A review by nigellicus
Polar Star by Martin Cruz Smith

5.0

This was the first Martin Cruz Smith book I read, oh so long ago, and the real mystery is why I never read any more until this year. Akso, having read through the entire Arkady Renko ouevre, I think this may well remain my favourite, if only purely for the setting on the North Pacific factory ship the Polar Star, engaged on a joint fishery venture with three US trawlers. Renko has fled Moscow and found his way to the slime line, cleaning, gutting and freezing the catct in the bowels of the ship. When the body of a canteen worker falls out of a net full of fish, the captain puts Renko on the case, even though it's clear from the outset that finding out what actually happened to the young woman will only cause all sorts trouble, and not just for Renko. There's a lot more than fishing going on aboard the Polar Star.