A Mission for the Czar (Ring of Fire)

A steam engineer and diplomat duo, along with Vasilii's paramour Miroslava, take on the case to solve a murder of an arrogant snob who was a top surveyor. Their mission is complicated by the fact that they need to maintain the fragile agreement between the USSR and the State of Kazak. While working on the case, they also discover Vasilii's cousin who has been hiding out in Moscow after her family was murdered. Will they be able to solve the murder without putting the rights of every citizen in Kazak at risk? A thrilling read about political tensions, murder, and family.