Let the Dead Bury the Dead

Epstein’s (A Tip for the Hangman) gripping page-turner is set in an alternative Russia shortly after the War of 1812. The exiled Grand Duke Felix joins the Koalitsiya, who are revolutionaries advocating for equality for the poor, peasants, and workers. Sasha, Felix’s lover, a soldier who has pledged unconditional allegiance to the tsar despite his harsh treatment of his citizens, returns triumphant from the war against Napoleon and attempts to rekindle his relationship with Felix, though it seems that they may now be on opposing sides of the uprising. On his way to the palace, Sasha encounters an ethereally beautiful silver-haired woman lying motionless in the snow. He carries her to the Catherine Palace, where Felix lives. Felix and Maya, an active leader of the Koalitsiya, are mesmerized by Sofia, who appears to have magical powers; Sasha, on the other hand, believes she is an evil spirit. Epstein skillfully weaves reworked eastern European folktales into the narrative, captivating listeners’ imaginations. Narrator Katia Kapustin’s interpretation of the characters and her well-paced reading enhance the excitement of the audio.