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Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
A Bag Full of Stones by A. Molotkov is a crime novel that paints a deeply human, sociopolitical portrait of modern America. We find ourselves in Portland during the turbulent months of 2019, where the story interweaves the lives of immigrants, minorities, and damaged detectives whose paths converge over a kidnapping that exposes more than just criminal intent; it reveals the fractures in the national psyche. As one Iranian student disappears, the investigation exposes systemic injustice, addiction, and ideological extremism bubbling beneath the city’s liberal facade. Each character—whether a gambler cop, a desperate immigrant, or a reluctant activist—is drawn with nuance and empathy, making the unfolding drama feel urgently personal.
Author A. Molotkov homes in on character and attitude. He writes with elegance but is also unafraid to dig into the emotional, cultural, and political complexity of each storyline. I was particularly struck by how the book manages to feel both intimate and panoramic as it focuses on raw, individual pain while reflecting on broader societal wounds, where it links the storylines together. The prose is expressive without ever feeling indulgent or flowery, and the crime elements are less about whodunit, although there's a solid mystery plot at the core, than about who is left to pick up the pieces. This emotional angle is powerful and keeps you in the moment as we look at each character for an in-depth portrait of what makes them tick. Overall, A Bag Full of Stones is a poignant, unflinching exploration of justice, identity, and humanity in a nation unraveling. I recommend it to readers who want their crime fiction to challenge them as much as it compels them to find out what happens next.
