The Secret Speech (The Child 44 Trilogy, 2)

A sequel to the author's novel "Child 44", this thriller picks up the story of State Police officer Leo Demidov, three years after he is denounced and faces a crisis of faith in the Soviet system. It is 1956, and Khrushchev has given a speech which many take as license to exact revenge on those who imprisoned, tortured and killed under Stalin's regime. Leo is a prime target.As in the first book, this is a detailed look at life in that fear-nurtured society and how its citizens reacted in trying to protect themselves. Here the question of Leo's guilt in the terror and death of thousands requires even more examination by the reader, because he is both hero of the story and, without doubt, a villain, reformed though he wants to be. The question of what punishment should be meted out, and by whom, is central to the plot. There is also a family-related drama intertwined in the revenge sought by Leo's victims, and it is this thread which I found to be the weak point in the story. Without giving away any spoilers, let me just say that Leo's attempt to find a way to overcome this family problem seems unbelievable to me: it's hard to imagine anyone making the effort he does or caring about the outcome as he does.However, given that caveat, I liked this book tremendously. The writing is gripping, the plot full of twists and adventure, the characters memorable. I will look forward to a future installment in Leo's story.

I was thrilled to see I could continue to live in Leo's world a bit longer.The Secret Speech is not as fantastically compelling as Child 44 but it is a worthy follow-up and certainly worth your reading energies.Time has moved into the 50's and Russia's new government has made a statement condemning the harsh ways the citizens were treated by the police in the past. The relationship between the police force and the society they oversee now teeters on the edge of eruption.This book moves from the secret arrests, harsh interrogations and unfair detentions of Child 44 to the Siberian gulags where these detainees were sent. The fact that these were a way of life for a country for decades is a frightening thought. We spend much time with Leo's family in this book and come to know his daughters and wife much better. They are great characters and their stories are compelling, exciting and suspenseful.The length of these books has been welcome -- they are intricate and tell amazing stories; however, I feel the end of this novel is the end of this story. I did not feel the "back cover" of the final book of the trilogy sounded interesting or even necessary for Leo's story.This is an author to set alerts for...Child 44 and The Secret Speech are amazing!

Let me start off by saying that The Secret Speech is not quite as good as Child 44 -- BUT it is a very good historical thriller and definitely well worth reading. Tom Rob Smith's second novel takes places in 1956, post-Stalin Soviet Union. During this time a violent regime is beginning to come apart, resulting in a society where the police are the criminals and the criminals are the innocent. The "firecracker" during this period is when a secret document based on a speech by Stalin's successor, Nikita Khrushchev, is distributed throughout the nation. The basic theme of Khrushchev's message is that Stalin was a murderer and a tyrant, and that life in the Soviet Union will improve. The plot of The Secret Speech moves from the streets of Moscow during its political upheaval, to the Siberian gulags and to the heart of the Hungarian uprising in Budapest. Central to the plot is former state security officer, Leo Demidov, the hero of Smith's Child 44. Demidov is now the head of Moscow's homicide department, and while striving to see justice done, his life is in turmoil due to trying to build a life with his wife, Raisa, and their adopted daughters who have yet to forgive him for his role in the death of their parents. On top of this personal turmoil, Demidov and his family are in serious danger from someone with a grudge against him. The Secret Speech is an exciting, visceral, well-written page-turner from beginning to end that paints a vivid picture of the post-Stalinist Soviet Union at its onset. Further, as was also true in Child 44, Smith's characters are richly developed and are ones that this reader felt he got to know well. I should point out that The Secret Speech isn't flawless, although none of these flaws are major. Perhaps, the biggest of these minor flaws is that some of the plot developments are somewhat too coincidental and a bit far-fetched. But this book is fiction, after all, and these minor flaws do help to contribute to the book's excitement. In addition, I should point out that potential readers of The Secret Speech would highly benefit from reading Child 44 first. Enjoy!

After reading and thoroughly enjoying Child 44, I couldn't wait to read The Secret Speech. I was too young to remember the actual occurrence of Khruschev's speech, but loved the story. Tom Rob Smith's writing appeals to me very much. I find his stories very hard to put down....true page turners. While there are some unbelievable episodes in the book, Smith manages to deliver them in a believable way. And I love that I can picture the events without needing all sorts of special effects and computer generated graphics in order to appreciate them. I already have Agent 6 and will be reading it in the very near future.

It’s a really good read.

Fun book, easy to read. Not as good as the first but that's often the case!

Another great book in the series from Tom Robb Smith about Communist Russia. A marvellous plot beautifully told.

ソビエトの歴史をほとんど知らないのんで、唖然としてしまうシーンが多いのだが、私の英語の読解力では、単純に良く出来た小説だと思ってしまった。ただし、登場人物のほとんどの生い立ちが悲劇的すぎているので、ストーリー全般とのバランスに不自然さが残ってしまったように思った。child44よりは、読みやすかったが、まだ小説にするのには、むずかしい問題のようにも思ってしまった。

I really enjoyed reading this book, loved the characters and the story. One of these books that you must keep turning the pages. Highly recommended.