Leighton Gage (1942–2013)

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I guess this would be called a "police procedural" but it does expand beyond that. Chief Inspector Mario Silva leads the investigation into the death of a man found in his apartment in Brasilia. The man had been shot in the stomach and then beaten to death, an ugly and very painful death. At first it seemed a crime of passion committed by someone close to the victim, but then Silva discovers other crimes committed the same way in different cities. What is the thread that ties them together?

He does find the thread but that doesn't immediately point out the murderer. In investigating the case Silva and his colleagues visit other cities, other countries, and I admit that at times I did not remember who was who. Perhaps this is partly because I didn't get clear descriptions of each as they came on the scene and later.

The novel is written in a spare style with a great deal of wit. It was enjoyable and quick to read.… (mehr)

Buried Strangers is the second book featuring Mario Silva, the Chief Inspector for Criminal Matters of the Federal Police of Brazil. When a handyman reports human remains discovered by his dog, detective Yoshiro Tanaka and his team search the area expecting to find a single skeleton, but ultimately realize they are in a mass grave of bodies that appear to be families. Even though Brazil records over 32,000 missing persons cases each year, very few of them involve entire families. Before long a neighbor reports that a family of four is reported missing. Silva's boss sends him to consult with Tanaka because Silva is also investigating the missing son of his housekeeper. He senses a connection between these two cases, but there's no obvious evidence to link them.

I thought the author did a great job of creating a story that is vividly linked to the cultural, political, and social system of Brazil. Buried Strangers is a swiftly paced mystery. Silva is an interesting character, one who must navigate the treacherous waters of Brazilian politics. I think this is a great read but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to anyone who doesn't like a lot of violence in their police procedurals.… (mehr)

This book spares no punches. It was my first introduction to Chief Inspector Mario Silva and to Mr. Gage's critically acclaimed series. Inspector Silva lives and works in Brazil. He is the man in charge of the Criminal Matters division in the Brazil Federal Police. He is directed to a small, remote village by the name of Cascatas do Pontal in order to investigate the assignation of a Bishop. Silva is assissted by his nephew and fellow federal policeman Hector Costa, and his preferred back up - Amaldo Nunes. Silva is an interesteing protagonist. My main complaint about the book is that Silva doesn't seem to do much. He sort of always arrives after the fact, and usually fate or some other person has taken care of the problem by the time he gets there. But I loved Amaldo, the beefy, street-smart cop with the heart of a lion and an unfailing faith in Silva. Silva and his two cohorts uncover a hotbed of corruption, greed, unrelenting poverty and a Brazil that we as tourists would never see. By the end of the book, a lot of people have been killed, and some of the killings are protrayed in graphic detail. The book though is realistic and gritty and looks to be a great start on a very promising series.… (mehr)