Perhaps second only to Jack the Ripper, the brutal end of the Russian royal family has been the subject of heated speculation, scholarly and literary writing and, of course, movies. The fascination with the Romanovs has endured time; they were executed in July 1918 and finally buried in Saint Petersburg in 1998. There is still talk of survivors, pretenders and coverups. Author Robert Alexander weaves a wealth of historical fact into his fictional account of the last days of Tsar Nicholas II and his family. A single mention of the sudden removal of their kitchen boy from the home, just hours before their grisly execution, in Tsaritsa Alexandra’s diary sparked the idea for Alexander’s novel. In The Kitchen Boy, readers share the eyewitness experiences of a 14-year-old servant in the Romanov household during their last few weeks alive. The same age as the Romanov heir, Alexei, who suffered greatly from hemophilia, one can feel the humanity and caring of the royal family. Although he is spared the gruesome fate of the others, the kitchen boy returns to the house and witnesses their murder. Alexander uses his knowledge of Russian customs and, indeed, his deep comprehension of the Russian soul, to describe in palpable detail the last days of this courageous if ill-fated family. Alexander opens a window to the hearts and minds of Russia’s royal family during their last days. They suffered, endured much, and still cared much for their Mother Russia. Once rulers of one-sixth of the world and possessing incomprehensible wealth, they were imprisoned for 18 months by the Bolsheviks. They once had 15,000 servants to attend to their every need; in those last months only four people volunteered to stay with them: a physician, maid, cook and the kitchen boy. The Romanov imperial dynasty survived more than 300 years of Russia’s tumultuous history, but ended in a savage and amateurish execution in a cellar room deep in Siberia. Alexander’s wonderfully crafted tale is like being an intimate witness to the last days of Tsar Nicholas II, Tsaritsa Alexandra, their four daughters and son. Despite knowing the outcome, The Kitchen Boy is a compelling read. One is drawn into the family, so to speak. And not everything is as it seems. Alexander (who is really mystery writer R.D. Zimmerman) takes readers on a twisted path to an unanticipated end. Alexander is the guest author for this year’s “Dinner with an Author” sponsored by the Kimball Area Friends of the Library. The event is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7. Tickets must be purchased by Oct. 31 ($10 for Friends members, $12 for non-members). Everyone is invited to Playland Ballroom in Kimball Nov. 7 for a chicken dinner and discussion with a talented writer about a fascinating subject. Following the dinner and presentation by the author, The Kitchen Boy will be available for sale and autographing.
