In Search of the Romanovs: A Family’s Quest To Solve One of History’s Most Brutal Crimes

The cryptic House of Special Purpose in Yekaterinburg, Russia, also known as the Ipatiev House, was the scene of the 1918 execution-style murders of the final Russian emperor, Nicholas II, and his family. This was followed by bour days of grisly attempts to render the remains unrecognizable—burning them, pouring acid on them, and more. Disturbingly, politics in Russia hindered the excavation of the Romanovs’ remains until 1991, at which point authorities retrieve all the remains, except for those of two of the children, Maria and Alexis. In 1998, DNA testing validated the identities of the other remains, and the emperor’s family was interred in a cathedral. Thanks to further forensics, the remains of Maria and Alexis were found in 2007. Retired sea captain Sarandinaki’s book documents his research and involvement—more than 30 years—in the case, plus his personal connection to it: his grandmother Anna, a Russian national, told him about her wartime escape from Russia. Her father was Lieutenant General Sergei Nikolaevich Rozanov of the anti-Bolshevik, pro-monarchy White Army. The book rambles a bit at times, but the narrative of the recovery of the remains is gripping, enhances by black-and-white photos, plus maps and illustrations.