Find books like a small death in lisbon from the worlds largest community of readers. A small death in lisbon won the cwa gold dagger in 1999. The first edition of the novel was published in july 19th 1999, and was written by robert wilson. This stunning, atmospheric thriller set in wartorn europe won the cwa gold dagger and has now been reissued with the javier falcon series. Oct 05, 2000 robert wilson is the author of numerous novels, including the company of strangers and a small death in lisbon, which won the gold dagger award as best crime novel of the year from britains crime writers association. A small death in lisbon by robert wilson goodreads. James, or any other ordinary crime novelist, would make for genre parody and little more.
A small death in lisbon lisbon storieslisbon stories. The first part is about finding a sixteen year old girls body on a beach in portugal. It took about six months research work, in both england and portugal, to bring myself up to speed on this fascinating backdrop, but what had launched me into this research was a vague idea about nazi gold and a happy accident in a library in london. The first story, told in alternating chapters, is about a lisbon homicide. Books similar to a small death in lisbon goodreads. Investigating the murder of a young girl with a disturbing sexual past, inspector ze coelho overturns the dark soil of history and unearths old bones from portugals fascist past. You follow the investigation of a murder by two lisbon. Theres a bit of everything from the darkest sides of the 20th century. Goodreads members who liked a small death in lisbon also liked. Thriller carves a place in the larger historical picture.
The small death is the murder in the 1990s of a young schoolgirl who has been moonlighting as a prostitute, but that thread is interwoven with a complex historical story of nazi gold and neutral portugals shady dealings during and after the second world war. Over half a century later a young girl is murdered in lisbon. The shocking connection makes this the most talkedabout thriller in years. The novel, set in portugal, consists of two narratives. A dead blonde, a lonely gumshoe, and a rich man with a past, left to the devices of a robert b. In 1941 germany, klaus felsen, an industrialist, is approached by the ss high command in a nonetoofriendly manner and is persuaded to go to lisbon and oversee.
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. Pdf a small death in lisbon download full pdf book. No lazy reading, or else one loses ones way, whether it is a john le carre spy story or crime fiction like robert wilsons a small death in lisbon. Her nude body is found on a beach in contemporary lisbon. A small death in lisbon london libraries consortium. A small death in lisbon the free library of philadelphia.
The 1974 revolution has left some injustices of salazars fascist regime unresolved. Sean barrett has a wonderful voice, but you wouldnt want to hear it. The small death is the murder in the 1990s of a young schoolgirl who has been moonlighting as a prostitute, but that thread is interwoven with a complex historical story of nazi gold and neutral. A small death in lisbon by robert wilson 2002, paperback. A small death in lisbon is certainly wellwritten and absorbing, but way, way too long. Apr 09, 2018 a small death in lisbon by robert wilson has two story lines, one set in the 1940s in germany and portugal, the other set in the late 1990s in lisbon. Some years ago i decided to create my own, small, tours company. New york san diego london although this novel is based on historical fact the story itself is complete fiction. The novel won the cwa gold dagger award in 1999, and the german crime prize for an international novel in 2003. The novel won the cwa gold dagger award in 1999, and the german crime prize for an. A small death in lisbon by robert wilson, paperback barnes. A small death in lisbonrobert wilson451 pagesavailable in paperbackberkley. Robert wilson, quote from a small death in lisbon the portuguese never put anything behind them except a chair to eat lunch.
A small death in lisbon book hennepin county library. A small death in lisbon is a murder mystery story based mostly in portugal and alternating between modern day and wwii. Robert wilson is the author of numerous novels, including the company of strangers and a small death in lisbon, which won the gold dagger award as best crime novel of the year from britains crime writers association. The small death is the murder in the 1990s of a young schoolgirl who has been moonlighting as a prostitute, but that thread is interwoven with a complex historical story of nazi gold and neutral portugals shady dealings during and after the second world.
Klaus felsen, forced out of his berlin factory into the ss, arrives in a luminous lisbon, where nazis and allies, refug. Sean barrett has a wonderful voice, but you wouldnt want to hear it explaining your. A small death in lisbon by robert wilson is two books in one for at least 500 pages. But whatever the story suggests about the violent legacies of fascism, it is the story, the high drama and low motives, and the strong writing that make the story live. No sooner does he slip into lisbon s heated rhythms than the author plunges back into the abyss of felsens nightmarish world, where brutality is a byproduct of the reich mentality. This was an essay i wrote regarding my course on contemporary english literature.
Klaus felsen is slightly addicted to it, and the murder of the girl in lisbon reveals a sexual past that is quite disturbing. Apr 12, 2009 sick strippers once again chaby guitar andre m. The later time line features a police detective whose investigation of a teenage girls murder links back to the experiences of a berlin factory owner forced into hitlers ss in 1941. Its an added bonus that shrewd, selfdeprecating maverick ze coelho is a wonderfully engaging. A small death in lisbon king county library system.
In 1941 germany, klaus felsen, an industrialist, is approached by the ss high command in a nonetoofriendly manner and is persuaded to go to lisbon and oversee the saleor smugglingof wolfram also known. Theres a bit of everything from the darkest sides of the 20th century in a small death in lisbon, a historically sprawling, richly distilled thriller by the british writer robert wilson. Robert wilson a small death in lisbon by robert wilson has two story lines, one set in the 1940s in germany and portugal, the other set in the late 1990s in lisbon. Free download or read online a small death in lisbon pdf epub book. All the characters and events are entirely fictitious and no resemblance is intended to any event or to any real person, either living or dead. Aug 06, 2009 a dead blonde, a lonely gumshoe, and a rich man with a past, left to the devices of a robert b. First on the scene, the inspector is appalled by the brutality of. Robert wilson a portuguese bank is founded on the back of nazi wartime deals. Robert wilsons intense novel of crime and ignominy begins with a brutal murder in portugal in the 1990s, when the body of a teenaged girl is cast upon the. Its been fun to share my love for portugal with my clients and since not everyone is able to travel, ive decided to create this blog to share my passion with you. Robert wilson the portuguese books a small death is lisbon. A small death in lisbon by robert wilson, paperback. But the narrative turns quickly back in time to the oak, nazi germany, at war and desperately in need of mineral deposits found only in salazars neutral, but fascist.
A small death in lisbon by robert wilson pittsburgh postgazette. A graduate of oxford university, he has worked in shipping, advertising, and trading in africa, and has lived in greece. Robert wilson booklist robert wilson message board. This posts is part of a series about books you might enjoy reading before you visit portugal. Her disturbing sexual past is the focus for his colleagues attention, but as coelho begins to unearth some remarkable secrets behind her death, he encounters a plot that stretches beyond the. The murder of a teenaged minx opens up a mystery that reaches back to the darkest secrets of wartime in this doubledecker winner of the british crime writers 1999 golden dagger award. Ze coelho shares some characteristics with his spanish counterpart, inspector jefe javier falcon, such as.
The novel opens with the death of a young teen, catarina oliveira, who has a promiscuous past and a. A small death in lisbon book chicago public library. Klaus felsen, forced out of his berlin factory into the ss, arrives in a luminous lisbon. Jul 19, 1999 a small death in lisbon by robert wilson is a mystery set in lisbon, portugal, in the 1990s, but also a novel that has routes in world war ii when germans were looking for an escape route when the war looked to be ending, and not in their favor. A vision of portugal in robert wilsons a small death in. A small death in lisbon by robert wilson reading matters.
At least 100 pages of the 450 page novel could easily be deleted by a good editor, without losing any of the suspense, the characterestablishing prose, the good dialogue, or the morbid humanuponhuman violence that pervades this story. A small death in lisbon by robert wilson is a mystery set in lisbon, portugal, in the 1990s, but also a novel that has routes in world war ii when germans were looking for an escape route when the war looked to be ending, and not in their favor. In this case, the acorn is the death of a teenage girl, catarina oliviera, daughter of a prominent lisbon lawyer. Read a small death in lisbon by robert wilson available from rakuten kobo. In 1941 germany, klaus felsen, an industrialist, is approached by the ss high command in a nonetoofriendly manner and is persuaded to go to lisbon and oversee the saleor smugglingof wolfram also known as tungsten, used in the manufacture of tanks and airplanes. A small death in lisbon is a crime novel by robert wilson. The connections are slowly revealed, depositing fetid secrets and infamous deeds into present day lisbon, everything a facade, a world hiding from its ugly past. Felsens assignment takes him to the bleak mountains of the north where a devious and brutal battle is being fought for an element vital to. Klaus felsen, ss, arrives in lisbon and the strangest party in. Robert wilsons intense novel of crime and ignominy begins with a brutal murder in portugal in the 1990s, when the body of a teenaged girl is cast upon the beach near the home of inspector ze coelho. Inspector ze coelho, a widower with a young daughter, is investigating the murder of a troubled teenage girl. This work does not just shift between 2 points in time. Sep 21, 2001 a small death in lisbon robert wilson read by sean barrett running time 17hr 12min isis audiobooks.
The novel opens with the death of a young teen, catarina oliveira, who has a promiscuous past and a lessthanideal family life. But theres and older, greater injustice, for which this small death in lisbon is horrific compensation, and in his final push for the truth ze must face the most chilling of opposition. A small death in lisbon robert wilson harcourt, inc. The small death is the murder in the 1990s of a young schoolgirl who has been moonlighting as a prostitute, but that thread is interwoven with a complex historical. But robert wilson, author of a small death in lisbon, is no ordinary crime novelist. A small death in lisbon robert wilson berkley paperback 451 pages march 2002.
A portuguese bank is founded on the back of nazi wartime deals. Klaus felsen, forced out of his berlin factory into the ss, arrives in a luminous lisbon, where nazis and allies, refugees and entrepreneurs, dance to the strains of opportunism and despair. It is a light and quick read th at mostly follows a traditional thriller crime plot. The main characters of this mystery, fiction story are. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 451 pages and is available in paperback format. Hi, im catia and im a licensed tour guide in portugal. In a small death in lisbon, the narrative switches back and forth between 1941 and 1999, and wilsons wide knowledge of history and keen sense of place make the eras equally vibrant. Pdf a small death in lisbon book by robert wilson free. A small death in lisbon book summary and study guide. Felsens assignment takes him to the bleak mountains of the north where a devious and brutal battle is being fought for an element vital to hitlers.
245 345 222 162 273 244 940 746 218 1293 791 1576 66 887 745 820 740 1001 1189 1465 226 1025 1457 102 79 966 221 1101 149 1145 507 1251 1353 231 1331 735 1472 429 587 535 924 1242 819