Moscow lies deep under snow, and Arkady Renko is called in to handle a delicate matter: passengers riding the last metro of the night have repo... read full description
reviews
Jan 25, 2012
Kelanth, in tenebris lux tua
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Dopo una parentesi nella zona proibita di Chernobyl, Renko torna ad investigare a Mosca. Per chi non lo sapesse Arkady Renko è un ispettore di Mosca, figura triste e solitaria narrata nei primi (e più famosi) libri di Smith in "Gorky Park" o "Stella Polare", quando ancora c'era la cortina di ferro.
Solita costruzione magistrale della trama, ben costruiti i personaggi che erano presenti anche nel precedente libro (Lupo Mangia Cane) e sempre ottimo il personaggio pri More...
Solita costruzione magistrale della trama, ben costruiti i personaggi che erano presenti anche nel precedente libro (Lupo Mangia Cane) e sempre ottimo il personaggio pri More...
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Jan 12, 2012
Jonathan
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The Arkady Renko series from Martin Cruz Smith has to be the most chronologically dispersed series I have ever seen. It began with Gorky Park in 1981 and has continued up to 2010 with Three Stations, and in those 30 intervening years there have been only seven novels total. But true to the old adage, “good things come to those that wait,” fans of Martin Cruz Smith and Arkady Renko have been well rewarded over the years. These things are good. To be more precise, the one installment I’ve read
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Dec 08, 2009
Bruce
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"Renko can't do anything," Urman reassured Pacheco. "He's hiding from the prosecutor here and disowned by the prosecutor in Moscow. Besides, he's a dead man." (p. 267)
This pretty much sums up the entirety of what *I* would call the sixth and best book of the Renko series (Gorky Park) to date, and in my estimation, that's saying something. The theme of Stalin's Ghost is the unwelcome surprise our exhumation of the past can entail, a theme borne out casually throug More...
This pretty much sums up the entirety of what *I* would call the sixth and best book of the Renko series (Gorky Park) to date, and in my estimation, that's saying something. The theme of Stalin's Ghost is the unwelcome surprise our exhumation of the past can entail, a theme borne out casually throug More...
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Oct 21, 2009
Lori
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Having read the Arkady Renko series, I have to say, that Stalin's Ghost was not my favorite. It wasn't bad, but for me not the best. Arkady is again back in Moscow, delving into a case that isn't his own, against the advice of his partner, love interest and boss. What happens is a trail that continually leads back to two detectives Isakov and Urman. Is Arkady interested because he wants justice or because his girlfriend is cheating on him with Isakov? This story cleverly interweaves WWII Russian
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Jan 20, 2012
Michael
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This was a fast-paced novel with some surprising twists. But the thing I really liked about it was how well it was researched. The story takes place in Russia, and most of the characters are Russian. Despite the writer being an American, you really feel like your shivering in the snows of Moscow and Tver along with Arkady and Eva and all the rest. I studied Russian literature in high school, and so the country has always had a special place in my heart, so it was good to see that Mr. Smith d
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Oct 26, 2010
Steve
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When I was looking at the books Smith has written, I was surprised to see that I've actually read all of the Renko novels. I've liked all of the books, but have not been wild about them (well, except for Gorky Park, which I would rate 5 stars). For some reason, I just don't like the way Smith closes his novels, it always seems rushed, and Stalin's Ghost is no different. And yet, I think Renko is one of the remarkable characters I've run across in all of fiction. What a dilemma! 5 stars for th
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Feb 11, 2010
Sandybanks
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Arkady Renko possesses all the traits of classic noir detectives; he is a loner who smokes too much and sleeps too little, he has a penchant for tough dames who might or might not be in league with the bad guys, and he gets beaten a lot for too little money. But being Russian he is also subject to other, more exotic predicaments that his colleagues in West could hardly imagine. For starters, his father is one of Stalin’s favorite generals whose wartime hobby is collecting ears taken from slain e
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Feb 05, 2009
His sixth Arkady Renko novel in 26 years, Martin Cruz Smith has produced a suspenseful page-turner packed full of vivid characters, clever dialogue, and hair-raising plot twists. In addition to a gripping mystery, readers will embrace the detailed, harrowing descriptions of the harshness and violence of life in the "New Russia." Critics unanimously praised Smith's sobering depiction of contemporary, post-Communist Russia; indeed, the country emerges as a character in its own right. The
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Nov 30, 2010
Elizabeth
rated it:
I've been a fan of Martin Cruz Smith's Arkady Renko series since the first novel -- Gorky Park -- appeared as an paperback original in 1982. His Moscow investigator is cynical but dogged, and over the years we've seen through his eyes as the menacing USSR of the cold war has been transformed into the menacing Russia of the 21st century. He's written about oligarchs and Chernobyl, Havana and Russian trawlers, and all of it with a convincing patina of authenticity. I haven't a clue if Smith really
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Jan 03, 2009
James
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I haven't read a detective novel in awhile, and I'm glad I came back to them with this one. I decided to read it after taking a lot pleasure in Cruz Smith's prose in a piece about Moscow he wrote for _National Geographic_, and it was great. Arkady Renko is a terrific detective protagonist. The narrative and social setting is fantastic; the plot sprawls but successfully weaves together in a way that doesn't feel contrived. I wondered sometimes how much of the Russian setting was written by an Ame
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Aug 10, 2010
Sue
rated it:
I felt that I needed a change of pace with books, so picked up a 'thriller'. Unfortunately, this one was ok but not the best thriller I have read. I suppose if I had started with the first of the character series I may have enjoyed it more. I felt like there were a lot of things that I missed somehow- things about the character that were no doubt disclosed in earlier books. But a well written book shouldn't depend on the earlier versions to beef up the characters, so on that account I would
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May 14, 2009
Terry
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Years ago I read and liked Gorky Park (I think I traveled to Russia at about that time) but I haven't returned to this author since then. Stalin's Ghost features the same lead character--very reticent but also engaging--and is set in more-or-less contemporary Russia, so it was interesting to see the same character in a very different setting. As the title suggests, the story focuses on a conflict between old and new values. A quick read and I liked it, but not recommended for reading 10 page
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Jun 03, 2009
Simon
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Im a big fan of Arkady Renko, the most human of all detectives who always gets his man or woman. Martin gets a bit literary with this book, some new phrasing which left me guessing sometimes where I was in the story. However not distracting to the point of stopping as I have done with some books and coming back when I was ready to follow and not just following like some sheep. Some authors do this to me. Anyhow, loved the story and the new woman. The boy was not an endearing character but I unde
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Oct 06, 2010
Brad
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I didn't like GORKY PARK twenty years ago, and I haven't read Smith since until now. But this is a very good crime novel. Either Smith has improved as a writer or my tastes have changed.
In any event, I recommend STALIN'S GHOST. It is a quick read, and fun. There is love, intrigue and suspense. Arkady Renko, Smith's protagonist, is complex and the flashbacks to his father (one of Stalin's favorites) are chilling on several levels.
Readers who enjoy the crime genre will find More...
In any event, I recommend STALIN'S GHOST. It is a quick read, and fun. There is love, intrigue and suspense. Arkady Renko, Smith's protagonist, is complex and the flashbacks to his father (one of Stalin's favorites) are chilling on several levels.
Readers who enjoy the crime genre will find More...
Oct 17, 2011
Marfita
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Dec 30, 2009
Nate
rated it:
Earlier:
Following through on my Genre Fiction plans with the latest from Martin Cruz Smith, whose Gorky Park basically set the standard for modern noir for me back in the day. Frozen Moscow is a good corollary to noir's traditionally rain-streaked streets, and Smith's novels, gradually advancing through Russian history from the Soviet era through the current democracy and capitalism, have maintained form fairly effectively. This time around the absurdity of the seeming central myster More...
Following through on my Genre Fiction plans with the latest from Martin Cruz Smith, whose Gorky Park basically set the standard for modern noir for me back in the day. Frozen Moscow is a good corollary to noir's traditionally rain-streaked streets, and Smith's novels, gradually advancing through Russian history from the Soviet era through the current democracy and capitalism, have maintained form fairly effectively. This time around the absurdity of the seeming central myster More...
Oct 18, 2008
Dorothy
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I had read "Gorky Park" and "Polar Star" by this author and those books feature the same main character as this one, Arkady Renko. I found Arkady an enormously appealing character and so I was interested to read this latest adventure of his. My husband, who read the book first and recommended it to me, warned me that Arkady was "rough-handled" in the book. Rough-handled he certainly was, but nothing will stop him from doing what he considers the honorable thing.
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Oct 13, 2008
Jennifer
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At this point, I will follow Martin Cruz Smith and his fictional (but oh so real) Moscow detective, Arkady Renko, anywhere they decide to take me--no matter how bleak and despressing. Though not quite as grim as his previous novel, Wolves Eat Dogs, which took place in and around Chernobyl, this installment comes close. As usual, Renko is on the outs with his boss in the Investigator's office so he is sent to investigate a sighting of Stalin on a Moscow subway platform. This seemingly small as
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Sep 22, 2008
Tony
rated it:
Smith, Martin Cruz. STALIN’S GHOST. (2007). ***. Smith continues his adventures with his hero, Inspector Arkady Renko. This time, he and his partner are ordered to investigate the appearance of Stalin in one of Moscow’s subway station. The number of people who have seen him swells everyday, and Renko needs to get to the bottom of it. Turns out that this is just a ploy developed by a man running for office that will get him better known and associate him with Stalin – the hero of the peopl
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Aug 24, 2008
Sarah
rated it:
I think that this is one of the best of the Arkady Rneko novels. I thought that Polar Star was pretty good especially for its descriptions of the Arctic cannery boats and what that life was like. However this book captures the ambivielance of the post-Communist era in Russia and also touches on how people manage to remember things more positively than they really were.
The nostalgic attachment to Stalin reminds me of how many people in the forties suddenly remember high school as More...
The nostalgic attachment to Stalin reminds me of how many people in the forties suddenly remember high school as More...
Jul 27, 2008
Kathleen
rated it:
Stalin’s Ghost, by Martin Cruz Smith, A. narrated by Ron McLardy, unfortunately abridged, B-plus, produced by Simon and Schuster audio, downloaded from audible.com.
Since this book is coming up for discussion in a group I belong to, I chose to purchase the abridged copy, since that was all that audible.com had. I usually never purchase an abridged copy because you never know what piece of information you’re missing from the whole book. But in this case, we have the usual bleak Arka More...
Since this book is coming up for discussion in a group I belong to, I chose to purchase the abridged copy, since that was all that audible.com had. I usually never purchase an abridged copy because you never know what piece of information you’re missing from the whole book. But in this case, we have the usual bleak Arka More...
Nov 02, 2007
Alex
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STALIN’S GHOST BY MARTIN CRUZ SMITH: Arkady Renko, the indomitable Russian detective is back with a new tale of murder and mayhem in Moscow. It is a time of political upheaval – nothing new for Russia – but a new politician must be elected. Renko meanwhile enters into a “murder-for-hire” scheme where he discovers the involvement of two fellow detectives – Nikolai Isakov and Marat Urman. Coupled with this is the supposed sighting of Stalin in ethereal form on the platforms of Russian’s subway
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Jul 16, 2009
Ed
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With the latest revelations about Investigator Arkady Renko ( multiple abandonment, parental neglect and suicide, and GSW to the head), Martin Cruz Smith puts him in second place in the Most Damaged Detective Competition, edging out James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux (alcoholism, Viet Nam flashbacks, multiple injuries) and trailing only Jason Goodwin's Inspector Yashim the Eunuch (need I elaborate ?).
I have enjoyed all of Smith's Arkady Renko novels, and this was probably my second favori
I have enjoyed all of Smith's Arkady Renko novels, and this was probably my second favori
Mar 04, 2009
Joe
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Arkady Renko returns. He finds himself working for a corrupt prosecutor, vying with other investigators who may be war criminals and one of whom wins his lover away and is also running for political office as a superpatriot of sorts. Martin Cruz Smith captures the corruption of modern Russia again with his hero renko as the one incorruptible person. Renko is the quintessential Russian protagonist - stolid, depressed, and burdened by his ocuntry's history.
Feb 14, 2009
Mack
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Detective Arkady Renko for the Moscow police is tasked to investigate mysterious appearances by the deceased dictator and national hero Stalin. Meanwhile, other detectives seem up to no good, and the Black Berets are covering something up. Arkady is a droll wit and a sharp thinker, and I enjoyed his insights on the human condition. He is right up there with Phillip Marlow and James Robicheaux as fictional hard boiled detectives with a warm heart.
Apr 01, 2008
Rossrn
rated it:
Martin Cruz Smith's latest installment of the Arkady Renko series was published last summer, "Stalin's Ghost."
In advance of reading this tome, I spent most of the summer catching up and read all but the first, Gorky Park (which I'd read many years ago) and the latest.
I finally got around to reading Stalin's Ghost and was not disappointed. Set mostly in Moscow, Renko is at home asking questions, upsetting the order of things, and getting to the bottom of things again More...
In advance of reading this tome, I spent most of the summer catching up and read all but the first, Gorky Park (which I'd read many years ago) and the latest.
I finally got around to reading Stalin's Ghost and was not disappointed. Set mostly in Moscow, Renko is at home asking questions, upsetting the order of things, and getting to the bottom of things again More...
Jul 23, 2011
Arkady Renko is looking to get kicked in the guts again--he's run afoul of a right-wing political movement (that has enlisted professional American campaign managers) using a Chechen "war-hero" candidate, while grappling with the vast Stalinist sins of his father and trailing a feral teenager from Chernobyl and the latest in a series of women who treat him like crap. This is a great look at post-Soviet Russia and a classic Russian character.
Apr 11, 2010
Doug
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This is one of a series of books with a russian detective. I've read them all since 'Gorky Park'. For me his local/world view is a glimpse into the russian soul. Much like 'alway outnumbered always outgunned' is a glimpse into the african american soul.
These mysteries are definitely 'gritty' - but I haven enjoyed them.
Another similar series are the Ian Rankin scottish detective series. Just as gritty and dark, just set in scotland.
These mysteries are definitely 'gritty' - but I haven enjoyed them.
Another similar series are the Ian Rankin scottish detective series. Just as gritty and dark, just set in scotland.
Mar 15, 2011
William
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An Arkady Renko novel is both a study in Russian culture and a damn good police procedural without the miranda warning. Renko goes about his business, even though it isn't his business, in an effort to thwart a ring of "rug dealers" (Yes, rug dealers). It sounds worse than it is. My only problem with this book was that it was your typical Renko piece. 1) he becomes involved in an investigation he doesn't want 2) as things get sticky, he gets interested, but his bosses tell him to back
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Jan 25, 2009
Anne
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Sometimes it's hard to separate the subject matter from the writing. I admire Cruz Smith's ability to keep the tension ratcheted high in his thrillers, and the way he incorporates politics and history. The setting of contemporary Russia's underbelly and the past setting of the Chechnyan conflict, gave me the creeps (as I believe was the author's intention). I even dreamed about these characters! And they weren't sweet dreams!
