Andrea Bennett: Galina Petrovna's Three-Legged Dog Story

Kvass – a fermented non-alcoholic drink made from rye bread

Laika – the stray dog sent in to orbit by the USSR in 1957

Lapochka – sweetie, term of endearment based on the word for paw, and used for small children and dogs

Lubyanka – HQ of the KGB in central Moscow

NKVD – the People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs, or secret police (forerunner of KGB)

Perestroika – a political movement for reformation of the Communist Party during the 1980s

Sharik – little ball, it is a common dog’s name in Russia

SIZO – stands for Sledstvenny Izolyator , and is a remand prison

Skoraya – ambulance

Spetznaz – Russian Special Forces

Svoloch – bastard, git

Vareniki – small stuffed dumplings

Vint – a domestically produced stimulant drug, usually injected

I would like to express my thanks to the following people: Richard Samuel, for his early read through of the manuscript, valuable comments and encouragement; Greg Lawrence, for bringing to my attention The Borough Press open submission opportunity; Katie Espiner, Cassie Browne and Charlotte Cray at The Borough Press for being so helpful, decisive and supportive; and Mick James, for telling me to get on with it – without whom, I probably wouldn’t have.

Andrea Bennett graduated from the University of Sheffield in History & Russian and then spent a good part of the ‘Yeltsin years’ living and working in Russia. On her return to the UK she joined the Civil Service – first at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, then the Department for International Development. A stint in local government followed, and she now works in the charity sector. This is her first novel. She lives in Ramsgate, Kent, with her family and dog.

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Copyright © Andrea Bennett 2015

Cover layout design © HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 2015

Cover images © Shutterstock.com(leaves, dress texture). Illustration by Heike Schüssler.

Andrea Bennett asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

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Source ISBN: 9780008108380

Ebook Edition © 2015 ISBN: 9780008108397

Version: 2015-01-13