Polar Star
Polar Star
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1989
Book Brief
366
Novel • Fiction
Soviet Union • 1980s
1989
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Set in Soviet Russia in the 1980s during Perestroika, American author Martin Cruz Smith’s crime novel Polar Star (1989) chronicles the efforts of ex-police investigator Arkady Renko to solve the murder of a young woman working on a fish processing vessel in the Bering Sea. Polar Star is the sequel to the 1981 novel Gorky Park and the second of nine novels by Smith to feature Arkady as a protagonist, as of 2020.
Mysterious
Suspenseful
Dark
Gritty
Melancholic
Reviews & Readership
12,351 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Polar Star by Martin Cruz Smith receives praise for its engrossing narrative, complex characters, and atmospheric setting blending mystery and Cold War tension effectively. Some critics note occasional pacing issues and predictability. Overall, it's lauded for maintaining high suspense and rich detail, making it a compelling follow-up to Gorky Park.
Who Should Read Polar Star?
Fans of Polar Star by Martin Cruz Smith would include readers who appreciate gritty thrillers with a strong sense of place and well-developed characters. Comparable to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson and Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré, this novel appeals to those who enjoy complex plots and geopolitical intrigue.
12,351 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
366
Novel • Fiction
Soviet Union • 1980s
1989
Adult
18+ years
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