Arkady Renko torna al lavoro in una doppia indagine: deve fare luce su di un omicidio per il quale sono sospettati due ex-poliziotti: Nikolai Isakov e Marat Urman, membri in congedo del corpo d'elite dei Berretti Neri, famigerati per l'assalto alla scuola di Beslan. Inoltre, nei tunnel della metropolitana di Mosca, molti passeggeri hanno visto l'apparizione del fantasma di Stalin. Due casi molto diversi che però sembrano ricondurre ad un'unica vicenda, al cui centro sembra trovarsi proprio Isakov, oggi candidato politico per un partito ultraconservatore. Non appena Renko comincia a scavare in cerca della verità, alcuni ex-membri dei berretti neri vengono trovati uccisi, e lo stesso Arkady, presto, scoprirà di essere al centro del mirino. ( )

Arkady Renko vuelve a trabajar como detective de la policía de Moscú. Mientras investiga unos asesinatos que podrían implicar a dos de los detectives más prestigiosos de Moscú: Isakov y Urman; Arkadi es enviado a investigar la supuesta aparición del fantasma de Stalin en el metro, caso en el que, al parecer, también estarían implicados Isakov y Urman. En el escenario de estas apariciones, Arkady encuentra a un hombre, asesinado por una mujer, que en el momento de los hechos estaba borracha y que repite sin cesar "me han quitado el dragón". Tras estas apariciones misteriosas, Arkady descubre que están conectadas con un partido político y que esconden datos de lo que realmente pasó en Chechenia.

This one isn't totally fabulous, but I love Arkady and it was still a treat nonetheless.

A Ural motorcycle figures into the story modestly, along with it's modestly interesting background; wiki which see.

The very next day, I see one the street.
The very next day. ( )

Martin Cruz Smith forces so many historical themes, plot turns, and cardboard characters into Stalin's Ghost that the book is both confusing and a little tedious. Though there is some evocative and/or witty description, the book is a weak effort. ( )

1950's Russia — good — small world, corrupt, etc. man of few words all cryptic "Red Dragon" Carpets loose ends — Eva — still alive
Isakov — mystery past college drop-out still @

Investigator Arkady Renko, the pariah of the Moscow prosecutor’s office, has been assigned the thankless job of investigating a new phenomenon: late-night subway riders report seeing the ghost of Joseph Stalin on the platform of the Chistye Prudy Metro station. The illusion seems part political hocus-pocus and also part wishful thinking, for among many Russians Stalin is again popular; the bloody dictator can boast a two-to-one approval rating. Decidedly better than that of Renko, whose lover, Eva, has left him for Detective Nikolai Isakov, a charismatic veteran of the civil war in Chechnya, a hero of the far right and, Renko suspects, a killer for hire. The cases entwine, and Renko’s quests become a personal inquiry fueled by jealousy.