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Arkady Renko #4
Havana Bay
When the corpse of a Russian is hauled from the oily waters of Havana Bay, Arkady Renko comes to Cuba to identify the body. Looking for the killer, he discovers a city of faded loneliness, unexpected danger, and bewildering contradictions. His investigation introduces him to a beautiful Cuban policewoman; to the rituals of Santeria; to an American fugitive and a group of ruthless mercenaries. In this place where all things Russian are despised, where Hemingway fished and the KGB flourished, where the hint of music is always in the air, Arkady finds a trail of deceit that reaches halfway around the world–and a reason to relish his own life again.
340 pages, Paperback
First published May 10, 1999
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About the author
Martin Cruz Smith
53 books1,268 followersMartin Cruz Smith (AKA Simon Quinn, Nick Carter, Jake Logan, and Martin Quinn) was an American writer of mystery and suspense fiction, mostly in an international or historical setting. He was best known for his 11-book series featuring Russian investigator Arkady Renko, who was introduced in 1981 with Gorky Park and appeared in Independence Square (2023) and Hotel Ukraine (2025). [Wikipedia]
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 438 reviews
August 1, 2019
From Russia with...a case of the blues.
On paper, it seems like a good idea to transport my favorite pasty Russian detective, Arkady Renko, to a warmer climate, but something is amiss here. Smith leans heavily on familiar tropes: evil greedy Americans, evil greedy Russians, a physically intimidating and powerful nemesis, and holy Dostoyevsky - depression – deep, dark, soul-crushing depression.
But we’re in Cuba, where Fidel Castro is still hanging on even though he’s been abandoned by the Russians and its sunny, hot and there’s the Samba and Santeria.
So poor Arkady has an uphill battle against forces that, at first, want him out of the country and eventually dead. Hurry, solve that murder before you yourself get all dead!
On the plus side, there’s some hot sex, some decent sleuthing and some interesting characters. Smith can always come up with good memorable characters; in this book, it just isn’t enough.
The climactic moment of the book came across as flat and predictable.
There are some great Arkady books out there; this one isn't one of them.
On paper, it seems like a good idea to transport my favorite pasty Russian detective, Arkady Renko, to a warmer climate, but something is amiss here. Smith leans heavily on familiar tropes: evil greedy Americans, evil greedy Russians, a physically intimidating and powerful nemesis, and holy Dostoyevsky - depression – deep, dark, soul-crushing depression.
But we’re in Cuba, where Fidel Castro is still hanging on even though he’s been abandoned by the Russians and its sunny, hot and there’s the Samba and Santeria.
So poor Arkady has an uphill battle against forces that, at first, want him out of the country and eventually dead. Hurry, solve that murder before you yourself get all dead!
On the plus side, there’s some hot sex, some decent sleuthing and some interesting characters. Smith can always come up with good memorable characters; in this book, it just isn’t enough.
The climactic moment of the book came across as flat and predictable.
There are some great Arkady books out there; this one isn't one of them.
January 22, 2011
I'm not expert but I read a fair amount of international mysteries, partly because it's learning world history and geography the sluggard's way. The male protagonists are inevitably divorced or widowed, haunted by the past and world weary. And while I like several series (Wallander and Rebus for example), my very favorite is Martin Cruz Smith's Arkady Renko. He leaps off the page like a real person. I can predict his reactions like someone I've known for years and I adore his utterly deadpan Soviet humor. Cruz Smith's writing is of literary fiction quality and his descriptions of locales are precise and vivid-I now feel like I've seen and smelled Havana. And his unique talent for getting into the mindset of citizens of various crumbling Socialist republics is the best crash course in political science you'll ever take. This is the fourth book in the series and is my favorite so far. Love, love, love this writer.
I prefer Renko when he is gloomy and I suppose the author does as well because in the interval between the third book, Red Square and this one he has married his longtime love Irina only to see her die in a random Russian hospital clusterfuck. He has come to Havana to collect the body of his old frenemy Pribluda, whom the locals claim has died in a fishing accident when a body matching his description washes up in the bay. The local authorities claim he is a spy and are neither planning to investigate further nor happy to have a meddling Russian investigator in the mix. Renko meanwhile isn't sure that this really is his friend or that an old-school comrade like Pribluda would be caught fishing in an inner-tube Cuban style in the first place. Renko has also come to Havana intending to kill himself out of grief over Irina's death but fortunately his plans abruptly get changed and he gets sucked into the mystery of Pribluda's final hours. From there, he devotes himself to the task with his usual tenacity and gift for making enemies. What ensues is a tale of sugar cane, American expats, El Comandante, Santeria, sex tourism, rhino abuse, Cuban ballerinas and a Havana detective named Ofelia Osorio who is every bit as well-rounded and brilliant a character as Renko. If you can hear me Mr. Smith, mas Ofelia por favor.
I learned so much about Havana's history and the hard times that hit Cuba following the Soviet collapse-what Cubans officially call the Special Period. Meanwhile, one Soviet character blames the Soviet economy's collapse on keeping Cuba's "floating circus" alive. The story is a typical labyrinthine Cruz Smith tale and I can't say for sure that I understand exactly why everything happened as it did. But I don't care. While other reviewers complain that story ends abruptly-and it does-this is fitting as it's an abrupt conclusion for Renko too. Perfection.
I prefer Renko when he is gloomy and I suppose the author does as well because in the interval between the third book, Red Square and this one he has married his longtime love Irina only to see her die in a random Russian hospital clusterfuck. He has come to Havana to collect the body of his old frenemy Pribluda, whom the locals claim has died in a fishing accident when a body matching his description washes up in the bay. The local authorities claim he is a spy and are neither planning to investigate further nor happy to have a meddling Russian investigator in the mix. Renko meanwhile isn't sure that this really is his friend or that an old-school comrade like Pribluda would be caught fishing in an inner-tube Cuban style in the first place. Renko has also come to Havana intending to kill himself out of grief over Irina's death but fortunately his plans abruptly get changed and he gets sucked into the mystery of Pribluda's final hours. From there, he devotes himself to the task with his usual tenacity and gift for making enemies. What ensues is a tale of sugar cane, American expats, El Comandante, Santeria, sex tourism, rhino abuse, Cuban ballerinas and a Havana detective named Ofelia Osorio who is every bit as well-rounded and brilliant a character as Renko. If you can hear me Mr. Smith, mas Ofelia por favor.
I learned so much about Havana's history and the hard times that hit Cuba following the Soviet collapse-what Cubans officially call the Special Period. Meanwhile, one Soviet character blames the Soviet economy's collapse on keeping Cuba's "floating circus" alive. The story is a typical labyrinthine Cruz Smith tale and I can't say for sure that I understand exactly why everything happened as it did. But I don't care. While other reviewers complain that story ends abruptly-and it does-this is fitting as it's an abrupt conclusion for Renko too. Perfection.
May 5, 2020
“I heard about the body they found across the bay. Frankly, I don’t think it’s Sergei. He’s too pigheaded and tough. I haven’t seen him for weeks, but he could come back tomorrow with some story about driving into a pothole. There are potholes in Cuba you can see from the moon.”
In the late 1990’s with the relationship between Cuba and Moscow at an all-time low, Investigator Arkady Renko flies into Havana, wearing his January clothes, on behalf of the son of his former friend, Sergei Pribluda, who received an anonymous email that he was in trouble. On arrival he is met by a driver who takes him directly to Casablanca, across the bay from Havana where the body of a man that had been in the water for a couple of weeks has been washed up. There he meets officials from the ministry and Detective Ofelia Osorio.
He attends the autopsy, where the Cuban authorities, convinced that all Russians are spies, are pressing him for a positive identification so that Renko and the body can be put on the flight back to Moscow the following night. Unconvinced that it is actually Pribluda, he a little bemused that the Russian Embassy is distancing itself from the matter. The senior official explains:
“There’s a problem with the sugar protocol, a commercial thing you wouldn’t understand. Basically they send us sugar they can’t sell anywhere else, and we send them oil and machinery we can’t unload anywhere else.”
“That sounds normal.”
Renko asks to see Pribluda’s apartment, but is basically going through the motions, grieving the loss of his wife in a tragic mix up at the hospital and prepares to take his own life. But when he is attacked by the driver with the intent to kill, his survival instincts kick in: though he has no jurisdiction in Cuba someone does not want him investigating at all.
He traded the glow of the machine for the dark of the balcony, where he took solace in the steady sweep of the lighthouse beam and the deep insomnia of the night.
As with other titles in the Arkady Renko series, author Martin Cruz Smith excels in his descriptions of the light, sounds and smells of his location.
In the entire harbor the only craft in motion was the Casablanca ferry approaching its Havana landing. The windows of the ferry burst into flame, and then, as the sun slid off, faces of morning commuters squinted through the glass. Churning through backwash the boat rubbed against a pier fendered in tires, and the instant a gangway was laid passengers emerged, some equipped with briefcases for a day at the office, others pushing bikes laden with sacks of coconuts and bananas, by a sign that asked DISTINGUISHED USERS not to bring firearms on board and into the warming, yellowing day.
Ham-strung at every turn, he tries to track down the men in a photo and solve a cryptic list of dates and phone numbers, forging an unlikely alliance with Detective Ofelia Osorio, who runs a lone campaign against corruption in the police force and ministry, taking back-handers from prostitution. She introduces him to the culture of drumming and dance, born of African roots.
“That’s how spirits communicate,” she explained. “They’re in the drums. Unless you dance the spirits can’t come out.”
“Like they came out for Hedy?”
“Yes.”
“Then it’s safer not to dance.”
“Then you’re already dead.”
“Good point. Abakua is a version of Santeria?”
“They couldn’t be more different. Santeria is from Nigeria, Abakua is from the Congo.” It was like confusing Germany and Sicily.
Aside from learning a little about Cuban culture and history, the fading grandeur of buildings and the enterprising methods used to restore old vehicles and equipment during the “special period” under Castro, there is the omnipresence of American expats and Russians.
Mostovoi was correct in calling his hotel Central Europe. The café and boutique of the Sierra Maestra were Russian, the graffiti on the elevator door was Polish and the entire lobby was empty. Even the smell of rancid oil from the popcorn machine at the entrance stairs couldn’t conceal a standing funk of cabbage.
The intrigue here is layered, from the petty to the big picture, with every character (and there are many) contributing to the puzzle. I was as clueless as Renko until the very end, and then there was still a surprise. This has to be one of his best novels and I will need to re-read it at some later stage, to catch the nuances missed at the first reading. Well recommended for lovers of spy novels and crime.
In the late 1990’s with the relationship between Cuba and Moscow at an all-time low, Investigator Arkady Renko flies into Havana, wearing his January clothes, on behalf of the son of his former friend, Sergei Pribluda, who received an anonymous email that he was in trouble. On arrival he is met by a driver who takes him directly to Casablanca, across the bay from Havana where the body of a man that had been in the water for a couple of weeks has been washed up. There he meets officials from the ministry and Detective Ofelia Osorio.
He attends the autopsy, where the Cuban authorities, convinced that all Russians are spies, are pressing him for a positive identification so that Renko and the body can be put on the flight back to Moscow the following night. Unconvinced that it is actually Pribluda, he a little bemused that the Russian Embassy is distancing itself from the matter. The senior official explains:
“There’s a problem with the sugar protocol, a commercial thing you wouldn’t understand. Basically they send us sugar they can’t sell anywhere else, and we send them oil and machinery we can’t unload anywhere else.”
“That sounds normal.”
Renko asks to see Pribluda’s apartment, but is basically going through the motions, grieving the loss of his wife in a tragic mix up at the hospital and prepares to take his own life. But when he is attacked by the driver with the intent to kill, his survival instincts kick in: though he has no jurisdiction in Cuba someone does not want him investigating at all.
He traded the glow of the machine for the dark of the balcony, where he took solace in the steady sweep of the lighthouse beam and the deep insomnia of the night.
As with other titles in the Arkady Renko series, author Martin Cruz Smith excels in his descriptions of the light, sounds and smells of his location.
In the entire harbor the only craft in motion was the Casablanca ferry approaching its Havana landing. The windows of the ferry burst into flame, and then, as the sun slid off, faces of morning commuters squinted through the glass. Churning through backwash the boat rubbed against a pier fendered in tires, and the instant a gangway was laid passengers emerged, some equipped with briefcases for a day at the office, others pushing bikes laden with sacks of coconuts and bananas, by a sign that asked DISTINGUISHED USERS not to bring firearms on board and into the warming, yellowing day.
Ham-strung at every turn, he tries to track down the men in a photo and solve a cryptic list of dates and phone numbers, forging an unlikely alliance with Detective Ofelia Osorio, who runs a lone campaign against corruption in the police force and ministry, taking back-handers from prostitution. She introduces him to the culture of drumming and dance, born of African roots.
“That’s how spirits communicate,” she explained. “They’re in the drums. Unless you dance the spirits can’t come out.”
“Like they came out for Hedy?”
“Yes.”
“Then it’s safer not to dance.”
“Then you’re already dead.”
“Good point. Abakua is a version of Santeria?”
“They couldn’t be more different. Santeria is from Nigeria, Abakua is from the Congo.” It was like confusing Germany and Sicily.
Aside from learning a little about Cuban culture and history, the fading grandeur of buildings and the enterprising methods used to restore old vehicles and equipment during the “special period” under Castro, there is the omnipresence of American expats and Russians.
Mostovoi was correct in calling his hotel Central Europe. The café and boutique of the Sierra Maestra were Russian, the graffiti on the elevator door was Polish and the entire lobby was empty. Even the smell of rancid oil from the popcorn machine at the entrance stairs couldn’t conceal a standing funk of cabbage.
The intrigue here is layered, from the petty to the big picture, with every character (and there are many) contributing to the puzzle. I was as clueless as Renko until the very end, and then there was still a surprise. This has to be one of his best novels and I will need to re-read it at some later stage, to catch the nuances missed at the first reading. Well recommended for lovers of spy novels and crime.
July 14, 2016
I had forgotten how much I loved the melancholy, befuddled and mistreated investigator Arkady Renko from Gorky Park.
This book brought all the love, with Renko thrown into a typical no win situation in Cuba in which his presence is unwanted, his friends are few, the challenges facing him insurmountable and you spend the whole book willing him on.
Vodka noir at its best.
This book brought all the love, with Renko thrown into a typical no win situation in Cuba in which his presence is unwanted, his friends are few, the challenges facing him insurmountable and you spend the whole book willing him on.
Vodka noir at its best.
December 2, 2011
I began this book with a certain amount of trepidation because, although I'd tried several times, I was never able to get into Gorky Park, Smith's most famous book. But Havana Bay hooked me right from the first page. The series protagonist, Russian agent Arkady Renko, has been sent to Havana to identify the body of a Russian pulled out of Havana Bay. Renko speaks no Spanish and must rely on an interpreter. The Cuban detective heading the investigation is an alluring though cranky woman. Why?
A continuing theme is the mistrust bordering on hatred the Cubans have for the Russians, whom they believe betrayed them and left them to suffer in poverty. Thus it is all the more surprising when hints of romantic thoughts develop in the minds of Renko and the Cuban detective.
Smith's evocation of the poverty-stricken city is masterful, and his way with dialogue and interior thought rivals that of Elmore Leonard. I was laughing aloud on page two. The plot involves many characters, most of them nefarious with suspect motives. This well-crafted mystery is laced with irony, and Smith consistently startles the reader with his insightful commentary on the human condition. Great read and highly recommended!
A continuing theme is the mistrust bordering on hatred the Cubans have for the Russians, whom they believe betrayed them and left them to suffer in poverty. Thus it is all the more surprising when hints of romantic thoughts develop in the minds of Renko and the Cuban detective.
Smith's evocation of the poverty-stricken city is masterful, and his way with dialogue and interior thought rivals that of Elmore Leonard. I was laughing aloud on page two. The plot involves many characters, most of them nefarious with suspect motives. This well-crafted mystery is laced with irony, and Smith consistently startles the reader with his insightful commentary on the human condition. Great read and highly recommended!
November 10, 2020
Έχω ξαναγράψει για τον Κρούζ Σμίθ και πόσο κρίμα είναι που δεν συγκαταλέγεται στην ελίτ των σύγχρονων συγγραφέων αστυνομικών (;) μυθιστορημάτων, οπότε στην απίθανη περίπτωση που έχετε αυτή την απορία μπορείτε να δείτε την κριτική μου για την "Κόκκινη πλατεία".
Η "Αβάνα" είναι το τέταρτο βιβλίο του Σμίθ με ήρωα τον Ρώσο επιθεωρητή Αρκάντι Ρένκο και είναι το πρώτο που εξελίσσεται μετά την πτώση της Σοβιετικής Ένωσης. Το γεγονός ότι εξελίσσεται στην Κούβα έχει ιδιαίτερη σημασία: η Σοβιετική Ένωση οδεύει προς τον καπιταλισμό αλλά η Κούβα παραμένει ακόμα πιστή στα πολιτικά ιδεώδη του παρελθόντος και οι παλιοί σύντροφοι είναι πλέον κατάπτυστοι εχθροί. Ο Ρένκο βρίσκεται εκεί για την αναγνώριση ενός πτώματος αλλά σταδιακά ανακαλύπτει ότι η Κούβα δεν είναι ο σοσιαλιστικός παράδεισος που οι επίσημες Κουβανέζικες αρχές διατυμπανίζουν ότι είναι.
Για μια ακόμα φορά ο Κρούζ Σμίθ ζωντανεύει κάθε εικόνα με την πλούσια πρόζα του και για μια ακόμα φορά οι εικόνες είναι ζωντανές σε τέτοιο βαθμό που νιώθεις ότι διαβάζεις κάτι ανάμεσα σε ταξιδιωτικό ημερολόγιο και ιστορικό σχολιασμό. Παρόλα αυτά δεν ξεχνάει και την αστυνομική πλοκή που ίσως να μην είναι τόσο σφιχτοδεμένη όσο στα άλλα βιβλία του αλλά παραμένει εκεί. Ο Ρένκο σαν σύγχρονος Φίλιπ Μάρλοου για μια ακόμα φορά κλέβει τις εντυπώσεις.
Το "Αβάνα" είναι ένα πολύ όμορφο βιβλίο με ζωντανούς, πραγματικούς χαρακτήρες και η ανάγνωση του είναι μια ευχάριστη εμπειρία.
Η "Αβάνα" είναι το τέταρτο βιβλίο του Σμίθ με ήρωα τον Ρώσο επιθεωρητή Αρκάντι Ρένκο και είναι το πρώτο που εξελίσσεται μετά την πτώση της Σοβιετικής Ένωσης. Το γεγονός ότι εξελίσσεται στην Κούβα έχει ιδιαίτερη σημασία: η Σοβιετική Ένωση οδεύει προς τον καπιταλισμό αλλά η Κούβα παραμένει ακόμα πιστή στα πολιτικά ιδεώδη του παρελθόντος και οι παλιοί σύντροφοι είναι πλέον κατάπτυστοι εχθροί. Ο Ρένκο βρίσκεται εκεί για την αναγνώριση ενός πτώματος αλλά σταδιακά ανακαλύπτει ότι η Κούβα δεν είναι ο σοσιαλιστικός παράδεισος που οι επίσημες Κουβανέζικες αρχές διατυμπανίζουν ότι είναι.
Για μια ακόμα φορά ο Κρούζ Σμίθ ζωντανεύει κάθε εικόνα με την πλούσια πρόζα του και για μια ακόμα φορά οι εικόνες είναι ζωντανές σε τέτοιο βαθμό που νιώθεις ότι διαβάζεις κάτι ανάμεσα σε ταξιδιωτικό ημερολόγιο και ιστορικό σχολιασμό. Παρόλα αυτά δεν ξεχνάει και την αστυνομική πλοκή που ίσως να μην είναι τόσο σφιχτοδεμένη όσο στα άλλα βιβλία του αλλά παραμένει εκεί. Ο Ρένκο σαν σύγχρονος Φίλιπ Μάρλοου για μια ακόμα φορά κλέβει τις εντυπώσεις.
Το "Αβάνα" είναι ένα πολύ όμορφο βιβλίο με ζωντανούς, πραγματικούς χαρακτήρες και η ανάγνωση του είναι μια ευχάριστη εμπειρία.
June 3, 2016
The first three novels about Arkady Renko were strengthened by a powerful story arc that developed throughout the books--his banishment from and return to mainstream Russian society and the slow development and eventual consummation of his romance with Irina. Irina's presence figured heavily in Arkady's life throughout those books; even when she was not present, her presence was strongly felt.
With those story arcs concluded, "Havana Bay" feels a bit superfluous. Worse than that, Irina has been eliminated before the events of the novel even begin. Was this really necessary? For those of us who followed Arkady as he struggled through that difficult romance, this is a very disappointing choice on the part of the author. Couldn't Irina have been waiting at home while Renko had his Cuban adventure? Is the idea of a happy Renko so intolerable? Cut the man a little slack, Mr. Smith!
Nevertheless, this book is very enjoyable. The milieu is perfect: decadent, sleazy opportunists scheming in the midst of a crumbling society. Although Martin's Cuba isn't as fully realized as his European locales, his eye for telling detail and interesting local color remains sharp. Arkady's ally, Ofelia Osorio, is a fascinating protagonist--I would be happy to read a book about her alone. She possesses the passion for finding the truth that seems to be somewhat dimmed in Renko this time around.
With those story arcs concluded, "Havana Bay" feels a bit superfluous. Worse than that, Irina has been eliminated before the events of the novel even begin. Was this really necessary? For those of us who followed Arkady as he struggled through that difficult romance, this is a very disappointing choice on the part of the author. Couldn't Irina have been waiting at home while Renko had his Cuban adventure? Is the idea of a happy Renko so intolerable? Cut the man a little slack, Mr. Smith!
Nevertheless, this book is very enjoyable. The milieu is perfect: decadent, sleazy opportunists scheming in the midst of a crumbling society. Although Martin's Cuba isn't as fully realized as his European locales, his eye for telling detail and interesting local color remains sharp. Arkady's ally, Ofelia Osorio, is a fascinating protagonist--I would be happy to read a book about her alone. She possesses the passion for finding the truth that seems to be somewhat dimmed in Renko this time around.
July 5, 2019
4.5
Loved this Arkady Renko story. Renko reminds me of Harry Hole, in a somewhat "gentler", less self-destructive way. Intelligent, human, a rebel, ethical -- love this guy.
Havana, Cuba in the time of this story is post Soviet association. Russians are in fact disliked, if not hated, on sight and on principle. Renko has arrived to collect the body of a colleague/friend who has reportedly died in Havana Bay, in a fishing inner-tube. The decomposed body is unrecognizable, and Arkady wants to be certain, and so stays on for an investigation that never officially happens. He becomes, however, the target of some would-be murderous attacks without knowing why.
The plot is intriguing, the writing beautiful, and the characters are creatively drawn.
Loved this Arkady Renko story. Renko reminds me of Harry Hole, in a somewhat "gentler", less self-destructive way. Intelligent, human, a rebel, ethical -- love this guy.
Havana, Cuba in the time of this story is post Soviet association. Russians are in fact disliked, if not hated, on sight and on principle. Renko has arrived to collect the body of a colleague/friend who has reportedly died in Havana Bay, in a fishing inner-tube. The decomposed body is unrecognizable, and Arkady wants to be certain, and so stays on for an investigation that never officially happens. He becomes, however, the target of some would-be murderous attacks without knowing why.
The plot is intriguing, the writing beautiful, and the characters are creatively drawn.
April 30, 2015
I read the Renko series not just for Renko, but grim, snowy Moscow scenes, so a shift to Havana for an entire novel was worrisome. I'm not really all that interested in Cuban politics, santeria, or prostitutes in lycra pants. Also, Renko spent the whole novel searching for a photo of his friend General Pribluda, so that the medical examiner can reconstruct Pribluda's head from the melted remains, which may or not be Pribluda, found floating in Havana Bay. Here and there of course we have assassins trying to kill Renko, which adds spice to the story. But the real plot twists come at the very end, and they do make up for too much santeria and too many prostitutes encased in lycra.
June 9, 2023
This book is beautifully written, with tremendous intricacy, emotion, subtlety, and humor. On top of this, Cruz Smith shares characters that are a joy to be with, amidst an intricate and engrossing tale of crime and corruption. A lot of fun also bearing a hearty dose of gravitas.
November 17, 2024
I am hooked on these Inspector Arkady Renko books. What a fascinating character. Once again, I think it's a pretty good story although a little long in the tooth. Arkady travels to Cuba after receiving a message that his old nemesis / friend Major Pribluda is missing and once he arrives a body is found which he needs to identify for the local authorities. Very soon there is a lot going on, but I will not comment on anything that may be a spoiler for someone intending to read the book. I wouldn't say it's my favorite book in the series but definitely worth reading.
May 14, 2014
This is a compelling novel, set in a dystopian future that imagines Cuba as the last remaining Communist country, with its relations to Russia soured. I was recommended this book by another teacher following a trip to Cuba and Martin Cruz Smith does an amazing job rendering the crumbling beauty of the Malecon and Havana Vieja in whose shadows, his haggard, yet compassionate Russian detective, Arkady Renko, paces in search of the truth of the death of his fellow undercover officer.
The eccentric, paradoxical world of Cuba, that is haunted and controlled by the eternal figure of El Fidel, gives rise to all manner of beguiling, beautiful and insane characters and is the perfect backdrop for the reader to suspend their disbelief and go with Renko in search of answers.
The eccentric, paradoxical world of Cuba, that is haunted and controlled by the eternal figure of El Fidel, gives rise to all manner of beguiling, beautiful and insane characters and is the perfect backdrop for the reader to suspend their disbelief and go with Renko in search of answers.
April 22, 2021
I was mainly drawn to this novel by the Cuban setting, having visited this fascinating, lively and troubled country just a few years after the book was written. The descriptions of the people and the place immediately drew me back there, making me wish I'd explored Havana more while I was there.
The story is a fairly gripping mystery/thriller, which begins with the body of a Russian washed up in Havana Bay. The recently arrived Russian investigator, Arkady Renko, is suitably resourceful, particularly since he speaks no Spanish, and Cuban detective, Ofelia Osorio, with whom he ends up working, is a feisty feminist foil to his dour Russian character. More murders are on the way, details of which are not for the faint-hearted, and shady dealings by some rogue Americans, on the run from justice, all add to the intrigue.
All the little glimpses into the socio-political culture of the country provide a window on this last small corner of the Communist world, blended with the beat of Cuban music and the folklore of Santaria. Perhaps I was too much distracted by the scenery to fully appreciate the story itself, which to me, had rather a disappointing ending. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my time with the book, even if it was mostly for the memories.
The story is a fairly gripping mystery/thriller, which begins with the body of a Russian washed up in Havana Bay. The recently arrived Russian investigator, Arkady Renko, is suitably resourceful, particularly since he speaks no Spanish, and Cuban detective, Ofelia Osorio, with whom he ends up working, is a feisty feminist foil to his dour Russian character. More murders are on the way, details of which are not for the faint-hearted, and shady dealings by some rogue Americans, on the run from justice, all add to the intrigue.
All the little glimpses into the socio-political culture of the country provide a window on this last small corner of the Communist world, blended with the beat of Cuban music and the folklore of Santaria. Perhaps I was too much distracted by the scenery to fully appreciate the story itself, which to me, had rather a disappointing ending. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my time with the book, even if it was mostly for the memories.
May 10, 2022
I think that Martin Cruz Smith should have moved on and created something new to write about. I don’t like series, but if you have to read a series, this one has some fine books. I just don’t need to familiarity of a character I’ve seen on other books. I didn’t much like Sherlock Holmes, and definitely noy Harry Bosch. It’s not like these detectives are all that fascinating to begin with, and when very little is added to their development in subsequent books, you have to ask why bother. Why bother?
We learn a little about Cuba from this volume, but not much more than I knew before, and I’ve never been there. I had actually read this years ago but had forgotten it all, just like I’ll forget it all again soon. It’s forgettable.
We learn a little about Cuba from this volume, but not much more than I knew before, and I’ve never been there. I had actually read this years ago but had forgotten it all, just like I’ll forget it all again soon. It’s forgettable.
November 8, 2017
Not my favourite Renko book, much too slow moving in the first half and a generally confusing plot set in Cuba, but Renko's usual remorseless style is evident again
October 25, 2019
A wonderful fish-out-of-water story about a melancholy Russian detective who goes to Havana on a sentimental mission and winds up joining forces with a smart and smoldering Cuban cop to solve an odd mystery: Why did another Cuban cop try to kill Moscow investigator Arkady Renko just as he was about to commit suicide?
Renko, made famous by Martin Cruz Smith's 1981 novel "Gorky Park," has good reason to be down-in-the-dumps. His beloved wife Irina is dead, leaving behind only memories and the faintest scent of her skin lingering in a cashmere coat she gave him. Now he's gotten word that his old friend and nemesis, Sergei Pribluda, is in some sort of trouble in Havana and needs his help. He spends half his savings to fly to Cuba, in part to see what's going on with Pribluda and in part to find a quiet place to kill himself, putting an end to the torment of his memories of Irina. Yet just as he arrives, a decayed corpse turns up that the Cubans insist must be Pribluda (Renko is skeptical) and a Cuban cop he just met interrupts his suicide attempt by trying to kill him. Renko, reacting without thinking, kills the cop instead -- and slowly his investigative ardor, which had deserted him, returns as he tries to figure out what happened.
In that endeavor Renko is at first opposed and, ultimately, aided by a zealous Havana detective, Ofelia Osorio. Twice divorced, with two daughters and the most hilariously sarcastic mother in the Western World, Ofelia is nobody's fool but hampered by her gender from the promotions and respect she deserves. Like Renko, she works amid a hopelessly corrupt system, where the cops sponsor underage hookers who entice wealthy foreign tourists to take them to special love motels, and everybody gets a cut.
Smith has created a great character in Osorio, and he has a ball with the mother-daughter dialogue in particular, as well as the misunderstandings and eventual comprehension that flows between Osorio and Renko, who insists on stalking around the island in his cashmere coat.
He also delineates with care the vast gulf between the poor -- particularly poor fishermen who go out to shark infested waters in inner tubes -- and the rich, particularly a pair of American fugitives with big plans for cashing in on Cuba who hang out aboard a boat they claim was once Al Capone's personal rumrunner. Fidel is a constant presence, sometimes invoked like a deity whose name you do not say but rather indicate by pretending to stroke a beard. At one point Castro himself makes an appearance -- looking, Smith reports, like an age-shrunken grandfather surrounded by grandchildren so numerous there is no way he can recall their names.
The Cubans have no love for the Russians who once supported, then abandoned, the island nation, but they're none too thrilled with how Castro's revolution worked out for them either. One repeats what is clearly an old gag: What three things did the Revolution bring to Cuba? Health, education and sports. What three things are still missing? Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
It's clear that Smith -- the son of jazz musicians -- fell in love with the city's constant musical beat, and uses it to great effect all throughout the vividly descriptive portions of the text. The book's one weakness is that it stumbles a bit toward the end as the vast conspiracy they've uncovered unravels even as a killer abducts Osorio -- but it's got one last satisfying twist in an epilogue that takes place back in Moscow. Perhaps the greatest twist, though, is that the once-suicidal Renko is still alive, and still wandering the snow-covered streets in search of the darkness that is in every human heart, whether Russian or Cuban.
Renko, made famous by Martin Cruz Smith's 1981 novel "Gorky Park," has good reason to be down-in-the-dumps. His beloved wife Irina is dead, leaving behind only memories and the faintest scent of her skin lingering in a cashmere coat she gave him. Now he's gotten word that his old friend and nemesis, Sergei Pribluda, is in some sort of trouble in Havana and needs his help. He spends half his savings to fly to Cuba, in part to see what's going on with Pribluda and in part to find a quiet place to kill himself, putting an end to the torment of his memories of Irina. Yet just as he arrives, a decayed corpse turns up that the Cubans insist must be Pribluda (Renko is skeptical) and a Cuban cop he just met interrupts his suicide attempt by trying to kill him. Renko, reacting without thinking, kills the cop instead -- and slowly his investigative ardor, which had deserted him, returns as he tries to figure out what happened.
In that endeavor Renko is at first opposed and, ultimately, aided by a zealous Havana detective, Ofelia Osorio. Twice divorced, with two daughters and the most hilariously sarcastic mother in the Western World, Ofelia is nobody's fool but hampered by her gender from the promotions and respect she deserves. Like Renko, she works amid a hopelessly corrupt system, where the cops sponsor underage hookers who entice wealthy foreign tourists to take them to special love motels, and everybody gets a cut.
Smith has created a great character in Osorio, and he has a ball with the mother-daughter dialogue in particular, as well as the misunderstandings and eventual comprehension that flows between Osorio and Renko, who insists on stalking around the island in his cashmere coat.
He also delineates with care the vast gulf between the poor -- particularly poor fishermen who go out to shark infested waters in inner tubes -- and the rich, particularly a pair of American fugitives with big plans for cashing in on Cuba who hang out aboard a boat they claim was once Al Capone's personal rumrunner. Fidel is a constant presence, sometimes invoked like a deity whose name you do not say but rather indicate by pretending to stroke a beard. At one point Castro himself makes an appearance -- looking, Smith reports, like an age-shrunken grandfather surrounded by grandchildren so numerous there is no way he can recall their names.
The Cubans have no love for the Russians who once supported, then abandoned, the island nation, but they're none too thrilled with how Castro's revolution worked out for them either. One repeats what is clearly an old gag: What three things did the Revolution bring to Cuba? Health, education and sports. What three things are still missing? Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
It's clear that Smith -- the son of jazz musicians -- fell in love with the city's constant musical beat, and uses it to great effect all throughout the vividly descriptive portions of the text. The book's one weakness is that it stumbles a bit toward the end as the vast conspiracy they've uncovered unravels even as a killer abducts Osorio -- but it's got one last satisfying twist in an epilogue that takes place back in Moscow. Perhaps the greatest twist, though, is that the once-suicidal Renko is still alive, and still wandering the snow-covered streets in search of the darkness that is in every human heart, whether Russian or Cuban.
August 7, 2014
This time Arkady, griefstricken again, continues his amateur attempts at suicide in as the title indicates Havana. The bay incidentally is involved to the extent that a dead russian has been found floating there. In the grand tradition of heros giving a damm when they are repeatedly warned off instead of contenting himself with the identification of the body and going home he seeks instead to find out why. Why the doggedness, why not just mind ones own business say I can tell I am not wanted and tootle do. It always feels a little odd to me, like when people move into a haunted house the walls start to bleed or a cushion hovers. Me personally I am getting out of there as soon as I can. Cowardly asides apart this is a good solid thriller, good twist and some lush if slightly over fevered depictions of Cuba. The whole formulaic nature of the genre is a little hollow at times.
December 7, 2019
To some extent I should stick with my expectations based on prior assessments - I didn't massively enjoy this. Though in truth most of the reason why I picked this up to read, having not particularly liked 'Tatiana', another book in the same series, were that I'd had this book on my shelf for around a decade and a half, and wanted it off my TBR list.
Not really my thing, and it's hard to establish why. The author writes well, characters and places are well defined and colourfully painted, and there's a sense of atmosphere alongside a clever plot. The prose isn't overly convoluted, the general theme is something I have enjoyed before when explored by other authors (Tom Rob Smith, Philip Kerr, Robert Harris) but no. Our hero Arkady Renko is in Cuba investigating the death of a fellow Russian in suspicious circumstances, and there are 450 pages of close shaves, shady characters, conspiracies to unravel, and gradually everything comes together in a not un-Scooby Doo manner. Objectively a decent novel, subjectively not an author I'll read again in all likelihood.
Not really my thing, and it's hard to establish why. The author writes well, characters and places are well defined and colourfully painted, and there's a sense of atmosphere alongside a clever plot. The prose isn't overly convoluted, the general theme is something I have enjoyed before when explored by other authors (Tom Rob Smith, Philip Kerr, Robert Harris) but no. Our hero Arkady Renko is in Cuba investigating the death of a fellow Russian in suspicious circumstances, and there are 450 pages of close shaves, shady characters, conspiracies to unravel, and gradually everything comes together in a not un-Scooby Doo manner. Objectively a decent novel, subjectively not an author I'll read again in all likelihood.
December 17, 2016
A badly decomposed body is discovered surrounded by fishing gear and floating in an inner tube in Havana Bay. The deceased was a uniquely Cuban concept, a neumatico, a fisherman who uses an inner tube. On site at the discovery are Havana Detective Ofelia Osorio, forensic pathologist Dr. Blas, an interpreter from the Russian Embassy named Rufo Pinero, and Arkady Renko, a Russian detective who had just arrived from Moscow. The fisherman is identified as Colonel Sergei Pribluda, an officer in the SVR (the former KGB) attached to the Russian Embassy in Havana. So begins Martin Cruz Smith’s Havana Bay (1999), the fourth in his Arkady Renko series.
Russians are unwelcome in Cuba since they ended financial support of Fidel’s regime, an act of treachery in the eyes of the Cubans. Arkady is told to butt out and return to Moscow on the next flight, one week hence. This still leaves plenty of time for some local investigating. Soon there is an attempt on his life by Rufo in one of the more ironic scenes in the genre. Arkady has been depressed by his wife’s recent death following an injection of the wrong medication at a Russian hospital. When he returns to his Havana apartment from the seaside, Arkady is about to kill himself by an injection when Rufo bursts in and tries to kill him. Survival instinct takes over and Arkady kills Rufo. Poor Rufo; bad timing!
Rufo’s motive is unknown but now Arkady’s nostrils are aquiver and the game’s afoot! Was the badly decomposed corpse really Pribluda? What was Pribluda up to that led to his death? Did Pribluda really die of a heart attack as the pathologist concluded? Who wanted Arkady dead, and why? Arkady and Detective Osorio team up to get the answers. And they find that the answers include the Havana Yacht Club, operations in Angola, police corruption, and Fidel Castro.
This one will keep your interest and the pages will turn quickly.
Four Stars.
Russians are unwelcome in Cuba since they ended financial support of Fidel’s regime, an act of treachery in the eyes of the Cubans. Arkady is told to butt out and return to Moscow on the next flight, one week hence. This still leaves plenty of time for some local investigating. Soon there is an attempt on his life by Rufo in one of the more ironic scenes in the genre. Arkady has been depressed by his wife’s recent death following an injection of the wrong medication at a Russian hospital. When he returns to his Havana apartment from the seaside, Arkady is about to kill himself by an injection when Rufo bursts in and tries to kill him. Survival instinct takes over and Arkady kills Rufo. Poor Rufo; bad timing!
Rufo’s motive is unknown but now Arkady’s nostrils are aquiver and the game’s afoot! Was the badly decomposed corpse really Pribluda? What was Pribluda up to that led to his death? Did Pribluda really die of a heart attack as the pathologist concluded? Who wanted Arkady dead, and why? Arkady and Detective Osorio team up to get the answers. And they find that the answers include the Havana Yacht Club, operations in Angola, police corruption, and Fidel Castro.
This one will keep your interest and the pages will turn quickly.
Four Stars.
November 18, 2019
Fourth in Martin Cruz Smith’s Arkady Renko’ series. In this one, Arkady (an Investigator for the Moscow Police Department first introduced in the very popular “Gorky Park,”) is called from Moscow to Havana to assist a former Russian rival, Colonel Priluda. Pribluda subsequently ends up dead and almost-unidentifiable in Havana Bay. Arkady is himself dealing with the recent death of his wife due to medical/bureaucratic mistakes and incompetence. The Cuban officials are pressuring Arkady to not only identify the body, but also verify that Pribluda’s death was accidental.
Well, of course, it is anything but. Arkady’s doubts and his dogged investigatory instincts send him off on an investigative adventure involving deep governmental and sugar-company corruption and conspiracy, a host of intriguing and quirky characters, danger and threats, “abakua” (a sort of African/Cuban male organization similar to Freemasonry) and Voodoo. The relationship between Cuba and Russia is complex and tense, including the colorful Cuban culture and as well as poverty (a hangover from Russian dominance), so this intrigue is another background for the mystery.
This story was enjoyable, but not so much as Mr. Smith’s first two books in this series. Nonetheless, looking forward to reading the next one, “Wolves Eat Dogs.” Four stars.
Well, of course, it is anything but. Arkady’s doubts and his dogged investigatory instincts send him off on an investigative adventure involving deep governmental and sugar-company corruption and conspiracy, a host of intriguing and quirky characters, danger and threats, “abakua” (a sort of African/Cuban male organization similar to Freemasonry) and Voodoo. The relationship between Cuba and Russia is complex and tense, including the colorful Cuban culture and as well as poverty (a hangover from Russian dominance), so this intrigue is another background for the mystery.
This story was enjoyable, but not so much as Mr. Smith’s first two books in this series. Nonetheless, looking forward to reading the next one, “Wolves Eat Dogs.” Four stars.
September 27, 2019
I liked Smith's Renko series a lot but somehow had missed reading this one, which came out in 1999. It takes place in the Cuba of the nineties, with the Soviet Union in the dustbin of history and Castro trying to figure out how to keep a ragtag command economy going without help from the Russians. The setting is beautiful, tragic Havana, the faded and degraded tropical paradise once dominated by the American mob and now run by a mob of a different sort. It's a wonderful setting for a hard-boiled yarn. Corruption is rife, plots abound, African religions vie with Marxism for hearts and minds.
Renko, in the throes of depression, comes to Havana to identify a body found floating in the harbor and purported to be a Russian, a friend of his. The body is decomposed and Renko has his doubts. The Cubans don't want him to investigate, which only piques his curiosity. People trying to kill him give him a reason to live. One of the Cuban cops is a homicidal head case, another is an exotic beauty. A cabal of hard-bitten veterans of the Angola war, a famous American defector, sundry other sinister characters lurk in the shadows, all with a hustle of some kind going. The machete is the weapon of choice. A lush, dark tale.
Renko, in the throes of depression, comes to Havana to identify a body found floating in the harbor and purported to be a Russian, a friend of his. The body is decomposed and Renko has his doubts. The Cubans don't want him to investigate, which only piques his curiosity. People trying to kill him give him a reason to live. One of the Cuban cops is a homicidal head case, another is an exotic beauty. A cabal of hard-bitten veterans of the Angola war, a famous American defector, sundry other sinister characters lurk in the shadows, all with a hustle of some kind going. The machete is the weapon of choice. A lush, dark tale.
April 2, 2020
After the excellent third edition in the Arkady Renko series, Red Square, focused on the effects of the collapse of the Soviet Union and a burgeoning capitalism on the Moscow crime scene, this one sends the Russian investigator to the only legitimate communist country left - Cuba.
Ostensibly there to investigate the apparent murder of his former bête noire and KGB agent Sergei Pribluda, he finds himself having to overcome not just the local criminals but the local police as well, uncovering something much larger in scope than his initial brief suggested, as always.
He also has to overcome his own suicidal tendencies as we learn that his wife Irina has died. This lack of concern for his own future makes him reckless, but it also helps him to take chances in order to solve a mystery despite being a fish out of water.
Not as good as the best Renko novels, but still better than most of the competition.
Ostensibly there to investigate the apparent murder of his former bête noire and KGB agent Sergei Pribluda, he finds himself having to overcome not just the local criminals but the local police as well, uncovering something much larger in scope than his initial brief suggested, as always.
He also has to overcome his own suicidal tendencies as we learn that his wife Irina has died. This lack of concern for his own future makes him reckless, but it also helps him to take chances in order to solve a mystery despite being a fish out of water.
Not as good as the best Renko novels, but still better than most of the competition.
March 5, 2019
Arkady Renko goes to Cuba and manages to be just as miserable and obstinate there as he is everywhere else.
October 23, 2023
The Experience of Reading Havana Bay
Many times in life, one is tasked with completing a strenuous task while everyone else seems to be plotting on their downfall. This occurs throughout the novel Havana Bay by Martin Cruz Smith. The story follows the protagonist Arkady Renko, as he is tasked with solving the death of a Russian army general known simply as Pribluda. A body presumed to be that of General Pribluda is found in the bay of Havana, Cuba (hence the name of the novel), but the remains aren’t much more than a carcass, having been eaten and decomposing for some time before it was discovered. Arkady is then both chased around the island while also doing the chasing himself at times, in his search to find what really happened to General Pribluda. Havana Bay was a great reading experience because it did a marvelous job of balancing the gloomy portions of the story with upbeat parts.
I was left wishing that I could have taken a trip to Cuba in the 1990s as Arkady does after finishing this novel. The city of Havana was captivating to me, and it seemed to almost be a free-for-all with the law based on the laziness of cops and the government. In addition, Cuba was in a very complex political era for their country under Fidel Castro as President. Something like this would have been surreal to experience, as communist countries like Cuba at that point are mostly a thing of the past, with not many being around anymore. Even with all of this trouble, some of the Cuban characters existent in Havana Bay were truly kind and caring, Cuba itself is very beautiful, and if those few represent the Cuban people as a whole, then I would only have more reason to wish for this. Cuba’s natural beauty and insane political situation would have made a trip there during the late 1990s outrageous, and for that reason, I would wish to experience it.
This book made me realize that prejudice exists everywhere and also showed how hard it can be to overcome. In Arkady’s line of work, collaboration between co-workers is crucial. One person is almost never going to be able to overcome the odds and stop the multi-hundred-million dollar, international, drug and sugar criminal plot that takes place during the story. With this being true, almost none of the Cubans are willing to help Arkady solely because of where he’s from. Ofelia is the most loyal character to Arkady throughout Havana Bay, but even she is quoted saying, “A dead Russian, a live Russian. What’s the difference?” All of this hatred is due to the feeling that Russia betrayed Cuba that is held by the Cubans. Both being communist, the fall of the Soviet Union also led to Cuba becoming a crumbling country. All of the discrimination faced by Arkady and his fellow Russians is why the novel caused me to realize the prejudice present in plenty of places around the world.
This book left me wondering if the body in the bay was really General Pribluda. Pribluda had actually been investigated by Arkady back in Moscow, but despite this, the pair knew each other well and were actually friends. Throughout the novel, the Cubans want to jump the gun and say the body was Pribluda, but Arkady isn’t so sure. DNA and other such tests give them no useful information, but regardless, Arkady has his doubts. Knowing Pribluda the best, Arkady’s opinion should probably have held a lot of weight, but it is also important to note that Pribluda had made himself many enemies in Havana in addition to being Russian. All of this information meant that it was highly unclear whether or not the body was that of Pribluda, and I was still left wondering about this after I finished reading.
Havana Bay led me to see that it is possible to find the light even in a very dark place. Havana is shown to be a crumbling city in a country riddled with poverty and corruption, but Arkady is able to have some success throughout the book. He made plenty of considerate and thoughtful acquaintances, such as the men at the auto body shop, who repaired the car he was given to use on his investigation for a fair price. His ever-changing relationship with Ofelia was yet another example of this, as in a very corrupt department of an incompetent police force, he found himself a brilliant investigator and caring lover. Despite all of the circumstances seemingly being horrid, Arkady finds many positives during his time in Cuba. This is applicable to the real world as many times in life, one will find themselves facing grim situations, but Havana Bay made me see that it is possible to find the good while most things are looking bad.
Martin Cruz Smith’s novel left me with a new belief: that people can change over time, so you shouldn’t judge someone based on your first impression of them. Ofelia is introduced to readers as just another lazy, cranky, and prejudiced Cuban police officer and detective. However, little by little she warms up to Arkady, at first just helping him out with his investigation. Time seems to rush by, and before the pair know it, they find themselves falling in love. Arkady unfortunately has to leave Ofelia in Cuba when he goes back to Russia, but Ofelia still showed that anybody has the power to change, meaning that if you are patient and don’t judge a book by it’s cover, then you may just find a diamond in the rough.
Havana Bay started off by making me feel sad for Arkady Renko. As an investigator in Moscow, he often found himself facing off against the Russian government. He is employed by them, yet always exposes them for corruption, and this occurs in almost every novel of the series. Due to this occurring multiple times, Arkady is sent to Cuba to investigate how General Pribluda died by his higher-ups in the Russian government. The real purpose of being sent to Cuba, however, was to banish Arkady, if temporarily, from Moscow. I felt bad for Arkady after learning this, as he worked hard and honestly in Russia and wasn’t deserving of being sent away for any reason.
I hoped throughout the story that Arkady would be more cautious and smarter when investigating the Havana Yacht Club. Despite their name, this group was actually an organization for organized crime. Arkady finds information pointing to them for being responsible for numerous murders including that of the body in the bay while with his partner during the story Ofelia Osorio, a local investigator. The Cubans aren’t too eager to investigate any crimes committed by them, so Arkady takes it into his own hands. With only a few people helping him, he attempts to take down one of the biggest crime rings in all of the Caribbean and almost loses his life in the process. If Arkady had tried to convince the Cubans to help him with the Yacht Club, then he may have been able to bust them, and for that reason, I hope that Arkady wouldn’t make those mistakes again in any of the rest of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2024
When his sort of friend (it's complicated) is found dead in the Pacific Ocean, Russian cop Renko goes to Cuba to identify the body. He's suicidally depressed.
Things don't add up, and then someone tries to kill Arkady, just as he's attempting suicide. Talk about bad timing.
Harrowing descriptions of Cuba under the Castro regime.
Things don't add up, and then someone tries to kill Arkady, just as he's attempting suicide. Talk about bad timing.
Harrowing descriptions of Cuba under the Castro regime.
July 6, 2024
This is a pretty good thriller set in Havana involving a wide array of characters with questionable allegiances and intentions. It gets a bit muddled in places, but as in any good thriller, in spite of overwhelming odds, the good guys win and the suspects weren't necessarily the people you thought they were. A good piece of escapism.
March 8, 2021
Another great Arkady Renko story, this time set in Cuba vs. USSR/Russia. Very well written, as usual.
Now, excuse me while I go Google "Cuban women." ;)
Now, excuse me while I go Google "Cuban women." ;)
May 24, 2016
Romanzo datato, ma…
Havana è un romanzo che, letto oggi (scoperto in un angolo remoto della libreria…) marca la distanza che la narrativa di genere thriller, nel bene o nel male, ha percorso in un ventennio inflazionato da una pletora di opere di maestri o ben più spesso di mestieranti che ne hanno riproposto i cliché in tutte le combinazioni possibili! Forse, letto a fine secolo allorché venne pubblicato, avrebbe prodotto un effetto e un interesse che oggi è difficile provare se non al cospetto di narratori del calibro di Durrenmatt, Scerbanenco, Chandler e qualcun altro (Simenon è, come sempre, un caso a parte...).
Romanzo datato, in parole povere, ma in una certa misura M.C.Smith riesce a limitare la patina del tempo e del dejà-vu giostrando le armi del mestiere con abilità e, a differenza del mediocre “La Rosa Nera” unica altra opera che ho letto dell’autore, catturando l’attenzione col supporto di alcuni elementi di qualità.
La location di L’Avana, in primo luogo, è resa con notevole e approfondita padronanza, ben oltre il semplice sfondo esotico, ricreando un verosimile crogiuolo di esiliati, avventurieri, affaristi di ogni nazionalità e provenienza, nella fase di decadenza del castrismo. Secondo punto di forza è l’anomalo protagonista, il malinconico detective russo (post caduta del Muro) Arkadj Renko, fuori posto ai Caraibi fin dall’inconsueto abbigliamento e dall’insopprimibile depressione mal conciliabile con la diffusa allegria cubana.
Sull’altro piatto della bilancia un finale particolarmente affrettato, alcuni caratteri stereotipati, la stessa ingiustificata lunghezza del racconto, impediscono a un discreto romanzo di rivelarsi una vera (ri)scoperta
Havana è un romanzo che, letto oggi (scoperto in un angolo remoto della libreria…) marca la distanza che la narrativa di genere thriller, nel bene o nel male, ha percorso in un ventennio inflazionato da una pletora di opere di maestri o ben più spesso di mestieranti che ne hanno riproposto i cliché in tutte le combinazioni possibili! Forse, letto a fine secolo allorché venne pubblicato, avrebbe prodotto un effetto e un interesse che oggi è difficile provare se non al cospetto di narratori del calibro di Durrenmatt, Scerbanenco, Chandler e qualcun altro (Simenon è, come sempre, un caso a parte...).
Romanzo datato, in parole povere, ma in una certa misura M.C.Smith riesce a limitare la patina del tempo e del dejà-vu giostrando le armi del mestiere con abilità e, a differenza del mediocre “La Rosa Nera” unica altra opera che ho letto dell’autore, catturando l’attenzione col supporto di alcuni elementi di qualità.
La location di L’Avana, in primo luogo, è resa con notevole e approfondita padronanza, ben oltre il semplice sfondo esotico, ricreando un verosimile crogiuolo di esiliati, avventurieri, affaristi di ogni nazionalità e provenienza, nella fase di decadenza del castrismo. Secondo punto di forza è l’anomalo protagonista, il malinconico detective russo (post caduta del Muro) Arkadj Renko, fuori posto ai Caraibi fin dall’inconsueto abbigliamento e dall’insopprimibile depressione mal conciliabile con la diffusa allegria cubana.
Sull’altro piatto della bilancia un finale particolarmente affrettato, alcuni caratteri stereotipati, la stessa ingiustificata lunghezza del racconto, impediscono a un discreto romanzo di rivelarsi una vera (ri)scoperta
July 26, 2017
This is another excellent crime novel on the Arkady Renko series. As in "Polar Star", Cruz Smith has taken his hero Renko out of Moscow. In this novel, it's to Fidel Castro's Cuba (and especially Havana).
Renko flies in to investigate the death of his Moscow adversary Sergei Pribluda. The Cubans want to categorise the death as a heart attack, but Renko has his doubts. There is almost boiling animosity between Cubans and Russians complicating issues. Renko loosely teams up with a black female Cuban detective Ofelia Oserio, and the sexual tension escalates.
As always, Cruz Smith creates a great sense of place and develops a complex crime novel with more twists than a game of Twister. The political background adds a really interesting layer to the story.
This novel moves quickly, is very easy to read, keeps you guessing and is another really enjoyable chapter in the life of Arkady Renko. If you liked 'Gorky Park' or any of the preceding 'Renko' novels, you will like this one. I think it's one of the more interesting novels in the series.
Renko flies in to investigate the death of his Moscow adversary Sergei Pribluda. The Cubans want to categorise the death as a heart attack, but Renko has his doubts. There is almost boiling animosity between Cubans and Russians complicating issues. Renko loosely teams up with a black female Cuban detective Ofelia Oserio, and the sexual tension escalates.
As always, Cruz Smith creates a great sense of place and develops a complex crime novel with more twists than a game of Twister. The political background adds a really interesting layer to the story.
This novel moves quickly, is very easy to read, keeps you guessing and is another really enjoyable chapter in the life of Arkady Renko. If you liked 'Gorky Park' or any of the preceding 'Renko' novels, you will like this one. I think it's one of the more interesting novels in the series.
October 5, 2009
my first arkady renko book. its good, with what i like, violence, outlawry, sex, exotic locations. arkady seemed to be moody (on the point of suicide) for "no reason", or not a reason reader really was aware of. i guess if i had started at "gorky park" it would make more sense. i like ken bruen better for its noir, i like john domini better for its smartness and philosophical musings and sex, i like denis johnson better for its outlaws. but i may read another martin cruz smith too for all that.
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