Hotel Ukraine: The brand new Arkady Renko political thriller, from one of the undisputed masters of the genre

The Arkady Renko series comes to a thrilling and timely conclusion in Martin Cruz Smith's "The Black Army." Arkady investigates the murder of Alexei Kazasky, a high-profile politician with a complicated relationship with Putin, while also dealing with his developing Parkinsons and his adopted son's involvement with the Black Army. The war in Ukraine is gaining momentum, and Arkady realizes that the murder may have been more politically motivated than he first assumed.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 17 July 2025
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd

The Arkady Renko series, an iconic character from a titan of the political crime thriller genre, has reached its riveting and timely conclusion. When Arkady Renko is charged with investigating the murder of Alexei Kazasky, the Deputy Minister of Defence, he knows he has to tread carefully. Alexei Kazasky is a high-profile politician with a complicated relationship with Putin, and this investigation clearly has Kremlin approval. However, as with everything in Russia, things are not always what they seem. Arkady is already preoccupied with his developing Parkinson's disease, and his adopted son Zhenya has become involved with the Black Army, a Russo-Ukrainian group of hacktivists. Moreover, as Arkady digs deeper into Kazaskys murder, he realizes that the mans death may have been more politically motivated than he first assumed. Now it seems that the people behind the killing have him firmly in their crosshairs, but this time Arkadys life is not the only one on the line. PRAISE FOR MARTIN CRUZ SMITH: Does more on a page than most writers manage in a chapter. He is unique and irreplaceable. MICK HERRON Among the first of a new generation of writers who made thrillers literary. GUARDIAN One of those writers that anyone who is serious about their craft views with respect bordering on awe. VAL McDERMID One of the finest writers of our age. CHARLOTTE PHILBY The undisputed master of the political crime thriller.

Weight: 442g
Dimension: 242 x 162 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781398510470