Chernobyl Murders

Lazlo Horvath Thriller #1

by Michael Beres

In a western Ukraine wine cellar in 1985, Chernobyl engineer Mihaly Horvath discloses the unnecessary risks associated with the power plant to his brother, Kiev Militia detective Lazlo. Spawned by a desire to protect his family, Lazlo investigates—irritating his superiors, drawing the attention of a CIA operative, raising the hackles of an old KGB major, and ultimately discovering his brother’s secret affair with a Chernobyl technician, Juli Popovics. After the explosion, the Ukraine is not only blanketed with deadly radiation, but also becomes a killing ground involving pre-perestroika factions in disarray, a Soviet government on its last legs, and madmen hungry for power. With a poisoned environment at their backs and a killer snapping at their heels, Lazlo and Juli flee for their lives—and their love—in this engrossing political thriller.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Ebooks, Suspense, Ukraine, Historical Fiction

500 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Michael is a Chicago native living in West Michigan. With degrees in computer science and literature, he held a Q-clearance position at Argonne National Laboratory, and later documented analytical software.

His novels include Grand Traverse, an environmental thriller; The President's Nemesis, compared to The Manchurian Candidate by Library Journal; and Final Stroke, about a detective with a stroke.

His latest, Chernobyl Murders, is based on the 1986 disaster. The Chicago Tribune said "Chernobyl Murders is a page-turner of the highest order: from the compelling characterization to the vividly described landscape of a devastated Ukraine to the stunning cover art, Beres has penned himself a winner."
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Reviews

[International Cat Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. This book had a lot of potential. Unfortunately, it also had a pretty lame writer. The prose was mundane, the characters wooden. It's a pity, as the story itself - had it been told well - could've been great. As someone currently in Kiev (where a lot of the action in the book takes place), who has been to many of the places mentioned - and who will be going to Pripyat/Chernobyl in a few weeks, I did find the book interesting. Had I not been so personally invested in Kiev and Chernobyl, however, I'm not sure I would've been able to finish the book. Yawn.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. This book could have been so good. It has a promising storyline, but the flat characters and ridiculous dialogue killed it for me. I had a chapter left and could not finish it because I no longer cared what happened to the characters. Why? They are boring.

[stormhawk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Story is set around the time of the nuclear accident at Chernobyl. Rambles about quite a bit, pacing is uneven.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Page Turner. Great plot great characters

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chernobyl Murders was a surprising diamond in the rough. When I first started reading the book I didn���t have very high expectations but I pushed on as it was set against the backdrop of the Chernobyl Disaster. I quickly was hooked by the believable technical details and the intriguing plot; this resulted in me finishing the book in a few hours, despite the story being slow to start.

The book follows Lazlo Horvath, a police detective in Kiev as he tries to clear his brother���s name from involvement in a supposed terrorist attack on the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station before the KGB arrest him and his brother���s mistress for involvement in the attack. This gives the story good pace once it gets going and provides plenty of action.

The book is unfortunately let down by the writing. The characters, despite having moments of tangibility, are often predictable, wooden and their voices are stereotypical; at times merge into one. This is particularly seen in the case of the two PK officers ��� who, for most of the book, are interchangeable and woefully unbelievable. The prose is also awkward at times and in places incredibly dull.

The ending was something that really puzzled me. Set in the present day, it involves an encounter between Horvath���s niece and a spy in modern day Kiev. It left me confused and cheapened the ending. Therefore I felt the book would have been better ending with the previous chapter.

Overall, Beres should be praised for his research and fantastic plot; these points on their own make this a great read for those with an interest in nuclear disasters, Chernobyl in particular. It would also appeal to those who like novels based around the fall of the Soviet Union, as this political change is regularly referred to for context. However the poor writing style and one dimensional characters mean that some of the trill is lost and the book leaves you feeling slightly disappointed at end.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not like to shell out the 5 stars to any old book and that is why this one goes to 5 stars. This is not like the others. I am a sucker for a good Russian story to begin with and then I get hit with this one. Set against the backdrop of the Chernobyl disaster Beres weaves a tale that pulls the reader right into the story. This was still a time in Russia when you had the Communist regime sowing paranoia and fear among its citizens even as it was on it's last legs. The story is that a KGB Major is assigned to investigate the Chernobyl disaster. He quickly comes up with an intricate plot of his own that includes a Militia Detective and his brother, a senior technician at Chernobyl. This KGB Major is clearly creating this fabrication in hopes of advancing his career and will let no one get in his way. The book starts off a bit slowly but does so to establish the large cast and all supporting characters. This was also a time in Russia when change was coming to the old style of government and Beres uses his charcters to show up the old and the new changes occuring. Very well written and magnificently researched.

[Michael Frazier · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story had a LOT of promise/potential. The plot was pretty twisted; not in like a disturbing, grotesque way, but in a way where you could honestly say "I couldn't have created this if I tried." The author took an historic event and wrote a suspense novel around it. You know the premise of the Chernobyl disaster at this point; in the most Soviet Russia move ever, they constructed some massive conspiracy theory surrounding the explosion at the power plant. While I understand the title of the novel was "Chernobyl MURDERS", there was just a lot of unnecessary killing in here. I will say that it did end nicely, but everything else in this just seemed too outlandish, even for fiction. I feel very fortunate I only paid $9.00 for this at Powell's. "Chernobyl Murders" has earned the right to collect dust on my bookshelf for the rest of time.

[April (The Steadfast Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. This novel is okay. It is perhaps made more enjoyable for those with a minor background in radiation, the machines involved with checking it (dosimeters, geiger counters), terminology (roentgens 'RANK-ens'), and an idea of what radiation poisoning can do. An interest in the meltdown at Chernobyl probably helps as well. I have all of these things.

Still, it's fast paced with lots of action, less intrigue. Not awful, but not groundbreaking either.

If you have the time.

Probably worth the $3.99 it costs for the Kindle.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel because it has an air of historical fiction to it. The Chernobyl incident lends itself to a certain air of intrigue and mystery. Michael Beres did an excellent job answering 'what happened after Chernobyl exploded'. At times the novel moved a little slow for my tastes but the build up was worth it! By the end of the novel I could barely put it down; I just had to know what happened to the characters. If you like historical fiction and mystery, you will like this book.

[Eric Mathis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm almost halfway done reading this book, and the quick pace, engaging characters, and the descriptive and engrossing writing style of Michael Beres keep me wanting to read more after each turn of the page. The events of the horrific 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster are craftily interwoven into the plot of this spy thriller.

[Dee Renee Chesnut · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ebook was free when I downloaded it to my Nook library from Barnes and Noble in 2012.
"His fiction reflects our age of environmental uncertainty and political treachery." It was suspenseful, and its antagonist was unlike most in the mysteries I read.
I recommend it for all readers.

[Ashley]

#
NC
Own on Nook.

FS: "Kiev is usually warm for May as a noon crowd thickens with workers on their lunch break."

LS: "The red eyes of the predator, momentarily taken by the music, blinking to clear away its tears."

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

wish we could rate with 1/2 stars as well, this i really a 3 1/2 star book. i'd give it a 4, but it's slow to get going. once it gets going though, it's a really good read.

[Paul Dubal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good read - great depth of characters, lots of action and extensive research on one of the pivotal events of the 20th century.

[Sherry · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was difficult to get into but turned out to be an okay read

[Heather Firebaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am fascinated by the Chernobyl stories. This one puts you in the middle of it. Easy read.

[Knightreader Mullen · Rating 3 out of 5]

good read

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was better than I had expected. Somewhat predictable but I enjoyed reading it. It's one of those books that are easy reads and don't require too much thought.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

library ebook, won't summarize plot. Detail about Soviet times, and the Chernobyl disaster carried the book forward, I was turning pages to the end.

[Mieczyslaw Kasprzyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite an exciting thriller dealing with "events" occurring at the time of the Chernobyl disaster.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Blech! Drivel!