Top ten novels set in Moscow

A linguist and an international negotiator, Ann Shevchenko speaks seven languages and is the author of two books on cross-cultural communication.

Her debut novel is Bequest.

For the Guardian, she named her top ten novels set in Moscow. One novel on the list:

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy (Moscow from 1810-1813)

The city of glamour and gambling, of superstition and appearances, relationships and glitzy balls.

"Moscow is about gossip, St Petersburg is about politics," says one of the characters.

It contrasts with the abandoned and burned city of 1813, Moscow after the Napoleonic invasion: the city of lost hopes, lost loves and lives.

Read about the other books on Shevchenko's list.

War and Peace also appears among Karl Marlantes' top ten war stories, Niall Ferguson's five most important books, Norman Mailer's top ten works of literature, and John Mullan's list of ten of the best floggings in fiction.

--Marshal Zeringue