grey area of Russia's political climate.



2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Not enough Rostnikov's..., 2005-06-24
One of the distressing aspects of finding a terrific mystery series is when the author seems to have abandoned the effort. Fall of a Cosmonaut is the 13th of 14 Stuart Kaminsky Porfiry Rostnikov mysteries, and he hasn't written a new one since 2001. Having a mystery series set in Russia could be extremely depressing, but through the eyes of Porfiry Rosnikov, we see the eternal hopefulness that keeps Russians from the depths of despair.

In 1986, a serious problem develops on the Mir space station. While the problem is catastrophic, the cosmonauts land safely and a big hush campaign begins to keep this big secret. But a year later, the cosmonauts on board (along with the three sent to relieve them) are being murdered systematically, or end up dead under mysterious circumstances. Rostnikov and his son, Iosef, are assigned to discover the location of one of the cosmonauts who seems to have simply vanished. At the same time, Emil Karpo and Akardy Zelach are trying to find the person who murdered a scientist at the Center for the Study of Technical Parapsychology. And Sasha Tkach and Elena Timofeyeva are after the person who has stolen an unreleased film to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival on the life of Tolstoy.

Kaminsky is always first rate in his plot development, but this book is even more enjoyable than his previous efforts. Some of the most comical moments involve "the vampire," Emil Karpo. The stern Karpo does not believe in emotion, imagination or the paranormal. Yet while investigating the murder of the institute's director, this skeptic is exposed to more than a few examples of visions, telepathy and clairvoyance. Even the slow-witted Zelach seems to have paranormal gifts, and those at the institute are anxious to study him.

Fall of a Cosmonaut is the 7th book I have read in this series, and knowing that I'm now halfway done, maybe I'll try to stretch them out just a little more. It would be a shame to go through them quickly and then not be able to look forward.



6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

Another Outstanding Russian Mystery, 2004-02-13
Kaminsky writes 3, no 4, series of crime novels. The Toby Peters stories are enjoyable but only that. The Leiberman series has a bit more substance, but still read like the slow second movement of the standard 4 movement symphony. The Fonseca series has just begun. Vengeance was above average (compared to all mystery/suspense/crime/ whatever..writers). Retribution was much in the Leiberman vein--slow, winding down, world-weary ad nauseam. Where Kaminsky SHINES is in his Russian/Rostnikov series. Not all the dozen or so novels have been equally good, but even the weakest presents real, alive, fleshed-out characters, beginning with the truly inimitable Rostnikov ("the washtub") and his vampire-like underling Emile Karpo, probably the most striking and original continuing character in any myster/suspense series of ALL time. But it is the world of Moscow and the world of the highly-intelligent weight lifting Rostnikov that with his Jewish wife, playwright son (seques into detective), the Yak, the silver haired Colonel and all the colorful characters and settings that make this series vibrate with life. This latest novel, perhaps his best (and, sad to say, perhaps his last) is set up with the usual three plots, unrelated, except for Rostkinov getting involved in more than one. The plots involve the film industry, the space industry and the government funded paranormal acitivities research section. If you haven't read prevevious entries in this series, you will be impressed by this novel with its depth and color and unusually well-done dialogue (for a mystery). But having read all the previous novels, save the first, it is not only a good book but a triumph of Kaminsky in creating and forcing the reader to love and appreciate his characters not just as cogs in a plot (e.g. Lovesey's characters), but having a literary quality, a richness that even Faulkner or Camus would have enjoyed. Cosmonaut is an unalloyed triumph of man, of his spirit, and of the vital diversity that makes man what he/she is.
My feeling is that Kaminsky has ended this series, but I would urge him to reconsider--even an average Rostkinov novel is worth two Leiberman's, three Fonsecas, and four Peters. Anyway read this book. It is GREAT.


1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Oobla Dee Oobla Daa, 2002-03-28
Life goes on for investigators with the Office of Special Investigation, Moscow, former Soviet Union. In his Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov series, Stuart M. Kaminsky has deftly transplanted the Ed McBain police procedural to Russia: individual detectives, each having his/her own serial back stories, investigating different cases. And through the time span of the series, the reader also watches the Soviet Union disintegrate. In this, the 13th installment of the series, Putin is in power in Russia and the men and sole woman of the OSI are tracking down a missing Mir Cosmonaut, the theft of a major motion picture negative on the life of Tolstoy - due to premiere soon in Cannes, and the murder of a research physiologist at the Moscow Center for the Study of Technical Parapsychology.

This is not a "cozy" Jessica Fletcher-type murder mystery series. The brooding of the Russian soul is frequently mentioned. "The Yak," former KGB functionary, is directing Rostnikov, and the one-legged decorated veteran of the War Against Nazi Aggression must "walk a tight-rope" between his conscience and the ever-shifting Powers That Be. The spectre of Chernobyl and the tension and power-struggles in the wake of the Soviet Union loom constantly in the background. Prolific author Kaminsky gives the reader a feel for the people and politics while raconting a riveting tale.

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