Customer Reviews

A Small Death in Lisbon

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Nazi gold is at the heart of this thrilling adventure which crosses not only the heart of Europe but also the timespan of 50 years. Powerful writing and memorable characters make "A Small Death in Lisbon" a major triumph for previously little known author Robert Wilson, but he has taken on quite a challenge. Anyone writing a thriller will tell you to simplify matters by constricting the timespan as much as possible (there is even a thriller in real-time - the plot takes as long as it takes you to read it). Robert Wilson has ignored this advice and stretched his narrative over half a century - the result is ultimately successful but he asks a lot of the reader to stay with events in Nazi Germany and modern day Portugal at the same time. The characters are well drawn in the earlier chapters - important for the present day events to make sense - and the messages about good and evil are clearly presented. This not your regular read on the beach thriller, it challenges the reader to choose sides and confront issues. It also helps to have a little knowledge of European history. Don't worry if you don't understand the Portugese political history - few Europeans know anything about the country beyond its golf courses.

If you stick with "A Small Death" you will be rewarded with a memorable read. This is a genre novel which expands its genre and the fact that it has been awarded with a thriller writers award in Great Britain should be further recommendation.

I found this to be truly outstanding in every way. The murder plot was complicated, with many legitimate suspects and storylines converging on the victim. The other main story, beginning in 1941 and slowly accelerating toward the time of the murder, is interesting in its own right, and involves a lot of history - SS "financing" activities during and after WWII, and the history of Portugal pre- and post-Salazar. The convergence of the two stories is very well done; I kept thinking how controlled and synchronized the pacing was. We are shown how each of the main characters is affected by history's imprint upon their lives, the creeping backstory eventually overtaking and in a sense consuming the main plot. This is the richest, best fictional work I have read in at least a year.

The two arms of this plot work forwards from WW2 and backwards from the present day. As we trace the growth of a business empire built on Nazi plunder, we are constantly flashed forward to the efforts of a dedicated detective to unravel the sadistic murder of a young girl with immaculate parentage - a murder which proves to be the final act of betrayal in a story spanning generations.

The historical and political detail is exemplary, both in terms of the Nazi black-marketeering and the scars left on the Portuguese psyche by the fascist Salazar regime (a lesser known counterpart of the Franco regime in Spain). The characters develop real life as the story proceeds. Moreover, the author does a much better job of weaving the strands together than some reviewers on this site have claimed, and the ending is both plausible and satisfying.

My criticisms of the book are on a different tack. Violence and sexual depravity are detailed with a degree of lewd explicitness that verges on pornographic. That sort of voyeurism is unnecessary in a novel of this quality - the book would stand up better without it. Secondly, I dislike the author's prose - others have liked it but I find his attempts to be a sharp and acerbic wordsmith are never quite pulled off and ultimately count as a distraction.

In balance however, the excellent plot, historical detail and character development lift this book out of the ordinary, and triumph over its areas of weakness

The reader of Small Death in Lisbon is most rewarded by Wilson's lush metaphors, deft verbs and illuminating adjectives. The language of the book is quite simply beautiful. At the end of the day, however, the plot is too complex to be entirely satisfying and its characters leave an unpleasant aftertaste. Wilson writes vividly about Klaus Felsen, a German merchant who is dragooned into SS service in WWII Germany and sent on a mission to Portugal that anticipates a Nazi defeat. Running concurrently with Felsen's wartime activities, though 50 years apart, is the investigation of the murder of a young girl conducted by Ze Coehlo, a Portuguese police detective. The events are ultimately connected, more or less cleverly, but the journey is figuratively and literally tortured. Sexual appetite and perversity are integral parts of this tale and for many readers this will prove distasteful. Wilson's characters are also more opaque than the rich tapestry of the writing. The principal bad guy, Klaus Felsen, is well-defined, but Ze Coelho, the natural hero of the piece, falls short of gaining the reader's sympathy and support.

A twisted (in more ways than one) plot, great scenes in Portugal, and an unusual view of history make this a pretty good read.

In the genre of World War II Nazi intrigue, Wilson gives us a fresh take on well worn paths, and the book is absorbing.

Unfortunately, the characters are nearly all so despicable that I found myself hoping they would all die; unfortunately, only some of them do.

Further, I think Wilson has an unfortunate tendancy to over - write. He never uses one adjective when he can use two. Too often, I found myself hoping the character walking quickly down the short, dark, damp hall with a musty aroma to worship at the pearly white, cold porcelin shrine would simply go to the bathroom (hyperbole mine).

I hope Wilson will lose his thesaurus, and give us more books of this type.

For much of the book A Small Death in Lisbon is like reading two novels. One book follows the investigation by Inspector Ze Coehlo into the 1990's murder and possible sexual assault of a 16-year old daughter of a powerful Portuguese lawyer. The other one is the tale of German businessman and SS supporter Klaus Felsen who is 'persuaded' to move to Portugal and obtain wolfram (tungsten) for the Nazi war effort. Great fortunes are amassed and powerful connections established.

Wilson sets his tale in 20th century European history. He covers aspects of WW II that were new to this reader and from a German and Portuguese perspective - also unusual - and the reign of the conservative dictator Salazar and the revolution of 1974. Portugal's development as a modern society provides the background for much of the story.

Both those stories are interesting in their own right, but meander along and the reader is left to wonder how the two stories could possibly come together. Finally about midway into the book the author drops a clue. Things begin to pick up.

I partially agree with another reviewer (who, unlike me, did not like the book): there is a lot of drinking, smoking, sex, and violence. The sex and violence passages are descriptive without quite being gratuitously graphic, in my opinion, but others will disagree. To each his own, but some readers may want to be aware of these elements.

I probably would have given the book four stars, but in the last 100 pages or so the twin stories crash together as the tale reaches an exciting and satisfying resolution. As I closed the book cover, I actually said 'wow, what a finish'.

As an avid reader of Nazi-related fiction and nonfiction, I found this book totally captivating. Little did I know about how far the Nazi regime reached into other countries, cultures, etc. The writing is so compelling that I had to remind myself that I was reading a fiction crime novel and not a true story.

The double track (1941 vs 1990s)storyline is compelling and accomplished seamlessly. The characters are developed in such a manner that you will despise them, ache for them, or want to kill them yourself. I can't see how anyone could finish this novel without generating deep feelings towards the characters and their activities.

Tautly written, but violent and steamy. May be too much for the weak of stomach to imagine that human to human interaction can be so heartless and cruel. For those who cling to historical or personal revenge, grip tight for an engrossing, intellectually wrought rendering that will leave you squirming and reading late into the night.

By far, this was one of the better books I've read this summer. If you don't mind tension and edgy flawed characters, and how the sins of the past haunt the present, then you'll want to pick up a copy of this gem. Staring human nature in the face can be a terrifying experience, even from a distance, but Wilson has managed to pull it off. I'll be looking for more of Robert Wilson in the future. I highly recommend this book.

A Small Death In Lisbon was awarded the Golden Dagger for the Best Crime/Suspense Novel of 1999. Much of the critical praise on the dust jacket is clearly justified. Robert Wilson has crafted a complex, haunting tale of events in Portugal's fascist past that inevitably lead to a sordid murder of a young disturbed, promiscuous girl in modern Lisbon. Carefully structured with a fascinating historical setting populated by absorbing characters - all this and more, and yet I am unable to give five stars to A Small Death In Lisbon.

No one point in Robert Wilson's tale is excessively brutal, nor excessively graphic, and yet Wilson seemingly skirts on the edge of being so. In a slow, cumulative fashion A Small Death in Lisbon became somewhat distasteful and depressing. I had a sense of relief when I was able to set aside this novel. Many readers may not share my response and I don't wish to overemphasize my reaction. I have little difficulty giving four stars to A Small Death in Lisbon.

Robert Wilson is to be commended for his skill in weaving together the past and the present. Wilson bridges the initially separate story lines - WWII Nazi intrigue to acquire wolfram from Portugal and a contemporary investigation of a brutal crime in Lisbon - with a disturbing portrait of Portugal's intervening years under the fascist Salazar regime. A Small Death in Lisbon is an absorbing, haunting tale.

A Small Death in Lisbon
Robert Wilson
451 Pages
Available in Paperback
Berkley: 1999

Book Description

A 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 Review

A 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 each bend you meet something more exciting and electrifying. Furthermore, the novel's conclusion is far from disappointing.

The only major flaw I found in the novel was the lack of closure with Klaus Felsen. Wilson draws him up as a strong man, focusing mainly on Klaus and Ze throughout the book. However, while Ze meets his much deserved ending, Klaus seems to just weakly fade away. The book is also quite explicit, and I would firmly recommend that this book only be read by mature readers.

Other Novels By Robert Wilson

The Big Killing
The Blind Man of Seville
The Company of Strangers

Other Novels Relating to the Theme of A Small Death in Lisbon

A Darkness More Than Night by Michael Connelly
Dark Star by Alan Furst
A Clean Kill by Mike Stewart

In the 1990's a vile crime is committed in Portugal, a teen-aged girl brutally slain and discarded on a beach near the home of Inspector Ze Coelho. The Inspector is called to the scene, paired with a young officer, although there are few clues to begin the murder investigation. Meanwhile the inspector and his colleague examine every fragment of evidence, tracking the final day of Catarina's sordid and misdirected life, her innocence destroyed by sex, drugs and emotional abuse.

Then the story backtracks to Germany 1941, where evil prevails, in stark relief to the ambiguity of everyday violence in the 1990's. Unbridled power dominates the eerie blackness of the Reich years, unparalleled opportunity, greed, avarice and lust. Rendered more compliant after a few days of torture, Klaus Felsen, a successful factory owner, is cashiered into the SS. His job for the Reich is critical, purchasing or poaching a particular metal need by the Reich. Lisbon is his base of operations, near the source of the metal, wolfram. Clearly the corrupt fingers of the past reach out to poison the future, where Inspector Coelho has just begun gathering information for the case of the murdered girl in Lisbon.

Wilson moves masterfully from one era to another, from modern-day Portugal to the great cataclysm of World War II and German mining interests. No sooner does he slip into Lisbon's heated rhythms and Coelho's unique style of detective work, than Wilson plunges back into the abyss of Felsen's nightmarish world, where brutality is a by-product of the Reich mentality. The dark mysteries of history are slowly revealed, depositing fetid secrets and infamous deeds into the present, emphasizing the need to disguise the truth behind a facade, a world hiding from its ugly past. The men who have survived and profited from the war years, now respectable, have much to fear and a serious mistrust of one another.

As Coelho slowly unravels the complicated threads that link past actions to the murdered Caterina, the stark simplicity of practiced evil is shattering, repulsive and part of an ongoing human drama. In the clear light of day, the same parasites thrive on the underbelly of society, the same sick souls that inhabit every century. But the inspector has seen much of what life has to offer and is resolute, dogged even, in his pursuit of the truth. Nothing, absolutely nothing is what it seems. As Coelho discovers, there is always another layer, yet another level of mankind's depravity. We should learn through the repetition of our mistakes; Coelho understands: "It is a personal thing and people are vengeful creatures, which is why history will never teach us anything."

This is a remarkable and powerful novel, beautifully structured, with characters that make your skin crawl and others who inspire hope. The complicated series of events build to a satisfying resolution in a thoughtful novel that will stay in your mind long after the last page is turned. Luan Gaines/2004.