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A Small Death in Lisbon
A Small Death in Lisbon
Author: Robert Wilson
1941. 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. Felsen's assignment takes him to the bleak mountains of the north where a devious and brutal battle is being fought for an element vital to Hitler...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780425184233
ISBN-10: 0425184234
Publication Date: 3/5/2002
Pages: 464
Rating:
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
 50

3.5 stars, based on 50 ratings
Publisher: Berkley
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

Handlebars avatar reviewed A Small Death in Lisbon on + 153 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
In A Small Death in Lisbon, the narrative switches back and forth between 1941 and 1999, and Wilson's wide knowledge of history and keen sense of place make the eras equally vibrant. In 1941 Germany, Klaus Felsen, an industrialist, is approached by the SS high command in a none-too-friendly manner and is "persuaded" to go to Lisbon and oversee the sale--or smuggling--of wolfram (also known as tungsten, used in the manufacture of tanks and airplanes). World War II Portugal is neutral where business is concerned, and too much of the precious metal is being sold to Britain when Germany needs it to insure that Hitler's blitzkrieg is successful.

Cut to 1999 Lisbon, where the daughter of a prominent lawyer has been found dead on a beach. Ze Coehlo, a liberal police inspector who is a widower with a daughter of his own, must sift through the life of Catarina Oliviera and discover why she was so brutally murdered. Her father is enigmatic, her mother suicidal; her friends were rock musicians and drug addicts.
jwfearn avatar reviewed A Small Death in Lisbon on + 7 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Both a WWII novel and a modern mystery, Portugese setting is interesting. Great plot.
reviewed A Small Death in Lisbon on + 8 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
This book was absolutely epic. It is a riveting mystery/ thriller. It starts off with a murder in Lisbon, Portugal. Then it goes back to WWII and it is fascinating to see these two story lines come together. Wilson puts all the pieces together perfectly. This is a brutally violent, darkly sexual, intense novel. The present day Lisbon detective is a great character. If you like international thrillers a la The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, try this one.
reviewed A Small Death in Lisbon on + 96 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A very good novel.You will still be guessing to the last page.
reviewed A Small Death in Lisbon on + 14 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Don't read this book if you are sleepy...you will miss too much. You have to pay attention but, it is well worth it. Knowing a few words in Portugese is helpful but, not required. A good book.
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reviewed A Small Death in Lisbon on + 13 more book reviews
This is a winner of the Gold Dagger award for Best Crime Novel. It's an action-packed international thriller that spans centuries.
reviewed A Small Death in Lisbon on + 522 more book reviews
Interesting mystery set in present Lisbon - with roots back to WWII
reviewed A Small Death in Lisbon on + 522 more book reviews
Gold Dagger Award winner - 1st in series set in Lisbon


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