The Death of Achilles: Erast Fandorin 4 (Erast Fandorin Mysteries) - Tapa dura

With The Death of Achilles, the hilarious and dashing Erast Fandorin, Akunin's debonair Russian Sherlock Holmes, just seems to get better and better ... unputdownable and great fun ... a stunning continuation of form from a Russian author whose thriller writing is world-class (Sunday Express)

This fourth book in Akunin's series of detective novels starring dashing hero Erast Fandorin will not disappoint fans of the first three, or indeed any connoisseur of detective fiction ... a witty, rip-roaring thrill-fest (Time Out)

A stunning continuation of form from a Russian author whose thriller writing is world-class (Sunday Express)

A winning combination of crime fiction and adventure story as if Flashman were frisking through a tale by Dostoevsky (Independant)

The Death of Achilles may be historical pastiche but its wit and invention are a source of constant wonder ... All in all, a delicious confection (Evening Standard)

With The Death of Achilles, the hilarious and dashing Erast Fandorin, Akunin's debonair Russian Sherlock Holmes, just seems to get better and better...Akunin is more like Agatha Christie meets James Bond: his plots are intricate and tantalising...They are unputdownable and great fun...This is a stunning continuation of form from a Russian author whose thriller writing is world-class. (Viv Groskop SUNDAY EXPRESS (7.8.05))

I always enjoy Akunin's novels, Fandorin with his deductive genius, ninja skills and his bizarre winning streak in games of chance, seens almost too impressive. (Stuart Kelly SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY (7.8.05))

The Death of Achilles may be historical pastiche but its wit and invention are a source of constant wonder...All in all, a delicious confection. (Mark Sanderson EVENING STANDARD (15.8.05))

The Death of Achilles offers agreeable entertainment. It is written with great assurance and much invention. It is a literary equivalent of a pavlova. (Allan Massie THE SCOTSMAN (13.8.05))

This all terrific fun...There is plenty of the stuff you want from detective fiction: murderous dexterity acquired after long years of suffering; exotically lethal weaponry...; treachery in high places and detective genius, but Akunin is a fine novelist as well. The plot of Achilles is cleverly structured to reveal clues from both detective's and the villain's point of view. (Toby Clements TELEGRAPH (20.8.05))