Запах смерти

Endru Teilor — «odin iz luchshih sovremennieh avtorov v janre istoricheskogo detektiva» (The Times). On udostoen mnogih literaturnieh nagrad, takih kak viesshaia premiia Associacii pisatelei-kriminalistov Velikobritanii «Almazniei kinjal», premiia Associacii pisatelei-istorikov «Zolotaia korona», premiia «Barri», premiia Ellisa Pitersa v oblasti istoricheskoi literaturie 2013 goda. «Teilora vsegda interesovala nestabilnost jizni i soputstvuushaia ei istina: esli voznikaet neobhodimost, prodaetsia vse — pravda, chest, lubov. Imenno tak proishodit v Nu-Iorke XVIII veka» (The Guardian). Prodoljaetsia Voina za nezavisimost SShA. V avguste 1778 goda Manhetten, britanskii forpost, okrujenniei silami povstancev, napominaet plavilniei kotel: zdes polno soldat, bejencev, dezertirov, maroderov. . . V eto neprostoe vremia na amerikanskii bereg shodit Edvard Sevill, londonskii klerk, kotoromu porucheno razobratsia s pretenziiami loialistov, trebuushih kompensacii za vernost korone. I v perviei je den posle pribietiia ego vovlekaut v rassledovanie ubiistva, proisshedshego v nu-iorkskih trushobah. No esli jizn v epohu peremen stoit tak deshevo, pochemu eta smert imeet znachenie? Ochevidno, sozdanie nacii — pribielnoe delo, i nekotoriee ludi ne jelaut upustit viegodu, chego bie eto ni stoilo. . . Delo oslojniaetsia tem, chto ubitiei biel v chisle nedavnih postoialcev doma, gde ostanovilsia Sevill, i vladelcie — semeistvo Vintur — kajutsia klerku vesma podozritelniemi. Loialnost Britanii stoila im sostoianiia; ih pomeste bielo razgrableno, no kapitan Vintur hochet otieskat na etih razvalinah nechto ochen cennoe, a po nocham v dome slieshen plach rebenka, o kotorom ne jelaut govorit ni hoziaeva, ni slugi. . . Vperviee na russkom!

Andrew Taylor is "one of the best modern authors in the genre of historical detective" (The Times). He has been awarded many literary awards, such as the Diamond Dagger Award of the British Association of Crime Writers, the Golden Crown Award of the Association of Historical Writers, the Barry Award, and the Ellis Peters Prize in Historical Literature in 2013. "Taylor has always been interested in the instability of life and the accompanying truth: if necessary, everything is for sale — truth, honor, love. This is exactly what happens in eighteenth-century New York" (The Guardian). The American War of Independence continues. In August 1778, Manhattan, a British outpost surrounded by rebel forces, resembles a melting pot: it is full of soldiers, refugees, deserters, looters. . . At this difficult time, Edward Saville, a London clerk, comes ashore to deal with the claims of loyalists demanding compensation for loyalty to the crown. And on the very first day after his arrival, he is involved in the investigation of a murder that took place in a New York slum. But if life in an era of change is so cheap, why does this death matter? Obviously, building a nation is a lucrative business, and some people don't want to miss out, no matter what the cost. The case is complicated by the fact that the victim was among the recent guests of the house where Saville was staying, and the owners, the Wintour family, seem very suspicious to the clerk. Their loyalty to Britain cost them a fortune; their estate was plundered, but Captain Wintour wants to find something very valuable in these ruins, and at night a child can be heard crying in the house, which neither the owners nor the servants want to talk about. . . For the first time in Russian!