Rating: 
Summary: Spectacular stuff.
Review: This is a great author, and one of the few who is not stuck in a rut. This is a police story with political overtones which goes far beyond the stuff which passes for most mysteries in this country. He is able to go from the details of police work to the implications of international political matters without catching his breath, one of the few who can
Rating:
Summary: Gorky Park
Review: This is the book that got me started on MCS...and he has yet to disappoint...Renko is a hero we can admire...often down for the count but never out! ...unwilling to compromise his basic human decency while wryly observing the strictures,foibles and brutality of soviet society
Rating:
Summary: Killer
Review: This is where it all starts. I personally like "Polar Star" better than this, but this book is also great. A great suspense novel. Everything only gets revealed only in the end.
Rating:
Summary: a portrait of a time and place we never knew
Review: this novel introduces Arkady Renko, a Russian police investigator surrounded by the lies of the Soviet system, yearning only for the truth.
From what may be the finest opening line in popular fiction to an ending that is completely unexpected....everyone should read this book
Rating: 
Summary: Works well on several levels
Review: This very engrossing book is both an interesting detective story and an interesting insight into Soviet life in Moscow at a certain time in the near past. By setting what would otherwise be a traditional murder mystery (with some traditionally current grotesque elements) in Moscow, Martin Cruz Smith is able to introduce a host of fresh elements into a tired genre. The Russian hero has a whole different set of personal and professional concerns than would his New York counterpart, and the characters and situations encountered are likewise different, strange and interesting because new to this type of fiction. Finally, the basic plot - the nature of the murder and the crime's solving - are totally dependent on the Moscow setting.Great stuff. A real original and highly recommended for anyone wanting something different from the same old stuff.
Rating:
Summary: fabulous!!
Review: This was the first time I read a book by Martin Cruz Smith and and I was surprised by the depth of the book and the world he has written. Made me forget where in the world I was since I became so absorbed in the story. Each character comes alive with each word he wrote. Definately one of the best books I've read.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful
Review: When GORKY PARK was published in 1981, the Soviet Union was still going on strong. Now with the passage of time the USSR is nothing but a distant memory and the former republics are fighting hard to keep their independence. Reading Martin Cruz Smith's novel now gives a unique perspective to life in this foreign land. We are introduced to Russian Homicide Detective Arkady Renko who is investigating a triple homicide in Gorky Park. All of the victims were shot and they were intentionally disfigured in order to prevent identification. The only clue left on the scene were a pair of ice skates worn by one of the victims that belonged to actress Irina Asanova. Renko must deal with petty bureaucrats, crooked politicians, the KGB as well as his own personal problems with his own wife. Irina knows more than she is telling the detective. Renko is smitten with her and he is not confident about his feelings. The other major player in this novel is an American furrier named John Osbourne. This businessman has strong connections with Soviet officials and it is believed that he is also a KGB informant. Several Russian officials are protecting him but Renko is not to be dissuaded. He will do what he needs to do in order to get to the bottom of this mystery. Cruz's work is very powerful and strong in character development. Each one of the three major characters has a story to tell and the author does a great job in developing each one. It is a story of heartbreak and broken dreams and definitely one of the best novels ever written about Russia.
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