There is nothing that makes a story seem more real than if it's based on a true event. That is what drew me to read Chernobyl Murders by Michael Beres.

In keeping with his title, Mr. Beres writes with such an eastern European flavor, I had no problem imagining being in Kiev in the Ukraine. Some of his prose is quite lyrical.

The story begins many years after the dreadful nuclear power plant accident that shocked the world, and then in chapter two, the author takes us back to 1986 when, only months prior to the accident, one of the workers at the power plant meets with his brother at a family retreat. In the safety of the wine cellar, Mihaly Horvath reveals his fears to Lazlo, a detective for the Kiev Militia, about what he thinks is happening at the nuclear facility.

One great line in this book is: 'As any Soviet citizen knows, the less the news, the greater the story'. In this case, that is true. Officials try to keep the accident quiet so no one realizes how extensive the damage is or what it portents for the future. At first nobody is told anything; all people can go on are the rumors that begin to emerge in the aftermath and what they see with their own eyes. The incident is riddled with conspiracy and treachery, suspicion and denial. A KGB officer, embittered by life and looking for promotion, begins a personal vendetta against Lazlo and his family, accusing them of sabotage. Those who would argue with him are too afraid, and soon Lazlo is fleeing for his life.

The author makes the Chernobyl Murders seem so real, as I read, I felt as though this was a personal experience for him. He has certainly researched his material for this book and couldn't have captured the flavor more perfectly.