Russian Artifice

Boris Akunin, Turkish Gambit, 2005
This is the third adventure of the Russian detective Erast Fandorin, a stuttering, moody youth who has great powers of deduction. Set in the late 1800s, the story is told through the eyes of Varya, a young "modern" woman who travels to the frontline of Russian's war against Turkey in Romania in order to be with her fiancé (a cryptographer with the army). Like an Indiana Jones heroine, Varya seems to have a knack for attracting trouble and being always in the midst of action. As Fandorin's temporary assistant, she helps him find a spy in their midst who is helping the Turkish army trick and stall the Russians.

A very enjoyable and light read, with touches of Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes.

The Good Advice that You Just Didn't Take