Author:Seraphima Bogomolova

Publisher:Souliris UK Ltd

ISBN:978-0-9563711-6-4

This novella involves a beautiful, intelligent young woman caught up in intrigue with three powerful men who have designs on her. Handling them is her tricky game. Most of the action takes place in St. Petersburg and Moscow with side excursions to the Swiss Alps and Venice. Angela, the heroine, moves in high society circles, always providing additional class to her world.

The story corrects the misconception that communism left Russia with a single social class. Their elite are apparently on a par with the rest of Europe. Even Angela’s housekeeper has a dimming recollection of the old days, making them seem better over the passing years.

Seraphima writes in a somewhat unique style. The entire story is written in present tense which gives it an energetic flow. More than sixty percent is dialog, much of which might be influenced by her Russian roots. To illustrate (in my own words):

“What do you mean by influenced?”

“By influenced I mean responses often repeat words spoken by the first.”

“By the first words spoken by me?”

“Not necessarily the first words you spoke.”

“But just the same I spoke these words to which you refer?”

This style gives the dialog a certain charm though some might find it slightly stilted in today’s no-nonsense conversational environment. Regardless, stories told through dialog have a way of drawing the reader into each scene.

Interspersed with the dialog, descriptive pieces evoke colorful images with well-chosen wording such as “snow-laden branches of the evergreen trees extend their paws to her. She shakes them. The white ‘capes’ slipping off reveal the green bunches of their needles.” Throughout the novella, Seraphima paints her settings artistically yet without unnecessary words.

One might expect A Tricky Game to be a story of seat-gripping suspense and violent action. It is instead a story of charm, innuendo and debonair behavior. Is this a reflection of the author’s own life-style? Although the plot is initially difficult to discern, it does emerge as the story moves forward. All in all, a colorful insight into Russian society.

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