The Man Who Walked Like a Bear: An Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov Novel

In this latest installment of the series, Porfiry is visiting Sarah in the hospital as she is recovering from brain surgery. A mental patient breaks into the room who, "walks like a bear" and whispers a secret to Porfiry. Sasha is working on a case where he is looking for a bus driver, who has 'gotten drunk' and parked his bus somewhere. Karpo is looking into a suggestion from a frightened woman that her son is going to kill a Poliburo member. This book gives us a lot of personal insight into Rostnikov, Karpo and Tchach. Porfiry is working to turn his boss, the 'grey wolfhound' from a manikin back into a respected policeman. This is a two edged sword because, though he will be rewarded (his boss) he will come to the attention of people who might want to do him harm. Porfiry is walking a fine line with the KGB once again, but seems to have everything well in hand. Sasha bus and busdriver have been kidnapped by Turkistani separatists who want to use it to blow up Lenin's Masoleum (this is the second time we've seen this one). Sasha also has to deal with telling his mother that he and Maya don't want her moving with them to the new apartment. Karpo is disturbed that after meeting the young man (who is dating the Poliburoman's daughter), that he is 'emotionally' involved in the problem. This being so new to him he has to go talk with Porfiry about it, like it was a disease. Karpo is so upset that he actually goes to see his girlfriend/prostitute a week early because he feels in the need of companionship. Porfiry tells him to forget it, it will pass like a mild cold. All in all I enjoyed this one more than 'A Cold Red Sunrise' for which Kaminsky won an Edgar. Go figure.

In his Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov series, Stuart Kamisky has deftly transplanted the McBain 87th Precinct police procedural to Soviet Russia. Chief Inspector Rostnikov is frequently reported to be carrying or reading an old copy of one of McBain's works and often refers to some of the characters. And as with the 87th Precinct, there are individual detectives, each with his own back stories, investigating different cases. This time out their Office of Special Investigations is looking into a possible murder plot against a member of the Politburo, the disappearance of a bus driver and his bus and, of course, a mysterious mental patient who "walks like a bear."Kaminsky leaves me wanting to know what happens to these guys and their families as the Soviet Union disintegrates. This was my first encounter and I have ordered more of the series. I am eagerly awaiting reading them!