Rating: 
Summary: One of the very best...
Review: Most mystery writers today produce books that are like cotton candy: they're light, fluffy, give you a quick sugar high, and are ultimately unsatisfying in the long run. Unfortunately, most of these writers produce a book a year-whether they have anything new to say or not. Once in a great while, a mystery writer comes along whose work is so broad in scope as to resemble great literature. Martin Cruz Smith belongs to this elite group, and Gorky Park is one of the best mysteries ever written.
Arkady Renko is Chief Investigator of Homicide for the city of Moscow before the fall of communism. While he has a 100% success rate in investigating homicides, his personal life is less than stellar. Renko is called in when three faceless, fingerless bodies are discovered in the snow at Gorky Park during a spring thaw. He is able to take what little evidence there is, and starts putting together the pieces of this complicated puzzle. The closer he gets to the truth, the more evident it is that someone (maybe the KGB or even someone in his own office) does not want him to solve this crime.
But what makes Gorky Park so fascinating is the Russian angle. Solving crimes and investigative techniques are a bit different than in the United States (they tend to use a lot of vodka, for one thing). Not only does Arkady have the party bureaucracy to contend with, but the KGB is also looking over his shoulder. It is often hard to tell who are the bad guys. We also get a glimpse of what it was like to live in Soviet Russia. Professionals like Renko didn't get very high salaries, and living conditions were often spartan.
But where Cruz Smith really excels is in his characters. Renko is probably one of the most memorable characters in any mystery. He is a very likable, sympathetic man with a kind heart. His humble, self-deprecating manner belies a brilliant mind, which he needs to fight not just criminals, but also the Soviet system. But Renko also carries a lot of baggage, and it sometimes interferes with his job.
Cruz Smith's plot will keep you up nights, reading to find out what happens. Gorky Park is also filled with ironic wit. Renko never tries to take himself too seriously, and we learn that humor is the best way to survive in the Soviet Union. When one character tells Renko that he wants to kill him, Renko responds "this is Russia. Get in line." The exchange between Renko and an FBI agent about defection will have you in stitches.
If Gorky Park isn't the best mystery written today, it's certainly close to the top of the list.
Rating:
Summary: A genre classic!
Review: Near the end of Chapter 11, Renko experiences a sharp pang of discomfort as the girl he has entangled in his investigation of three murders puts a cigarette out against the bark of a birch tree, "as if the warm stab were being pressed into his heart. He believed her. The truth had gone from her into the tree and into him." This is the quality of writing that we get from Martin Cruz Smith. His facility with language balances with his storycraft to produce a compelling, dramatic espionage thriller that stands against the best work of Le Carre or Fredrick Forsyth.
Rating:
Summary: A superb book...
Review: One of the best books I ve read. The character development is fantastic and has depth. The story is all the more amazing considering it was written during the Cold War era and focuses on a crime that has nothing to do with missiles or nukes. Magnificent description of Russia. The story packs a lot of punch and has an excellent ending.
Rating:
Summary: If you haven't read this, do
Review: Rereading after many years. Renko is fearless, even if stupid or possibly bullheaded, and has a wonderful sense of humor. All the characters, even the bad guys, have a great sense of style and range from the very charming to the only slightly charming. Enjoy if you are lucky enough to read it for the first time, even the second or third time!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: The best detective novel I have ever read. The setting, storyline and the characters keep you hooked until the very last page. I would highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding thriller, sequels are even better!
Review: The first of three outstanding thrillers, Gorky Park takes you to real places in Russia. Having lived there for several years, I enjoyed "re-visiting" the streets, towns and regions, meeting accurate portrayals of typical Russian characters, and visualizing the events in this interesting novel. I strongly recommend the sequels, Polar Star and Red Square.
Rating: 
Summary: Soviet and American Life Contrasted In A Detective Story
Review: The novel "Gorky Park" is an excellent portrayal of Soviet life under Communism. Inspector Arkady Renko is called to Moscow's Gorky Park to investigate three dead bodies. He finds the KGB at the crime scene disturbing the evidence. Inspector Renko conducts his own investigation which leads ultimately to America. The Moscow Town Prosecutor, the KGB, the FBI, and the NYPD interfere with his investigation. Inspector Renko doggedly continues his investigation despite these agencies' interference.Martin Cruz Smith has created strong characters. Arkady Renko, son of an Russian general, is the Chief Police Inspector of the Moscow Town Prosecutor's office -- a post everyone agrees is beneath him. Irina Asanova is a film wardrobe assistant who would do anything to leave the Soviet Union. J. D. Osborne is an American multimillionaire decorated by the Soviets for World War II bravery. These characters interact with wonderful dialogue that contrasts the difference between life in Russia and life in America -- a controlled dour existence versus the joy of freedom and prosperity. The author's strong characters and strong portrayal of Soviet life under Communism elevate a good detective story into an excellent novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Absolute Yawn-Fest After the First Few Pages
Review: The start of this book with the triple murder where the victims faces and fingerprints have been removed made for a very interesting and unusual start. I was grabbed instantly and pulled into the crime at Gorky Park in Moscow. But from there, sadly to say, it was all down hill. I lost interest the more I read. Keeping track of all the Russian names and places was tedious, but would have been a non issue had there been a plot and story that was at least somewhat interesting. But it wasn't, it was just plain dull. I failed to see why this book is so highly thought of. If this is the best murder mystery in the genre, then I guess I will be skipping this genre.
Rating:
Summary: Great Work
Review: This book is great, the best out of the series. You know it is good because of all the other books that claim to be just like it. This was really the first book that I believed the dark disgruntled cop roll, he really sells it well. I like the plot twists and the pace. There is also a lot of time dealing with life in the USSR, which is great background. This is really a good book and much better then the movie. Once you read this you will search out the rest in the series.
Rating: 
Summary: Polar Star is better
Review: This book is somewhere in between three and four stars. First of all, the book's main weaknesses, in my opinion: the main character Arkady Renko is calm, collected and principled almost to the point of being dull. While it was obviously the author's intention to make him straight-laced, it does not help the book much to have such an unrealistic character. Likewise, the love scenes with Irina Asanova seem very strained and unrealistic. But the plot is fairly good and should keep you reading (even if it is a bit of a disappointment in the end). The character problems are not such a big issue in Polar Star and the plot (actually, two plots) and setting are even cooler. If I was going to read one of these books again, it would definitely be Polar Star.
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