Independence Square

Arkady Renko is back . . .

Renko has been confined to a desk job by his superiors to keep him out of the way. Although he's more disillusioned with policing and the general state of Russia than ever, he feels an odd sense of hope. A rebellion is bubbling in the country, with new values butting heads against old-school regimes.

People want change and politician Leonid Lebedev could be the man to do it. When Karina, a staunch supporter of Lebedev and member of the Forum, goes missing, Renko is asked by her father to find her. Soon after his investigation begins, Alex, a close friend of Arkady's son, is found dead.

He was also a member of the Forum. The night before his murder, Alex sent Arkady a cryptic message, simply containing three pictures of Russian writers. The link between the pictures is there, if only Renko could see it.

But Arkady has just been diagnosed with Parkinson's and the physical and psychological effects of the disease are taking their toll. This time, he must fight more than the impenetrable Russian regime to get answers - he will need to fight himself.

PRAISE FOR THE ARKADY RENKO SERIES

'Forty years ago, Gorky Park established a new high-water mark for the thriller. It has yet to be surpassed' Mick Herron

'When first published Gorky Park was an instant classic; and its reputation has only grown since 1981' Adrian McKinty

'One of the seminal books in the canon of crime fiction' Abir Mukherjee

'One of those writers that anyone who is serious about their craft views with respect bordering on awe' Val McDermid

'Cruz Smith at his best:' Financial Times

'Martin Cruz Smith makes tension rise through the page like a shark's fin' Independent

'The story drips with atmosphere and authenticity - a literary triumph' David Young

'Smith not only constructs grittily realistic plots, he also has a gift for characterisation of which most thriller writers can only dream' Mail on Sunday

'Smith was among the first of a new generation of writers who made thrillers literary' Guardian

'Brilliantly worked, marvellously written . . . an imaginative triumph' Sunday Times