The Russian Collector

Perlman’s lackluster second thriller featuring French National Police Sen. Insp. Gerard de Rochenoir (after 2010’s The Last Layer) bears quite a few similarities to the series launch. Once again, Gerard crosses swords with a femme fatale, assassin Sofia Mostov, who first efficiently dispatches a Russian oligarch and his bodyguard in London. And again, Perlman spends considerable time on the deepening relationship between Gerard and insurance investigator Catherine York; things have now progressed to the point of Catherine introducing her beau to her family. When two low-level Italian mobsters are executed in Marseilles, Gerard investigates and learns that the fatal shots were fired from weapons favored by the Russian and Mexican cartels. Meanwhile, Sofia is involved in a scheme to sell art stolen by the Nazis, which, predictably, ends up coming to the attention of Catherine’s employer. Having Gerard frequently quote Conan Doyle doesn’t make him a memorable character, and his adversary, described by her boss as “the ideal operative—an orphan, tough and without emotion,” is a flimsy stereotype. [em](Mar.) [/em]