Why a Booktrail?
2015: Balthazar Kovacs, a detective on Budapest’s murder squad, is on the trail of a dead man.
District VIII (Danube Blues)
What you need to know before your trail
Balthazar Kovacs, a detective on Budapest’s murder squad, is on the trail of a dead man.
Minutes ago, Kovacs received an anonymous SMS showing a body and an address: 26 Republic Square – the former Communist Party headquarters and once the most feared building in the country. But now, amid the ruins of the demolished building, Kovacs finds no dead body, just six members of the Gendarmerie – an elite police force reporting directly to the prime minister – and an invitation to hand over his phone and cease his investigation.
Kovacs has taken his first step on a journey deep into Budapest’s dark heart, towards a deadly intersection of the criminal underworld, the corridors of power and the ghosts of history. A journey that will force him to choose between the law and family loyalty.
Travel Guide
Travel BookTrail style to District VIII, Budapest
A portrayal of contemporary Budapest.
The county of Hungary and its capital Budapest has a somewhat complicated and unusual history. Occupied by both the Nazi then Soviet occupations, it has suffered many political changes and turmoil over the years. Keleti train station has even been a makeshift refugee camp as recently as 2015!
The politics and politicians of the city are well evoked:
“But no Hungarian politician ever went to prison, no matter how corrupt they were and how strong the evidence against them. That was the one rule of engagement that all sides agreed on, whoever was in power”
On a lighter note(excuse the pun) there’s even talk of the music:
‘The band was the best known Gypsy orchestra in the world. For a moment he was back at home on Jozsef Street, a teenage boy listening to his older brother Melchior as he explained how during the Ottoman empire, Gypsy musicians had marched into battle alongside the soldiers, which was why, even now, bands like Boban Markovic had a distinctly martial rhythm.’
Booktrail Boarding Pass: District VIII (Danube Blues)
Destination/Location : Budapest Author/Guide: Adam LeBor Departure Time: 2015
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