Buried By The Stardust: Queen Of The Uzbeks: Book Two

By Martin Dench

'Think about it. Live or die, they'll be bona fide heroes of both the Soviet Union and the world. And dead, they'll be martyrs for the cause. And, of course, in the future all anyone will remember will be that the USSR got to Mars first.'

Major Shahzoda Aleksandrovna Eshonto'rayeva of the KGB finds herself despatched to Kazan to interrogate and torture a group of unlikely subversives. But, mid-session, she finds herself ordered to attend a party in Tashkent to celebrate her father's 35 years as Finance Minister in the Third Revolution government of the Soviet Union. Things get even more bizarre when the only transport available is a Tupolev TU-95 "Bear", and the journey includes a detour to launch cruise missiles against Chechen rebels.

Having somehow survived the nightmare of a family reunion, she then finds herself recalled to Moscow, only to be instantly despatched to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the eve of the first manned mission to Mars. A technician has been murdered, and Shahzoda is once again cast in the role of detective.

In the course of her investigation, she discovers that the Soviet Union she thought she knew was nothing but an empty lie, the reality darker than she could ever have imagined. Baikonur Cosmodrome harbours a cesspit of humanity, and the murder of a Flight Engineer seems to be the least of her problems.

Pursued by a perverted and very ancient Hero of the Soviet Union, as well as one of the cosmonauts soon to be heading to Mars, she finds herself knee-deep in conspiracies and sordid lies. As she struggles to make any progress with the murder investigation, she discovers there are secrets buried inside the Cosmodrome that are so powerful they could bring about the collapse of the USSR.

In a world where no one can be trusted, Shahzoda has to walk the increasingly thin line between loyalty to the state and upholding the fragile and seemingly arbitrary rule of law.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1917972253
• ISBN13: 9781917972253
• Release Date: May 2025
• Publisher: House of the Tiger
• Length: 544 Pages
• Weight: 1.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"