Stalins Ghost, Martin Cruz Smith
Stalins Ghost, Martin Cruz Smith
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Stalin's Ghost
An Arkady Renko Novel

Author: Martin Cruz Smith

Narrator: Ron McLarty

Abridged: 6 hr 7 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/12/2007


Synopsis

Detective Arkady Renko returns to Moscow in the internationally bestselling series about Russian crimes, broken hearts, and the mysteries of the soul.

Investigator Arkady Renko, the pariah of the Moscow prosecutor's office, has been assigned the thankless job of investigating a new phenomenon: late-night subway riders report seeing the ghost of Joseph Stalin on the platform of the Chistye Prudy Metro station. The illusion seems part political hocus-pocus and also part wishful thinking, for among many Russians Stalin is again popular; the bloody dictator can boast a two-to-one approval rating. Decidedly better than that of Renko, whose lover, Eva, has left him for Detective Nikolai Isakov, a charismatic veteran of the civil war in Chechnya, a hero of the far right and, Renko suspects, a killer for hire. The cases entwine, and Renko's quests become a personal inquiry fueled by jealousy.

The investigation leads to the fields of Tver outside of Moscow, where once a million soldiers fought. There, amidst the detritus, Renko must confront the ghost of his own father, a favorite general of Stalin's. In these barren fields, patriots and shady entrepreneurs -- the Red Diggers and Black Diggers -- collect the bones, weapons and personal effects of slain World War II soldiers, and find that even among the dead there are surprises.

About Martin Cruz Smith

Martin Cruz Smith’s novels include Gorky ParkStallion GateNightwingPolar StarStalin’s GhostRoseDecember 6TatianaThe Girl from VeniceThe Siberian Dilemma, and Independence Square. He is a two-time winner of the Hammett Prize, a recipient of the Mystery Writers of America’s Grand Master Award and Britain’s Golden Dagger Award, and a winner of the Premio Piemonte Giallo Internazionale. He lives in California.

About Ron McLarty

Ron McLarty has appeared on Broadway in That Championship Season, Our Country's Good, and Moonchildren. His film credits include Two Bits, The Postman, and The Flamingo Kid. He has starred on television in Spenser for Hire and Cop Rock. Mr. McLarty is also a novelist and an award-winning playwright.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Lewis on June 01, 2012

Abe March said "good, but not great." I agree. It took a long time for the separate threads to make any sense at all, and when they did, there was never a real engaging drama. The characters were not developed enough to make me care about them. The plot, however, was good enough to pull me along and......more

Goodreads review by Leftbanker on February 06, 2023

Here are just a few moments at the beginning of the novel that made me laugh or smile in admiration at the skill of the author. A woman is trying to contract the killing of her husband and offers a warning to the would-be assassins: “He’s very strong,” she said. “No, he’ll just be heavy,” Victor assure......more

Goodreads review by Jack on April 23, 2020

3 Stars. It's a Renko kind of case. He's an investigator with the Moscow prosecutor's office, but nothing seems to go well for him. He exasperates his boss, indeed the ways Arkady Renko successfully concludes his various cases can drive Prosecutor Zurin to apoplexy! His next one? Joseph Stalin has b......more

Goodreads review by L.A. on July 17, 2023

One of the best of this series. So much action, so much duplicity, so many layers to the settings and history. Honestly, though, it's miraculous Arkady Renko survived in this book. Highly, highly recommended......more

Goodreads review by Steve on October 26, 2010

When I was looking at the books Smith has written, I was surprised to see that I've actually read all of the Renko novels. I've liked all of the books, but have not been wild about them (well, except for Gorky Park, which I would rate 5 stars). For some reason, I just don't like the way Smith closes......more