Helpful Score: 2
Abridged EditionOne thing I think you'll notice about Martin Cruz Smith - he creates fantastic scenarios in his books! I mean, you can almost feel the icy water, see the towering waves, feel the rocking of the ship, the smell of the confined spaces below decks (you Navy guys know all about that, and you ladies will have to imagine your head in the (what's that thingy you put dirty clothes in?)). He has a unique ability to give you enough of a description so you can almost picture it in your mind! That ability has always impressed me! Just wish I could write like that.This book is a sequel to Gorky Park (for those of you familiar with that one), and Arkady Renko returns as the main character. In Gorky Park, Renko was on the run from his enemies through Siberia. We catch up with him in his "ultimate" hiding place, the "slime-line" in the bowels of a huge Russian fish processing factory ship working for the Americans in the Bering Sea. This is a setting that is about as bleak and unforgiving as you can imagine..........a woman is murdered ..................and the story begins.I enjoyed it!Wiley Coyote
excellent mystery set within Russian culture aboard factory fishing vessal...dectective approach includes action and thought...same author who wrote Gorky Park....
He has made too many enemies. He lost his part membership. Once Moscow's top criminal investigator, he now toils in the obscurity on a Russian factory ship working with American trawlers in the middle of the Bering Sea.
But when an adventurous female crewmember is picked up dead with the day catch, Arkady Renko is ordered by his captain to investigate an "accident" that has all the marks of murder.
Up against the celebrated Soviet bureaucracy once more, Renko must again become the obsessed,dedicated cop he was in Gorky Park and solve a chilling mystery with international complications,in the vivid, heart-pounding thriller that never lets up.
But when an adventurous female crewmember is picked up dead with the day catch, Arkady Renko is ordered by his captain to investigate an "accident" that has all the marks of murder.
Up against the celebrated Soviet bureaucracy once more, Renko must again become the obsessed,dedicated cop he was in Gorky Park and solve a chilling mystery with international complications,in the vivid, heart-pounding thriller that never lets up.
Sprung from a state psychiatric hospital, Arkady Renko takes refuge in Siberia, ultimately working on a Soviet factory ship in the Bering Sea. When one of his shipmates is murdered, he's pressed into service. "Those eagerly awaiting the return of Renko, the saturnine, chain-smoking police investigator from Moscow who appeared in the bestseller Gorky Park , will be glad to know their hero is back in fine form,"
Very enjoyable sequel to Gorky Park. The quietyly irresistable Investigator Renko is no longer that but now Seaman Renko cleaning fish on a Soviet factory fishing ship in the Bering Sea. The death of a female crew person brings him back into his old job with none of the perks. Except contact with the Americans in this joint fishing trip. Lots of Soviet era cynical conversation and insights into life at sea in the fishing industry. Nice aspects of Alaska too.
From the inside dust jacket cover: "A Soviet factory ship makes its way through the fog of the Bering Sea off Alaska. Battered, streaked with rust, carrying a crew of three hundred-fifty of them women- the Polar Star is virtually a Soviet village in American waters. Its satellites are American trawlers that catch the fish; the Soviets clean, freeze and carry the harvest home. The last net of the night bears pollack, cod, crabs and, from the depths of the sea, the body of a woman missing from the Polar Star.
No one on board has any experience in the investigation of violent death except for one fugitive from the KGB working at the lowliest job, the 'slime line,' in the bowels of the ship. Once a senior investigator for homicide in Moscow, he hasn't set foot on land in almost a year. His name is Arkady Renko.
But the thaw of glasnost and perestroika has reached even the Bering Sea. On his captain's orders Arkady comes unwillingly, painfully, back to life as a detective. His unlikely assistant is Natasha, a Party amazon with 'eyes as black as Stalin's, but nice.' Her opposite, Susan, heads the American team aboard the Polar Star. Both are initially hostile to Arkady, yet drawn to him. He also gains the murderous attention of an ominous figure from his Moscow past, Karp Korobetz, the ship's model worker and a brutal criminal whom Arkady had sent to Siberia years before.
As his inquiry probes through layers of intrige at sea, then into the isolated port of Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and finally onto the Arctic ice, Arkady uncovers the true missions of the Polar Star and the American fleet surrounding it."
No one on board has any experience in the investigation of violent death except for one fugitive from the KGB working at the lowliest job, the 'slime line,' in the bowels of the ship. Once a senior investigator for homicide in Moscow, he hasn't set foot on land in almost a year. His name is Arkady Renko.
But the thaw of glasnost and perestroika has reached even the Bering Sea. On his captain's orders Arkady comes unwillingly, painfully, back to life as a detective. His unlikely assistant is Natasha, a Party amazon with 'eyes as black as Stalin's, but nice.' Her opposite, Susan, heads the American team aboard the Polar Star. Both are initially hostile to Arkady, yet drawn to him. He also gains the murderous attention of an ominous figure from his Moscow past, Karp Korobetz, the ship's model worker and a brutal criminal whom Arkady had sent to Siberia years before.
As his inquiry probes through layers of intrige at sea, then into the isolated port of Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and finally onto the Arctic ice, Arkady uncovers the true missions of the Polar Star and the American fleet surrounding it."
A wonderful read. It takes place in a locale not normally used with characters that are usually just fillers, and yet it captures your attention and takes you on the full ride. A great mystery and a wonderful novel.
Once Moscow's top investigator he now works in obscurity on a Russian factory ship. But when an adventurous female crew member is picked up dead with the day's catch, Arkady is order to invesitage the accident that has the marks of murder.
Read "Gorky Park" many years ago and recently picked up a copy of author's "Stalin's Ghost" also featuring Renko in post-communist Russia.
Was inspired to read all books featuring Renko so I went back to book 2, "Polar Star." Was not disappointed. Good murder mystery in dying days of Communist Russia. I plan on reading all 7 or so books in series now.
With so many choices of murder mysteries out there, it is great to read those that include knowledge about another society like Russia in current times.
Was inspired to read all books featuring Renko so I went back to book 2, "Polar Star." Was not disappointed. Good murder mystery in dying days of Communist Russia. I plan on reading all 7 or so books in series now.
With so many choices of murder mysteries out there, it is great to read those that include knowledge about another society like Russia in current times.
Arkady Renko has made too many enemies and now he toils in obscurity on a Russian factory ship in the middle of the Bering Sea. But when a female crew member is picked up dead with the day's catch, Arkady becomes obsessed with the case and once again discovers more than he wants to know and certainly more than he bargained for....
Another intriquing tale from a masterful storyteller.
Arkady rules! Gorky Park adventure continues in Polar Star where Renko is banished to a hell ship of fish processing. Our persistent investigator falls on evidence and some how manages not to get killed. How could it get worse?
This exciting & character rich crime thriller is the sequel to the great 'Gorky Park'. Homicide detective Arkady Renko has been exiled to the far reaches of the Soviet Union for upsetting his government leaders by his obstinate pursuit of the truth. True to his values, Renko takes on the powers that be once again as he relentlessly takes on the investigation of a women's apparent murder that the bureaucracy wants declared an accident.
Good thriller.
Difficult to put down. Suspenseful.
From book back: He has made too many enemies. He has lost his party membership. Once Moscow's top criminal investigator, he now toils in obscurity on a Russian factory ship working with American trawlers in the middle of the Bering Sea. But when an adventurous female crew member is picked up dead with the day's ctch, Arkady Renko is ordered by his captain to investigate an 'accident' that has all the marks of murder.
Up against the celebrated Soviet bureaucracy once more, Renko must again become the obsessed, dedicated cop he was in Gorky Park and solve a chilling mystery with international complications, in this vivid, heart-pounding thriller that never lets up.
From book back: He has made too many enemies. He has lost his party membership. Once Moscow's top criminal investigator, he now toils in obscurity on a Russian factory ship working with American trawlers in the middle of the Bering Sea. But when an adventurous female crew member is picked up dead with the day's ctch, Arkady Renko is ordered by his captain to investigate an 'accident' that has all the marks of murder.
Up against the celebrated Soviet bureaucracy once more, Renko must again become the obsessed, dedicated cop he was in Gorky Park and solve a chilling mystery with international complications, in this vivid, heart-pounding thriller that never lets up.
This is the sequel to Gorky Park which was excellent. I guess the publisher turned down this one, so there is no ISBN. Wierd, huh? I liked it anyway. You will, too.
From Publishers Weekly
Sprung from a state psychiatric hospital, Arkady Renko takes refuge in Siberia, ultimately working on a Soviet factory ship in the Bering Sea. When one of his shipmates is murdered, he's pressed into service. "Those eagerly awaiting the return of Renko, the saturnine, chain-smoking police investigator from Moscow who appeared in the bestseller Gorky Park , will be glad to know their hero is back in fine form," said PW. Author tour.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.
Book Description
He made too many enemies. He lost his party membership. Once Moscow's top criminal investigator, Arkady Renko now toils in obscurity on a Russian factory ship working with American trawlers in the middle of the Bering Sea. But when an adventurous female crew member is picked up dead with the day's catch, Renko is ordered by his captain to investigate an accident that has all the marks of murder. Up against the celebrated Soviet bureaucracy once more, Renko must again become the obsessed, dedicated cop he was in Gorky Park and solve a chilling mystery fraught with international complications.
âStunning.â
âThe New York Times Book Review
âImpossible to put down . . . a book of heart-stopping suspense and intricate plotting, but also a meticulously researched, ambitious literary work of great distinction.â
âThe Detroit News
âMartin Cruz Smith writes the most inventive thrillers of anyone in the first rank of thriller writers.â
âThe Washington Post Book World
âGripping . . . absorbing.â
âThe Philadelphia Inquirer
Sprung from a state psychiatric hospital, Arkady Renko takes refuge in Siberia, ultimately working on a Soviet factory ship in the Bering Sea. When one of his shipmates is murdered, he's pressed into service. "Those eagerly awaiting the return of Renko, the saturnine, chain-smoking police investigator from Moscow who appeared in the bestseller Gorky Park , will be glad to know their hero is back in fine form," said PW. Author tour.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.
Book Description
He made too many enemies. He lost his party membership. Once Moscow's top criminal investigator, Arkady Renko now toils in obscurity on a Russian factory ship working with American trawlers in the middle of the Bering Sea. But when an adventurous female crew member is picked up dead with the day's catch, Renko is ordered by his captain to investigate an accident that has all the marks of murder. Up against the celebrated Soviet bureaucracy once more, Renko must again become the obsessed, dedicated cop he was in Gorky Park and solve a chilling mystery fraught with international complications.
âStunning.â
âThe New York Times Book Review
âImpossible to put down . . . a book of heart-stopping suspense and intricate plotting, but also a meticulously researched, ambitious literary work of great distinction.â
âThe Detroit News
âMartin Cruz Smith writes the most inventive thrillers of anyone in the first rank of thriller writers.â
âThe Washington Post Book World
âGripping . . . absorbing.â
âThe Philadelphia Inquirer
