Written in Russian in 1998, and translated into English in 2004 by Andrew Bromfield, Akunin's first Fandorin novel, The Winter Queen, could easily pass for the work of one of those great masters in tone and sensibility, while at the same time possessing a uniqueness of character and voice that sets it apart. Much like Spanish author Arturo Perez-Reverte's Captain Allatriste novels set in 17th-century Spain, The Winter Queen pokes affectionate fun at the quirks of style and the modes of expression used in his predecessors' masterpieces.

Akunin, (Boris Akunin is the pseudonym used by Grigory Shalvovich Chkhartishvili) aside from being a novelist is a translator of Japanese, a critic, and an essayist in his native Russia. Since he began publishing the detective novels that feature Erast Fandorin in the central role, he has become the most widely read author in Russia and enjoys almost legendary popularity. So far ten stories featuring the adventures of the young hero of The Winter Queen have been published in Russia, of which four have been translated into English with the fifth due out in February of 2008.

But every hero has to have his or her origins, and in the case of Erast they are of the humblest. Although born into a genteel family, his mother died during his infancy and his father had squandered the entire family fortune and his life in such timely a fashion as to leave young Erast an orphan at nineteen, forcing him to seek gainful employment instead of continuing his studies at the university like other's of his generation.

Having sat his exams for government service, and passed with flying colours, he was appointed to his current position at his own request. Our first impressions of him as a romantic, ignorant of the workings of the criminal world, is based on the opinion of his superior. While it may be accurate based on his relaxed and old fashioned view of the world, we quickly realize that it was biased and unfair when Fandorin takes the lead in investigating the mysterious public suicide of a young aristocrat.

Fandorin's worth seems to become apparent when his first boss is replaced by an official from St. Petersburg who immediately promotes our hero and lets him carry the investigation abroad when he discovers a trail that leads to England. Through chance and his own ingenuity Fandorin uncovers a web of intrigue and betrayal that leads into the highest chambers of powers in capital cities around the world.

But will he survive long enough to get to the bottom of the mystery and uncover the true mastermind behind the deceit? Twice he has escaped death at the hands of the villains, and that was before he had even come close to pulling aside the curtain to reveal the hands controlling the levers. Who knows what lengths they will go to in order to prevent our stalwart from reaching the final stage of the investigation?