Arkady Renko is back, but his superiors have relegated him to a desk job, distancing him from the field. Despite his disillusionment with policing and Russia's state, a flicker of hope ignites within him as a rebellion stirs, challenging old regimes. Politician Leonid Lebedev emerges as a potential agent of change. When Karina, a devoted supporter of Lebedev, goes missing, her father turns to Renko for help. Shortly after, Alex, a friend of Renko’s son and a Forum member, is found dead, having sent Renko a cryptic message of three Russian writers the night before his murder. The connection between the images eludes Renko, who is grappling with a recent Parkinson's diagnosis that complicates his investigation. This time, he must confront not only the oppressive Russian regime but also his own physical and mental struggles. PRAISE FOR MARTIN CRUZ SMITH: "Smith was among the first of a new generation of writers who made thrillers literary" (Guardian). "One of those writers that anyone serious about their craft views with respect bordering on awe" (Val McDermid). "Cruz Smith writes with an immediacy, depth, and lightness of touch that is rare... Independence Square further crystallises him as one of the finest writers of our age" (Charlotte Philby). "The undisputed master of the political crime thriller" (Abir Mukherjee). "Cruz Smith's most powerful and engaging novel since Gorky Park" (Paul Burke, CrimeTime FM).
