Il fante di picche

The historical details really immerse the reader, but I wonder what sources or research Akunin relied on to capture that era so vividly.

The characters seem to operate in shades of gray, which made me think about how morality is portrayed in detective stories. Was that intentional or just a natural outcome?

Including actual historical personalities adds depth, but I’m curious whether that was driven by a desire for authenticity or storytelling convenience.