{"product_id":"special-assignments-the-further-adventures-of-erast-fandorin-9780812978605","title":"Special Assignments: The Further Adventures of Erast Fandorin","description":"In \u003ci\u003eSpecial Assignments\u003c\/i\u003e, Erast Fandorin, nineteenth-century Russia's suavest sleuth, faces two formidable new foes: One steals outrageous sums of money, the other takes lives. \"The Jack of Spades\" is a civilized swindler who has conned thousands of rubles from Moscow's residents-including Fandorin's own boss, Prince Dolgorukoi. To catch him, Fandorin and his new assistant, timid young policeman Anisii Tulipov, must don almost as many disguises as the grifter does himself. \"The Decorator\" is a different case altogether: A savage serial killer who believes he \"cleans\" the women he mutilates and takes his orders from on high, he must be given Fandorin's most serious attentions.\u003cbr\u003ePeopled by a rich cast of eccentric characters, and with plots that are as surprising as they are inventive, \u003ci\u003eSpecial Assignments \u003c\/i\u003ewill delight Akunin's many fans, while challenging the gentleman sleuth's brilliant powers of detection. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003ePraise from England: \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Boris Akunin's wit and invention are a source of constant wonder.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e-Evening Standard\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\" Fandorin is] a debonair combo of Sherlock Holmes, D'Artagnan and most of the soulful heroes of Russian literature. . . . This pair of perfectly balanced stories permit the character of Fandorin to grow.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e-The Sunday Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"Agatha Christie meets James Bond:  Akunin's] plots are intricate and tantalizing. . . .  These stories] are unputdownable and great fun.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e-Sunday Express\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"The beguiling, super-brainy, sexy, unpredictable Fandorin is a creation like no other in crime fiction.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e-The Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Random House Trade\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 02\/12\/2008\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780812978605\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 352\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.58lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 7.98h x 5.28w x 0.77d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 12\/03\/2007 pg. 52\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 12\/15\/2007 pg. 1266\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 01\/15\/2008 pg. 68\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eEntertainment Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 02\/15\/2008 pg. 69\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eEntertainment Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 03\/07\/2008 pg. 86\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Boris Akunin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44033826816181,"sku":"9780812978605","price":13.6,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_3c6470d6-0d9a-4fe9-a079-91c8d25ce592.jpg?v=1713886549","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/special-assignments-the-further-adventures-of-erast-fandorin-9780812978605","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}