Saul Pope – author of New Holland

Saul Pope lived in St. Petersburg for a year as a student, and four years as a teacher/Director of Studies. An extract from New Holland won the February 2011 ‘First Chapter’ prize on www.writersbillboard.com.

Saul’s blog can be found at www.saulpope.wordpress.com.

New Holland

Published: 25th August 2011

English:

Jonathan David is a private investigator in St. Petersburg, living alone with his Ladybird books. He is offered $100,000 to investigate the kidnap of the city governor, but immediately suspects the person who has hired him – the governor’s wife. However, as the story unfolds he begins to realise that there’s considerably more to the case than he first thought…

As kidnapping follows kidnapping, and police corruption becomes obvious, Jonathan ends up drawn far further into events than he ever intended – along with his best friend, his ex-girlfriend, and a potential new flame.

Set during the White Nights, when the city barely gets dark, New Holland is a page-turning mystery with plenty to say about money, corruption and the bravery of ordinary people.

Russian:

Похищен губернатор Санкт Петербурга. К живущему в одиночестве частному следователю Джонатану Давиду обращается жена губернатора. Вознаграждение за нахождение мужа – $100000. На первый взгляд все подозрения падают на жену губернатора, но вскоре Джонатан понимает что все не так просто как показалось на первый взгляд. Окутанный белыми ночами Санкт Петербурга Джонатан вскоре оказывается в опасности на острове Новая Голландия…

(Note: the novel itself is written in English.)

How to Buy New Holland

You can purchase New Holland from Espresso Books for $2.99. This includes electronic editions of the book in .pdf, .epub and .mobi formats, so that you can read it on any ereader device or on your computer.

You can also purchase New Holland direct from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk  if you prefer a Kindle-only format. (Note, though, that our .mobi files can easily be read on a Kindle.)

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Excerpt from New Holland

The doorbell jerked Jonathan David awake just before seven. He’d probably been dreaming about Olesya again, but then she ghosted into his mind most nights.

Nobody knows where I live, he thought as he stumbled around the room, trying with half-shut eyes to find a full set of clothes. Nobody except one person. A peek through the front door’s spy hole revealed he was correct. Paul. With a Russian woman. Jonathan opened the door, scratching a mosquito bite on his arm and wondering why his friend always insisted on bringing them to him before breakfast.

‘Morning, Jon.’

‘It’s a bit early. Can you give me ten minutes?’

Paul looked around before whispering his answer. ‘We need to come in now. I don’t want Olga Andreevna to wait out here; it wouldn’t be good if she got recognised.’

‘What?’

‘She’s got an urgent case. Let us in and I’ll explain everything.’

Jonathan stepped aside, gluey eyes scanning the lady. Somewhere in her late forties or early fifties, she was attractive: probably part of St. Petersburg’s jet set with her expensive raincoat, extravagant hairstyle and extra-soft skin. She looked uncomfortable in her shabby surroundings, as if she feared she might catch some disease just by being there. Jonathan wondered whether he recognised her – perhaps from the many hours of television he’d been clocking up – but chased the thought away as he realised the poor impression his dishevelled early-morning state was making. A wealthy woman on his doorstep could mean a decent payday for once.

‘Put some coffee on, Paul, and I’ll be through in a few minutes.’

‘We’ll be in your office.’

Changing into a clean t-shirt, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror left by the previous occupant: he ate little, but there was a bulge where his stomach was. Next to Paul and the Russian he probably looked like a tramp. As he sprayed himself with deodorant, he thought about the woman. For some reason he’d felt uncomfortable when they made eye contact. He tried to guess what she wanted. Usually the women Paul brought needed proof their husbands were being unfaithful, though she seemed of a different class. Perhaps she was being unfaithful and wanted help covering her own tracks.

Trying to ignore how tired he felt, Jonathan straightened his shoulders and sat down behind his desk. His mind was quickly scrubbed awake.

‘Jonathan, I’d like you to meet Olga Andreevna. She’s the wife of St. Petersburg’s governor.’

‘Semyon Mikhailichenko?’

Olga Andreevna’s glare marked his answer with a fat X. Paul continued, glancing nervously at her as he did so. ‘No – Mikhailichenko was arrested before the election, remember?’

Jonathan didn’t remember – he’d probably been very drunk in front of a bad film that day.

‘Her husband is Alexey Vinogradov, and last night he was kidnapped in the garden of his offices. A smashed bottle of cognac was found by an area overlooking the river.’

‘An inside job?’

‘Possibly – but the police have discounted the driver and the bodyguard. CCTV corroborates their alibis.’

Jonathan remembered an anti-government blog he’d read. ‘Isn’t Vinogradov the one turning half the city into shopping malls?’

‘He’s building more retail units, yes.’

‘A high-pressure job. I’ll bet he liked a drink.’

Paul looked uneasy. He remained silent.

‘It sounds more like an accident than a kidnap. Most likely he was winding down with a bottle, feeling the heat from the Moscow puppet masters. He went for a dip and drowned in the Neva.’

‘Jonathan…’

‘Or he wanted to die and jumped in. Now his people want a cover up. I don’t want any involvement if…’

‘My husband is not a drunk and not a puppet! And he did not kill himself!’

Jonathan had assumed Olga Andreevna did not speak English very well. Staring at his computer screen, he blushed slightly. Paul touched her arm, glaring at Jonathan with a look he’d often seen since returning to St. Petersburg. He wondered whether Paul was becoming a surrogate big brother.

‘It’s OK, Olga Andreevna. Jonathan’s covering all the possibilities. He likes to get stuck in when he’s starting an investigation. I told you he was good.’

Jonathan twitched in his seat. He hadn’t agreed to any investigation.

He was about to speak when Paul caught his eye and started talking quickly. ‘There are several very strong leads, including one to foreign businessmen.’

‘Do the police know about what’s happened?’

‘They won’t find him!’ Olga Andreevna cut in suddenly.

The reaction seemed exaggerated. Jonathan turned to look at her. ‘Why do you say that?’

..

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