Blind Man of Seville

Robert Wilson constructs the plots of his books in the same way as a watchmaker puts together a fine watch. He lays all the parts out in front of himself, and then slowly but surely constructs the finished product, in which all of the disparate wheels and springs and dials fit together precisely. This plot works the same way. Initially, what appears to be a murder investigation develops into something much, much more, and all of the apparantly disconnected bits of information the author strews throughout the book slowly, ever so slowly, come together into a unique creation. All of the questions are answered, and all the threads are tied together, perhaps not always neatly, but when has life ever been neat and tidy? It's thrilling to watch a master plotter at work, and this book fulfills that ideal.

Java Falcon, homicide detective working in Seville, Spain is confronted by several problems. First of all, he must investigate the brutal murder of a local restaurateur who was found with his eyelids removed evidently forced to watch something and killing himself trying to get out of the restraints. Falcon is particularly affected by the mutilated eyelids. The second issue concerns a journal written by his dead father, a famous artist. Falcon was asked to destroy the journal in a letter written by his father just prior to his death, However, he disobeys and in stark detail learns what a depraved and damaged man his father was. The third problem is Falcon facing his own demons as he deals with the journal and the murder. Will his struggle prove to be truly self destructive? First of all, this is most definitely not a book that appeals to my personal taste. It is long- very very long and is written in such a leisurely introspective style that it actually reads much longer than it is. The British call this a thriller and I simply cannot fatham why. I would also not characterize the book as compelling or even enjoyable. To be honest, I couldn't wait to finish it. Yet its excellence cannot be denied. The writing is lyrical. Falcon's personal angst is so deep and well thought out that his character becomes breathtakingly lifelike. There is great complexity in both segments of the plot- the journal of Falcon's father, as well as, Falcon's story. There is greatness here- that cannot be denied. This book reminds me of the classics of literature that we had to read in school- great books that challenged the reader. The bottom line is the book is not fun but is highly worthwhile.

THE BLIND MAN OF SEVILLE is a tour de force. Robert Wilson melds police procedural with psychological thriller as he leads the reader through the social, geographic, and historic topography of Seville and Tangier. Along the way Wilson offers insights into the vagaries of memory, the discomforts of truth, and the origins of loneliness.Seville's chief homicide detective Javier Falcon, son of a famous painter, struggles to identify a killer who mutilates his victims while showing them unendurable images from their past. At the same time Falcon is wrestling with ghosts of his own past: his divorce and the contents of his dead father's studio which he's kept locked away for nearly two years. What he learns in these simultaneous investigations brings Falcon to verge of collapse.This may not be a book for readers who want their mysteries to be simple mind candy. It is dark, violent, and frightening. However, if you admire the dark stories of Ruth Rendel and Nicolas Freeling, you should read THE BLIND MAN OF SEVILLE.

This, the new novel by the award-winning author of A Small Death in Lisbon, appears to have much going for it. The first draw is its rather curious title, the second is its exotic setting, Seville, Spain. Plus, the plot itself sounds rather fascinating...Thursday 12th of April, and a leading restaurateur is found slain in his home. Tied to a chair in front his TV, he has been forced to view horrifically unendurable images. The horrors of these scenes is evidenced by the self-inflicted wounds caused by Raul Jimenez's desperate struggle not to watch them. On top of that, his eyelids have been removed. The normally dispassionate detective Javier Falcon is shocked deeply, and becomes inexplicably frightened by this killer who seems to have know, intimately, every single detail of his victim's life. Never in his career has he confronted a scene so barbaric.But, for Javier Falcon, the worst is yet to come. Because, in investigating the victim's complex past, he discovers that it is inextricably connected with that of his own father, world-famous artist Francisco Falcon. The case eventually becomes not just a hunt for a killer clearly prepared to strike again, but a voyage of discovery for Falcon as he, through Francisco's journals, learns much about his father's past and the dark secrets it hides...This story, told through the dual narratives of fascinating diary extracts and standard third-person narration, is told expertly. Even though the first hundred pages or so grow slightly dull at times, and it takes a while to settle all the numerous characters in your mind, the pace soon picks up as we learn that the case has as much to do with the past as it does the present. The setting is described wonderfully, and the city of Seville is really brought to life, shimmering with vitality. I might even recommend this book for the setting alone. The lead character, Javier Falcon, is unendingly fascinating and gloriously chilly. The reader cannot help but care and get a little worried as his mental health gently seems to decline as he desperately tries to hold everything together in the face of affecting revelations concerning his present and past. When those revelations finally fully come to light near the finish, it is with a great sense of shock on the reader's part. Indeed, the final hundred pages are absolutely wonderful, when everything falls into place and the reader realises the scale of what is being revealed.This book is a great thriller for the most part, and I'd recommend it quite highly. The writing quality is very good, but the prose itself doesn't exactly sing. Instead, it has a rather detached coolness that fits surprisingly well. Part tense thriller, part examination of the effects of the past on the present, and part novel of ideas and of the natural of true art, I'd give this one a big thumbs up on almost all fronts!

Robert Wilson obviously loves Spain and he brings the city of Seville to life. The culture, climate and cuisine all come together in a wonderous mix. The story of Spain's involvement with bull fighting is fascinating. The protagonist is a police inspector but the drama comes fromthe meshing in his work of the personal side with the psychologicalimplications of involvement. Family history is in the core story. Very entertaining. . Hard to put down but I rationed myself because I didn't want to have the story end too quickly.