One of my very favourite authors. I love the unexpected twists and turns in Robert Goddard's novels, the mystery and suspense, not to mention great characters and engaging writing style. His plots are a bit contrived so you have to assume that some people can get involved in complicated situations almost by accident. In this case, the protagonist is asked by an old friend to bring him a parcel from England to where he is staying in Europe - this is one of the far-fetched bits - but this seemingly innocent errand unleashes a complicated crime-ridden plot that keeps you turning the pages, lots of twists and turns to keep you engaged. Like most of his novels, this is a murder mystery where you follow the main character to its resolution. This is not a police procedural or a detective story but rather what might happen to an innocent bystander who got caught up in a friend's shady dealings. ( )

Goddard's book --at least those I've read -- have common theme: a rather ordinary man is thrust into a vast conspiracy through no fault of his own and must figure a way out. In this case, British civil servant Richard Eusden is asked by his ex-wife, Gemma, to meet someone in a train station on the continent and collect a briefcase. He is then to take the briefcase to Marty, his ex-wife's current husband, and a former friend of Richard's. Gemma then sort of disappears from the story, but she is replaced by a cast of thousands. I won't even begin to sort out the plot for you because I can't. Seems everyone is somehow involved with the Tsar and fingerprints and about two-thirds of the way through I kept wondering whatever was motivating Richard who could (and should) have bailed many times.

The plot was formidable and rather predictable, but as an audiobook it held my interest, perhaps because the shower was nice and warm. I like Goddard but suspect this is not one of his better books. ( )

Generally speaking, it is a pretty good suspense book: it is good paced, interesting places, seems well researched, intriguing conundrum (based on a real life mystery the western world seemed quite obsessed about in various points in time), well written.

However, I was not pulled in - I did not get that 'can't-put-the-book-down' or the 'I-must-continue-reading-every-chance-I-get' feeling. It's why it took me about four months to read the book - I just forgot about it every time I put it down.

It may have been partly due to the fact that I, myself, have been curious about the Romanov's story and read about it a few months prior to purchasing the book. Problem was, in the last few years there was an advancement in the mystery, after a burial place have been discovered with bones of the two missing bodies of the Romanov's. I was left to wonder when the book was written in relation to that discovery - terrified it was written beforehand, I didn't really check it out (couldn't remember when the grave was found, and refused to look it up).
I hated the fact that the ending may have been marred for me, and I think it had something to do with me not really connecting to the book.

Of course, when I got to the end and this whole thing was referenced, I liked the book better.

Even if I disregard my personal conflict with the book, I still think the book was missing an emotional link for me that prevented me from really enjoying it. It was tepid for me.

I do like to point out, that my experience with suspense books is minimal, at best. It is not usually the genres I read, though I do like to enjoy it once in a while. Maybe enthusiasts for the genre will be able to appreciate the book more. ( )

Richard Eusden is a bored civil servant working at the Foreign Office in London and desperately wants some excitement in his life. Along comes Gemma, his ex-wife, to provide him with some. She has been tasked by her other ex-husband and Richard's life-long friend, Marty Hewitson, to deliver an attaché case to him in Brussels. Seeing as he hasn't seen Marty since he skipped the country while on bail, which Richard put the money up for, and add in the fact that Marty now has an inoperable tumour, Richard agrees and sets off on the errand that will forever change his life.

Richard finds out that the case holds documents that may bring to light the fate of the last of the Romanovs and that they could be worth a fortune. Betrayals and double-crosses abound in this country hopping twist of a story, passing though Belgium and onto Germany, Denmark and Finland. The scenery is excellent and it's a shame the story and characters don't match it. Still fairly readable though and the last hundred pages do fly by. ( )

I agree with some of the comments here, not one of his best and a disappointment. I read Name to a Face a while ago which was excellent. Found Wanting left me with the feeling that he did not take long to write it. ( )