I picked this up because of its Brazilian setting - I'm trying to read more South American books.

It's an excellent mystery but I deducted one star for the violence. It may be realistic, but this series is too bloody for ME to continue. ( )

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. ( )

A nasty little procedural. Gory, with details included. Lots of people dying in bad ways. If you like neatly tied up endings after a wild ride--this book is for you, especially if gore doesn't bother you. Have fun.

Bishop Dom Felipe Antunes arrives in the remote Brazilian town of Cascatas do Pontal to consecrate a newly built church and is shot by a sniper the moment he steps off his helicopter. Mario Silva, Chief Inspector for Criminal Matters for the Federal Police is sent to the town to investigate the high-profile death. What he finds is a corrupt local police force with friends in very high places and near-war brewing between wealthy landowners and the farmers who are fighting for the law which says that uncultivated land can be appropriated for genuine farming.

Upon arrival, Silva finds himself at odds with almost everyone, from the police department to the parish priests to the local residents, both rich and poor, who consider him an outsider. But Silva, together with his nephew Hector Costa, is determined to discover who killed the priest and why. When the adult son of one of the wealthiest men in the town disappears, tensions are raised another notch. Silva is under pressure from twice daily phone calls from his Director to sort out the mess which is playing badly in the media and also from local activists who are desperate for genuine justice to be implemented in their town.

Blood of the Wicked, is a compelling mystery set in modern Brazil and reflects the conflict between the few large land owners and the many landless in the country. This was a great introduction to the political and cultural system of Brazil, a country I admit I know virtually nothing about. It's definitely not for the faint hearted because there are numerous brutal deaths including innocent women and children. Mario Silva is a sympathetic protagonist, not without his own personal demons, and I really look forward to continuing this series. ( )

A rather violent tale set in Brazil which skillfully explores a number of social and political issues without proselytizing. ( )