STALIN'S GHOST

Moscow investigator Arkady Renko fights demons, some imagined and some real. In this outing he must investigate recent sightings of Stalin, which coincide with a political campaign that backs his nemesis. As Renko digs deeper into the case, an ugly episode in his country's past comes to the fore, pitting truth against patriotism. In addition, a teen chess prodigy he cares for must determine his allegiances. Furthermore, his lover's fate is intertwined with his rival's. Ron McLarty's voice varies enough to distinguish character traits, but his forte is his deliberate pacing. McLarty gives Renko a sense of calm rationality through all of his travails. M.B. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 07]