Whilst there is nothing extraordinary about this novel, it meets the expectations of an enjoyable series.
If you only know of Barry Maitland as an author, you might be surprised to know that he is also an accomplished artist, with an exhibition held at the Maitland Regional Art Gallery five years ago. In his latest crime detective mystery novel, it is art world meets murder mystery. For the first time, Ned Kelly Award-winning crime novelist Maitland has combined his two passions with The Russian Wife.
For Maitland’s longstanding bookworm fans, it will be the 14th book for the Brock and Kolla series. Whilst two of the previous novels in this series (No Trace, Dark Mirror) involve figures from the art world, this latest crime novel commences when Brock’s new posting is in fraud, as he takes a step away from homicide.
Brock is sent to investigate a scam email, the receiver of which is a Russian wife whose husband holds an incredibly valuable art collection. When she is later found dead, he is meant to close the case (in the role of a fraud detective), however, finds himself unable to do so. He does not believe the case should be closed.
Quite skilfully, Maitland integrates a parallel story within this main story. In a similar way, Kolla is called to a case of suicide, which she is also meant to close. However, like Brock, she does not accept it, and as a result of her “off-duty” investigations, Kolla’s career becomes threatened. Her suspicion is confirmed when she becomes the suspect under investigation, but is there any way she can prove her innocence?
The dual plots are intricate in this novel and the parallel stories create an excellent pattern of reading whereby both mysteries are paused by each other, in a way that provides the reader with a continual state of anticipation. There is sufficient character development throughout the novel, however a full understanding of their ties to each other requires knowledge of their history, as there is not a lot of focus on either of their emotional states or relationships with other people. As such, the depth of their characters is more in relation to their work personalities.
The Russian Wife is suitable for a wide audience, with no need to over analyse the plot in order to untangle the mystery. It will all be laid out for you. If you have no background knowledge of the duo detectives’ history together, you will still be able to follow and fully enjoy the story. Absolutely perfect for a touch of escapism during the summer.
Reviewed by Rebecca Wu
This review is the opinion of the reviewer and not Glam Adelaide.
Distributed by: Allen & Unwin
Released: November 2021
RRP: $32.99
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