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A review by vanessakm
Red Square by Martin Cruz Smith
4.0
I am a little torn on what to rate this. I think this book's predecessor, [b:Polar Star|778285|Polar Star (Arkady Renko, #2)|Martin Cruz Smith|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1178266745s/778285.jpg|2640521], was just so good this one might suffer a bit in comparison. Nevertheless, I still remain a fan of Smith's gift with prose, his cast of compelling characters and his ability to make the reader really live in the Russian and German mindsets in the era between the Wall's collapse and the dissolution of the USSR.
The book has multiple story lines that converge. One is Renko's investigation of the murder of an informant. Another is his reaction to hearing his great love Irina (the woman he helped defect in the first book, [b:Gorky Park|762806|Gorky Park (Arkady Renko, #1)|Martin Cruz Smith|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1178138027s/762806.jpg|90322]) on Radio Liberty in Munich. The third is the state of Moscow in the twilight of the USSR. The story takes place during August, 1991 in the days leading up to the famous August Coup. The mystery is a typical Cruz Smith labyrinth. My advice is the fewer sittings you can read this in, the better. Of course, once you get past a certain point you won't want to stop.
My main complaint is in the previous book, Renko was living essentially in exile on a factory fishing ship in the Bering sea. Although its ending suggests that he has been forgiven by Moscow, this book opens with him back in his old job as an investigator for the City Prosecutor with no mention of how he got from there to here other than a few asides about how he is considered rehabilitated by the Party. It does lead to one very funny misunderstanding between Renko and his new Boss at a murder scene.
Despite any quibbles, I can't give this book less than four stars. Other than the aforementioned qualities I love about Smith, this book had a great ending.
The book has multiple story lines that converge. One is Renko's investigation of the murder of an informant. Another is his reaction to hearing his great love Irina (the woman he helped defect in the first book, [b:Gorky Park|762806|Gorky Park (Arkady Renko, #1)|Martin Cruz Smith|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1178138027s/762806.jpg|90322]) on Radio Liberty in Munich. The third is the state of Moscow in the twilight of the USSR. The story takes place during August, 1991 in the days leading up to the famous August Coup. The mystery is a typical Cruz Smith labyrinth. My advice is the fewer sittings you can read this in, the better. Of course, once you get past a certain point you won't want to stop.
My main complaint is in the previous book, Renko was living essentially in exile on a factory fishing ship in the Bering sea. Although its ending suggests that he has been forgiven by Moscow, this book opens with him back in his old job as an investigator for the City Prosecutor with no mention of how he got from there to here other than a few asides about how he is considered rehabilitated by the Party. It does lead to one very funny misunderstanding between Renko and his new Boss at a murder scene.
Despite any quibbles, I can't give this book less than four stars. Other than the aforementioned qualities I love about Smith, this book had a great ending.