Svetlana’s Garden is a romantic thriller set in the dangerous world where Russian newspaper reporters are murdered for writing the truth and FSB operatives still mourn the passing of the corrupt Soviet empire.
The protagonist – Svetlana – is a feisty young reporter who has lived through a bad marriage, so she throws herself into her work – no matter how dangerous the story. In her world, businesses pay protection, editors are fearful, and the outward appearance of liberal democracy is undermined by corruption and state-sponsored terrorism.
Svetlana’s Garden paints an exciting and labyrinthine picture of modern Russian power politics from the point of view of a new breed of reporter – fearless, principled, gifted and female.
This is a domain that Anna Politkovskaya and many other murdered Russian journalists would have recognised. In a world where reporters can be murdered and no one convicted, where there is legislation by decree, and where the FSB rules, a journalist can trust no one – even after the story is told.
The woman’s viewpoint brings an empathy to this post-Cold War thriller that discloses not only the world of politics and protection, but also family and passion.
Click here to read a sample from Svetlana’s Garden.
