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Title: Bleak as always
Review: Martin Cruz Smith is one of the few crime and spy writers who can actually write. I never find myself scanning pages with him and that is really all that needs to be said, isn't it? The story is interesting, the fates of the characters bleak, and yet, human warmth and spirit is present, making this, as the other Renko novels, a great read. For new readers, this is a good place to start, although I would savor the whole series from the start with Gorky Park...If you want a non-Arkady Renkoo novel of Smith's, I suggest November 6th, a really great read. Anyway, the point remains: Smith is a rare literary talent on the "crime scene". I recommend this or any of his Renko novels heartily.
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