The Exile and the Black Widow (Paperback) — Andriy Kokotyukha

In The Exile and the Black Widow by Andriy Kokotyukha, spring 1909 Kyiv detective Platon Chechel hunts a ruthless murderer targeting young girls. The culprit turns out to be the daughter of a secret adviser from St. Petersburg, who dies under the same circumstances as her victims. Powerful relatives accuse Chechel of slander, casting him into exile. To avoid penal servitude, he must save the life of millionaire von Schlesser—allegedly threatened by the infamous black widow. Yet when the baron dies, a chilling series of murders begins. All heirs are suspects—even Chechel himself. Forced to untangle a web of deaths, he must find the real killer to prevent further crimes and save his own life. This paperback edition (Vivat, 2025) spans 304 pages of gritty historical detective fiction with gothic intrigue and moral complexity.