Well, is there anything like objective researcher?
Having someone named Applebaum I would rather expect him/her being pro-Soviet not depending on background nor position.
While it is not a scientifical work, I consider it a very valuable position. It is footnoted, it does reffer to documents but to make it readable, large part of the book are various accounts. It is not suffering from an emotional approach, which is inevitable with such authors like Herling-Grudziński or Solzhenicyn. Having in mind that no other valuable and scientific books are not available to Western readers due to language problems, and due to fact the Western universities seem more Soviet rather than CheKa, I highly recommend that book.
I suggest to have a look in a library and then to buy it if necessary on the shelve.
A post scriptum to previous comments of Andrey Dikov.
Today, about 30 people protested by the Polish embassy in Moscow.
Reason - they negated NKVD responsibility for Katyn Massacre and accusted Soviet government, that in 1988-1991 they prepared false documents proving Soviet guilt.
Reputedly they have documents and witnesses claiming about 8000 Polish POWs worked on 26 June 1941 building a Minsk-Moscow highway.
Among protesters was Yuriy Mukhin, a publicist, often quoted by Russians in historical discussions.
Draw your own conclusions, what is a fashion and what is not.