A Small Death in Lisbon

Two different settings and time frames--the waning days of the Third Reich in Germany and Portugal, and contemporary Portugal, with some of the same characters--allow the author to overlap both a complex historical thriller with a traditional murder mystery in unique and fascinating ways. Klaus Felsen, forced to work for the Nazi SS near the end of World War II, is sent to Portugal to buy as much wolfram (tungsten) as he can get, to be used in the manufacture of armor-piercing weapons. He is also responsible for privately smuggling out a great deal of German gold and some stolen art when it appears that Germany will lose the war, a job made more palatable when he realizes that he and his partners can profit greatly in the years after the war if they are careful to avoid discovery. All these details come into play when a young Portuguese girl, seemingly unconnected with any of this, is found murdered fifty years later in contemporary Lisbon. Inspector Ze Coelho is assigned to solve the mystery of her death, a death which eventually reverberates throughout Lisbon society, the émigré population, the police department, the federal Justice department, political parties past and present, and even the foundations of the present government. If all this seems like a lot to take on, it is. Although the book is beautifully written with fully developed, imperfect, and quirky characters one grows to like and understand, fine and vivid description, and a fast-paced plot with something happening all the time, ultimately it is difficult to make all the connections required by the fifty year chronology of the plot. Although I worked hard at this, and thought I had succeeded as I approached the conclusion, the last twenty pages had me reviewing and revising everything I had previously observed about the possible motivations of the main characters. Surprising twists are expected in mysteries. This one takes complexity to new levels. Mary Whipple

A Small Death in LisbonRobert Wilson451 PagesAvailable in PaperbackBerkley: 1999Book DescriptionA Small Death in Lisbon by Robert Wilson intertwines two tales of intrigue and murder over a course of 58 years. The novel begins in present day Lisbon, Portugal, where a young woman, Catarina Oliveira, is found dead on the coast. Ze Coelho, a homicide detective, is called to the scene to investigate her murder. From this point on he unwraps a gruesome, extensive, and complicated past, displaying that Catarina's death is on a much grander scale than one would imagine.The story connected to Catarina's murder stretches back to the time of Nazi Germany and a Nazi named Klaus Felsen. Robert Wilson pulls the reader back and forth from the past to the present, slowly moving forward until the two stories meet at a bitter end. Klaus Felsen bribes, steals, and kills, drawing towards the future when a murder will be committed in connection with him.In the writing of this novel Wilson has paid close attention to historical detail, showing a world in Portugal revolving around the mining industry, particularly wolfram. This metallic element, which was vital during WWII, becomes a reason for bribery and slaying within the novel.The book in itself is difficult to describe, including small facts and circumstances that come together, allowing inspector Coelho to solve an enormous crime. His partner, Carlos, his daughter, Olivia, two men named Antonio Borrego and Manuel Abrantes, and a mysterious lover, all play a role in a novel that focuses on atrocities over a period of almost 60 years. Personal Book ReviewA Small Death in Lisbon is a novel built around intricate detail, describing a compelling mystery with surprises around every corner. Robert Wilson has spiced the novel with amazing amounts of creative description and has written a story so enticing it leaves the reader full of suspense until the final page.This book contains a reinvention of the historical clash between good and evil, with an emphasis on the latter. Klaus Felsen is presented as a good man, but eventually commits ghastly acts and leaves the reader hating him. On the other hand, Ze Coelho becomes the hero of the novel, a man you want to succeed in his battle. The novel's theme is about mystery in itself, or the secrets that can be hidden by simple people whose past remains without closure. Each character in this book is fighting his or her past, whether it's Ze coping with his dead wife, or Klaus locked in jail for his previous mistakes. Each character longs for an escape or a resolution. This adds so much to the novel, as each person's story contributes in some way to the overall scheme.The plot of A Small Death in Lisbon is what is most alluring. A novel so long and complicated would generally cause confusion for the reader, but I found this book so interesting that I read it swiftly and never lost track of the plot. Reading this novel is like driving down a curvy road, where at ea

A Small Death in Lisbon (1999)Robert WilsonAwards: Crime Writers' Association 1999 Gold Dagger Award for Best Crime NovelGenre: mystery - modern detective/historical WWIIDate Read: January 6, 2003- January 11, 2003Comments: wow! excellent! two stories for the price of one, very well written, masterful storytelling, captivating, good balance of character development and descriptive setting, could have gone lighter on the graphic sex and violenceAdvice: absolutely recommended - when you read it drink in every word!

The Golden Dagger Award first introduced me to the work of Michael Dibdin and his, "Aurelio Zen" series. For the second time this award has brought about another new Author who writes a phenomenal tale. "A Small Death In Lisbon", by Robert Wilson is not his first work, but unfortunately is the only writing of his available in the US at present. This book should change that status.This work does not just shift between 2 points in time; rather it brings forward one storyline from decades ago to mesh perfectly with the second storyline, which is contemporary. The initial flare is that there is no hint as to how these two stories and their characters will ever mesh much less come together in a beautifully crafted and simple penultimate end. The final series of pages reveal an incredibly complex ending that is as true and clever as it is intricate.Both storylines contain extreme examples of human behavior that might be too graphic for some. I would compare it to the series centering on Hannibal Lechter, the circumstances are at times extreme and very unpleasant, but they are not gratuitous. The book unfolds from Nazi Germany and wartime Lisbon, all the way to Lisbon, as it exists in a contemporary time. The political upheavals and the groups that cause and enforce them are at times brutal, but it is as it took place when Historical Events are included.This is a very good tale whether mysteries are normally your choice or not. The book is very well written, extremely complex while never contrived or cliché, and the Author does not show his last card until almost the last few paragraphs.Unconditionally Recommended!