(book review)

‘None of your dog’s business’ is a crime novel by modern Ukrainian author Martyn Yakub, who describes reality as very mysterious, keeping the reader in suspense until the very end. Nevertheless, the book is easy to read.

The events unfold in Kyiv. Businessman Viktor does not believe that his wife died as a result of an accident. He is sure that it was a murder, so he enlists the help of former classmate and current detective Max Gedz and pays him crazy money for it. The detective, on the other hand, is very doubtful that it is a murder, but accepts the money and sets about investigating a trivial, at first glance, case. But all people have their secrets, so Max’s investigation leads to unexpected consequences.

There are really a lot of dogs in this book and they play a big role in the lives of many people and the plot. Unfortunately, there are maniacs for whom the killing of these innocent creatures is a pastime that brings insane pleasure. This is how the author describes this evil: “When you grow up a little, you come across the fact that there are people who do things that are out of your way of thinking about the world. They break the rules. But somewhere then, you become confident that these offenders will be punished. You will be protected by parents, friends, and teachers. Oh, right? Just in case, there is the police, whom everyone is afraid of, so they have to think three hundred times before doing something bad. But then…Then there comes a moment when you understand: evil doesn’t just exist, it surrounds you. It consumes and destroys everything you are. And most importantly, evil feels unpunished.”

The book is very catching and sometimes creepy, with an unexpected ending. But I personally missed more interaction between the characters. Because of this, it felt as if fragments of the text were lost, which should explain the circumstances leading up to further events. I recommend it for reading! My rating is 4/5