The secret of the jade chain
The secret of the jade chain is an anthology by Boris Akunin , published in German in 2008 , which contains six short stories and reports on Fandorin's adventures in the 19th century. It appeared in the Russian original under the title Нефритовые чётки in 2007. The short stories are to be placed between the great novels of the Fandorin series. The Russian version of the book contains ten short stories (another three appeared in German-speaking countries in the form of the anthology Das Halsband des Leopard ) and is dedicated to ten classics of crime literature .
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The secret of the jade chain
It tells how Fandorin managed to get hold of his famous jade rose wreath, which he later used as a mediation and thinking aid. The work is dedicated to Robert van Gulik and occasionally deals with topics such as Chinese philosophy .
Table talk 1882
Fandorin slips into the role of a master detective and solves a brutal murder without leaving the room or ever having been at the crime scene, while he is guided only by the stories of the witness. Fandorin's gift of deduction as well as his rational side, which is subsequently contrasted with human bestiality, serves as a clear reference to the work of Edgar Allan Poe and his master detective Auguste Dupin.
From the life of the chips
In this short story, Akunin is guided by Georges Simenon and describes the life of the petty bourgeoisie with their wishes and problems. Fandorin is also integrated into the milieu and even has to give up his luxurious lifestyle for the time of the investigation.
The Baskakov's scarpea
The title already reminds the reader of Arthur Conan Doyle's masterpiece " The Hound of the Baskervilles ". Indeed, Akunin also has an old legend that promises the arrival of a mysterious animal on the edge of the moor. However, this is a giant snake that seems to want to drag the last member of the Baskakov family with it.
A cent of a percent
Akunin mimics the plot and relationship patterns from Patricia Highsmith 's bestseller "Strangers on a train", Fandorin seems to despair of a murder case because he finds no motives or evidence against the perpetrator. The reader has the unique opportunity to observe what is happening from the perspective of the perpetrator.
Before the end of the world
Fandorin is investigating in northern Russia, where several Old Believer suicides have already been recorded. The short story is inspired by Umberto Eco's " The Name of the Rose " because Fandorin is confronted with the alternative religious movements of Russia and tries to catch a murderer who believes he is acting according to God's sign.
book
- The secret of the jade chain. Fandorin determined. Structure paperback, Berlin 2008, ISBN 3-7466-2421-5