L. A. García-Roza (1936–2020)

Boring and mundane typify Inspector Espinosa's life, and the book is a lot like that. There were parts I liked, but ultimately the storyline was a bit twisted and weak. I dislike reading hundreds of pages before thrown into the last few pages, nay the last few seconds, there is a life or death countdown to a foregone conclusion. With all that was going on it was like the story ran out of steam. Tons and tons and tons of more-or-less irrelevant stuff happened, and then it was over. If there was something to recommend... I didn't discover what that might be.… (more)

This was my first Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza Inspector Espinosa book, and I did not find it particularly good. The whole story was a series of random, seemingly unrelated events brought about by another series of random, seemingly unrelated events.

The book generally goes on in a normalish meandering tone, but then every now and again devolves into this weird prose that I don't really get, I don't understand the content nor how it fits in with the overall writing.

Here is an example:

"Espinosa couldn't say what it was about Flor that made him so uncomfortable and so intrigued, in the same proportion and intensity; he couldn't even claim that though she was a hooker she had an infantile ingenuousness, or that she was smart enough to transform her sexual sophistication into innocent artlessness. She wasn't extraordinarily beautiful, but her beauty did turn the heads of men and women, perhaps because it wasn't created only from the usual elements of beauty. In her beauty there was something demonic. The result was more alchemical than aesthetic, and its effect was uncommon. Flor disquieted and attracted him, not only sexually, though sex was the way her fascinating alchemy expressed itself. But Flor presented herself not as an answer to his desires but as a question posed to him, inviting him somewhere he could never really identify, modest but shameless, like a girl in a dirty magazine."

James Joyce got away with writing a lot of gibberish, but I don't think it works with Inspector Espinosa.

After several days I had to look back at the cover to see that this was an Inspector Espinosa story because I honestly couldn't remember. Not a lot of the story was making a whole lot of sense, just a bunch of random actions.

Otherwise, it is written in the vein of the killer or killers getting away because of the stupidity of the people who know who the killer or killers are. You know, like they're talking to the detective or journalist or whomever sleuth on the phone and start to say... "the killer is... wait, there is someone at the door, hold on a minute... BANG! they're dead"... and now the story can go on for hundreds more pages because the person or persons who always have all the information couldn't speak for another 5 milliseconds and solve the case / mystery / whatever. This book was a lot like that, but then, somehow, Espinosa miraculously fits it all together. Except at the end nothing is really resolved. In theory the person who started the series of random, seemingly unrelated events is found out and punished, and in theory the person who was hired to perpetuate the series of random, seemingly unrelated events is found and punished, but the why behind all that is cloudy at best. The ending is even more of a mystery.

There is nothing to really recommend this book. Set in Rio de Janeiro I thought this book had a lot more potential, might be a lot more interesting, but the story, characters, and backdrop didn't grab me at all.

And Espinosa, is he likable or do you just want to punch him in the face? One of the last descriptors is this sentence: "Though he knew that people thought of him as a cold rationalist, he recognized that in fact he was more a semidelirious fantasist."

Huh?… (more)

I have a soft spot for crime novels. This one seemed pretty typical with a few twists.

What I found interesting was the shifting perspectives at the beginning of the book. The book shifted form several different characters in the 3rd person. Then shifting to Inspector Espinosa in 1st person in later chapters. We always had more information than Espinosa did. At the very beginning we learn that Ricardo Carvalho has committed suicide, but that fact has been hidden from Espinosa and the police. It is assumed that he has been murdered. We see the insights and motivations of several characters which Inspector Espinosa never sees. He has to come up with his own theories on circumstances which we know the details about.

Inspector Espinosa is not your typical super sleuth. In fact as a detective he seems rather average. At least in this book he did not put all the pieces together. He did not always guess the facts that we knew. When suspects lied to him he might feel that they were, but it was always gut instinct. He is, however, honest and diligent, and this serves him well.

He also has curious habits. He eats frozen food, orders pizza, and eats at McDonalds. The only thing interesting his eats are pork sandwiches with an old police buddy of his. He lives in a old apartment filled with books and spends much of his weekends attempting to get his books under control. Since he has no bookshelves this proves to be a sisyphean task. Still he continues to add to his stacks of books. Maybe it's this habit which endears him to me.

Rio was a main character in the book, but other than listing places I did not get a feel for it. That seems like a missed opportunity. I would have liked more local color. I did get a feeling for the level of police corruption and poverty, but little else.

There is, however, a growing mystery that we are not aware of. Suspects and witnesses are dying. This time it is murder. While the real mystery was not revealed until the end, it was rather easy to guess who was the culprit. It also seems like Espinosa should have had suspicions, but he did not.

The ultimate ending is a complete left turn. It's funny, strange, and somewhat unbelievable which left me wondering if I was satisfied with he ending or not. I'm still not sure. However, I liked the journey to get there.

I'll likely read more books in the series.… (more)

The first Inspector Espinosa mystery I read, I think. Espinosa investigates in Rio de Janeiro, in the many neighborhoods but mostly, it seems, Copacabana. The author captures the lyrical quality of Brazilian life in this city and beyond.

A prostitute winds up dead. An ex-policeman was last seen with her and can't remember much of the night before. Investigating is Inspector Espinosa, who doesn't choose to accept the obvious solution. He knew the ex-cop and can't connect him with this kind of violence.

When other bodies show up, notably that of a homeless boy, Espinosa starts to make some connections, and seeks out another homeless boy, who may have the answer.

An excellent procedural mystery with plenty to wonder about and much to enjoy in the evocation of the various scenes.… (more)