The Silver Bone by Audrey Kurkow

This is not your typical American crime/drama and comparing it would be a big disservice. Just after WWI is over Samson and his father must deal with a new headache - the Red Army. They murder his father and saw off Samson's ear leaving him to bleed in the street. The next thing he knows his house is requisitioned and he takes a job as a policeman because of his good penmanship. Samson takes all of this in stride using all his charm to woe the beautiful Nadezhda and work his first murder case. He does have one thing in his favor. His cut off ear still sends him sounds from the desk drawer allowing him to eavesdrop on the soldiers in his house. Samson is a delight even though this is a gritty crime novel of a violent time in Ukrainian history. Andrey Kurkov interjects bits of humor about how life goes on and the absurdity of life. This debut is the start of a series from a big name in Ukraine. ​  4 stars