Welshrogue

Millions of dollars in diamonds. Nazi war criminals. South American dictators. Deranged freedom fighters. All on the Queen Elizabeth 2. Its going to be a very interesting cruise.

A thriller about two South American dictators who want to rid their countries of free speech, bankrolled by Nazi`s who want a safe haven, dealing with arms dealers with a lot to sell. Caught up in the middle of this is Hank Greenstein, a lawyer who is involved to an extent, and his fiancee, Frances.

This is a pretty fast paced thriller, even if the first part is more confusing than anything else. The plot picks up and the action heats up as things spiral out of control. A good ending though.

A fun book, quick read, probably not one of the best ever though.

Three bodies, faceless and missing fingertips, are found in Gorky Park, Moscow. A police detective investigates, expecting the KGB to take over the investigation at any moment, and gets drawn into a tangled web of lies, money, and not knowing who to trust. Arkady Renko is a police investigator who, as he tries to make a show of investigating the murders, finds himself getting more involved.

The novel, set in Moscow for the most part, is a classic thriller where our hero stumbles onto things bigger than himself. Renko is a great lead character as he is flawed, confused, and yet struggling to do what he believes is right. Because most of the action takes place in Russia, you get a flavour of what it must have been to live there in the 80s. The reader feels drawn in as the descriptions of everyday life in Moscow paint a grim picture highlighted by pockets of hope.

The characters are richly created, full of life, and yet, not over the top in anyway. This feels very real. This, along with a great twisty plot that takes the lead character through highs and lows makes Gorky Park a brilliant book.