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Blood Makes Noise
On a summer's night in 1955, CIA officer Michael Suslov is summoned to a secret vault in the heart of Buenos Aires. His mission: transport the corpse of Eva Peron to a safe hiding place in the wake of her husband’s fall from power. But before Michael can comply, everything goes tragically, horribly wrong…
Fifteen years later, Suslov is a ghost of man living off the radar—and the only soul alive that knows where Eva Peron is buried. When a shadow from his past appears and asks him for help in bringing the body home, as part of a peace deal to end the civil war tearing Argentina apart, Michael agrees, hoping this last mission will quiet the demons from his former life. But Michael Suslov isn't the only one on a recovery mission, others are desperate to unearth Eva Peron first—and lay claim to the shattering secret she took to the grave…
Based on a little-known yet fascinating true story, Blood Makes Noise is both a riveting thriller and an examination of the power of the dead over the lives of the living.
Fifteen years later, Suslov is a ghost of man living off the radar—and the only soul alive that knows where Eva Peron is buried. When a shadow from his past appears and asks him for help in bringing the body home, as part of a peace deal to end the civil war tearing Argentina apart, Michael agrees, hoping this last mission will quiet the demons from his former life. But Michael Suslov isn't the only one on a recovery mission, others are desperate to unearth Eva Peron first—and lay claim to the shattering secret she took to the grave…
Based on a little-known yet fascinating true story, Blood Makes Noise is both a riveting thriller and an examination of the power of the dead over the lives of the living.
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First published March 26, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
September 23, 2013
Very good. I really enjoyed this book. Exciting, and it teaches you about Eva Péron, the facts and the myth surrounding her life and death. Why is she so loved by Argentine people? I find this much more interesting than all the books written about Argentina’s Dirty War (1976-1983), which followed. The book is based on true facts, or so we are told when the book begins.
Life on the pampas is described through some of the book’s characters. You see and experience Buenos Aires too. You travel to Italy and France and Spain and you feel how these places are all different. The details are right. It all feels real.
And what happens is exciting. I have to repeat that. This is a thriller, and even I completely understood what was going on! That alone is amazing. I will not shy away from political thrillers – at least those based on true facts – again. They don’t have to be confusing; this book proves that.
The audiobook narration by David de Vries is, however, so-so……. OK, his narration does get you excited and he in no way wrecks the story, but when he impersonates women, well, this could be improved! But there is another problem with the audiobook. It does NOT include the author’s note found in the paper version. This very much annoyed me. For this I am removing one star. I went onto Wiki to see what I could find: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Per%...).
Unfortunately this does not clarify all of the questions that arise as you read the book. I need to know to what extent
Had there been a good author’s note, I would have given the book four stars! I totally enjoyed what I learned and the action was so very exciting. I promise you, you will not regret reading this if you are interested in Eva Péron! When you have completed the book, do read the link above. I am glad I read this book by Gregory Widen rather than Santa Evita by Tomás Eloy Martínez. An explanation for this will also be found in the link above.
Life on the pampas is described through some of the book’s characters. You see and experience Buenos Aires too. You travel to Italy and France and Spain and you feel how these places are all different. The details are right. It all feels real.
And what happens is exciting. I have to repeat that. This is a thriller, and even I completely understood what was going on! That alone is amazing. I will not shy away from political thrillers – at least those based on true facts – again. They don’t have to be confusing; this book proves that.
The audiobook narration by David de Vries is, however, so-so……. OK, his narration does get you excited and he in no way wrecks the story, but when he impersonates women, well, this could be improved! But there is another problem with the audiobook. It does NOT include the author’s note found in the paper version. This very much annoyed me. For this I am removing one star. I went onto Wiki to see what I could find: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Per%...).
Unfortunately this does not clarify all of the questions that arise as you read the book. I need to know to what extent
Had there been a good author’s note, I would have given the book four stars! I totally enjoyed what I learned and the action was so very exciting. I promise you, you will not regret reading this if you are interested in Eva Péron! When you have completed the book, do read the link above. I am glad I read this book by Gregory Widen rather than Santa Evita by Tomás Eloy Martínez. An explanation for this will also be found in the link above.
May 1, 2013
Whatever I might have been, whatever I might become, here, today, I am a man who keeps his promises. ~Michael Suslov (p.435)
Michael Suslov is a CIA agent in Argentina. A man with slim ties to the former First Lady of Argentina, Eva Peron; he nonetheless has promises to keep and, as the saying goes, miles to go before he sleeps. And before this story is over he will be called upon to keep those promises--even at the risk of his life.
When Eva Peron dies, her body is preserved and held in trust for the Argentine people--but her body vanishes from the vault where it was kept and moved from place to place. Each time Evita's body is moved, devoted followers manage to find her and flowers are sent. After sixteen years, the Argentine people want Evita back and Suslov is called upon to transport the body safely. But there are more groups than one who want Evita's body...and moreover, they want to find the key to a Swiss bank box rumored to hold the millions that Evita reportedly stole. Some of the people on Suslov's trail are rogue CIA agents, some are former colleagues, and some are former friends--but they all want Evita and most want the money. It becomes more and more difficult for Suslov to determine who is on what side and it will be a long dangerous journey before Evita can be brought home and Michael can keep his promises.
After a somewhat slow beginning, this turns into a fast-paced thriller that keeps the reader on her toes. Lots of action and the chase in the final chapters is well worth the ride. The best of the book is in the denouement and I enjoyed Michael's interactions with Gina and Hector. And I have to chuckle when I think of the wool they pull over General Peron's eyes in those last moments. I agreed to read this as a review request because of the story of Evita--I knew very little before and was intrigued by the historical context and mysterious circumstances. It was very interesting to find out how many of the extraordinary events were factual. Overall, a very solid and interesting read. I give it three and a half stars, but if you are a thriller or espionage fan I can easily imagine it earning a higher rating.
This was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting Thanks!
[Disclaimer: This book was made available to me as an advanced reader copy--there may be differences between this copy and the final published version. My review policy is posted on my blog, but just to reiterate...This review copy was offered to me for impartial review and I have received no payment of any kind. All comments are entirely my own honest opinion.]
Michael Suslov is a CIA agent in Argentina. A man with slim ties to the former First Lady of Argentina, Eva Peron; he nonetheless has promises to keep and, as the saying goes, miles to go before he sleeps. And before this story is over he will be called upon to keep those promises--even at the risk of his life.
When Eva Peron dies, her body is preserved and held in trust for the Argentine people--but her body vanishes from the vault where it was kept and moved from place to place. Each time Evita's body is moved, devoted followers manage to find her and flowers are sent. After sixteen years, the Argentine people want Evita back and Suslov is called upon to transport the body safely. But there are more groups than one who want Evita's body...and moreover, they want to find the key to a Swiss bank box rumored to hold the millions that Evita reportedly stole. Some of the people on Suslov's trail are rogue CIA agents, some are former colleagues, and some are former friends--but they all want Evita and most want the money. It becomes more and more difficult for Suslov to determine who is on what side and it will be a long dangerous journey before Evita can be brought home and Michael can keep his promises.
After a somewhat slow beginning, this turns into a fast-paced thriller that keeps the reader on her toes. Lots of action and the chase in the final chapters is well worth the ride. The best of the book is in the denouement and I enjoyed Michael's interactions with Gina and Hector. And I have to chuckle when I think of the wool they pull over General Peron's eyes in those last moments. I agreed to read this as a review request because of the story of Evita--I knew very little before and was intrigued by the historical context and mysterious circumstances. It was very interesting to find out how many of the extraordinary events were factual. Overall, a very solid and interesting read. I give it three and a half stars, but if you are a thriller or espionage fan I can easily imagine it earning a higher rating.
This was first posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting Thanks!
[Disclaimer: This book was made available to me as an advanced reader copy--there may be differences between this copy and the final published version. My review policy is posted on my blog, but just to reiterate...This review copy was offered to me for impartial review and I have received no payment of any kind. All comments are entirely my own honest opinion.]
April 21, 2014
This novel is built around the mostly true story of what happened to Eva Perón's embalmed corpse, and the tension between FBI and CIA in South American intelligence operations in the 1950s. It is a rather fascinating read. Many of the characters turn out to be people who actually existed, and the most outlandish details are taken directly from history. Using them the author has written a story that is both a well constructed mystery with a satisfying resolution and the personal tragedy of Michael Suslov, the CIA agent whose life is devastated when he gets tangled in the intrigue around Evita's body. (Apparently he is a composite character based on two real persons. I assume his backstory with the Ukrainian father and childhood in Buenos Aires is fictional, though.)
The author is a screenwriter, which shows in the construction of the novel: the chapters are short acts that seem very much constructed for filming. It would be mostly an indie movie, although the action picks up toward the end, when Evita is transported from Italy to Spain.
The novel shares its title with a Suzanne Vega song, which kept snaking into my consciousness while I was reading, even though there is no other connection: the song seems to be about a kind of panicky feeling when the sound of blood drowns everything. In the novel, the phrase is put into the mouth of Dr. Pedro Ara, who embalmed Evita. He uses it to explain why the blood is the only part that has to be removed from the body for it to be preserved. In the novel, it is the influence of Eva Perón, even in death, that has to be suppressed by the new regime, by hiding her body and ultimately removing it from the country, only to have it return.
There is a rather authentic Latin feeling in the book. The author says he has done his research and visited the places where it all happened, and I have no reason to doubt him. It left me wanting to read more about those events and times.
The author is a screenwriter, which shows in the construction of the novel: the chapters are short acts that seem very much constructed for filming. It would be mostly an indie movie, although the action picks up toward the end, when Evita is transported from Italy to Spain.
The novel shares its title with a Suzanne Vega song, which kept snaking into my consciousness while I was reading, even though there is no other connection: the song seems to be about a kind of panicky feeling when the sound of blood drowns everything. In the novel, the phrase is put into the mouth of Dr. Pedro Ara, who embalmed Evita. He uses it to explain why the blood is the only part that has to be removed from the body for it to be preserved. In the novel, it is the influence of Eva Perón, even in death, that has to be suppressed by the new regime, by hiding her body and ultimately removing it from the country, only to have it return.
There is a rather authentic Latin feeling in the book. The author says he has done his research and visited the places where it all happened, and I have no reason to doubt him. It left me wanting to read more about those events and times.
June 10, 2013
She went by the name of Eva Peron. However the people of Argentina would always know her as Evita Peron. She is an icon for the people. So much so that her husband paid lots of money to keep her grave guarded. Some people had other plans. Evita’s body is moved and former CIA agent Michael Suslov was one of the witnesses to the process.
Now Michael has been called upon to find Evita’s body and bring it back. Only time is not on Michael’s side. Several other people are on the hunt to find Evita’s body. Michael just has to make sure he is the first one there while not getting killed.
If this book is Mr. Widen’s debut novel then I can not wait to see what he has in store for his second one. Blood Makes Noise does make noise in a great way. If you are looking for something good to read then treat yourself and pick up a copy of Blood Makes Noise. You won’t be sorry.
The action did not happen until about midway into the book but I was fine with that. Yes, you just read this right. I did say it was ok that the action did not start right away. This is because the story itself was exciting enough that it kept my interest. What made it so appealing is that a lot of the true facts were incorporated into this story.
Now Michael has been called upon to find Evita’s body and bring it back. Only time is not on Michael’s side. Several other people are on the hunt to find Evita’s body. Michael just has to make sure he is the first one there while not getting killed.
If this book is Mr. Widen’s debut novel then I can not wait to see what he has in store for his second one. Blood Makes Noise does make noise in a great way. If you are looking for something good to read then treat yourself and pick up a copy of Blood Makes Noise. You won’t be sorry.
The action did not happen until about midway into the book but I was fine with that. Yes, you just read this right. I did say it was ok that the action did not start right away. This is because the story itself was exciting enough that it kept my interest. What made it so appealing is that a lot of the true facts were incorporated into this story.
June 24, 2013
3.5 When I first started reading this I was a bit frustrated with all the FBI, CIA maneuvering but the more I read the more I realized he was setting the scene. This is really how confusing it was after Peron was ousted, and different dictators were taking center stage. Reminded me a bit of Rum Diaries, with the confusion of the newspaper men being ousted from Cuba, and it did set the stage. I have long been fascinated by Evita, she had such a short life and was loved by so many. This book is more about the different factions coming to power and the need for different parties to have possession of her body. We do learn quite a bit about Evita, in flashback and memories of the main players in this story.
The writing is fluid, the pace quick and the facts and the history all make the atmosphere of the novel seem genuine. There is quite a bit of chasing around, many killings, which is not really my cup of tea but luckily there is an author's note included in the back of the book and when I read, "Of all the strange things presented in this novel, perhaps the strangest of all is how much of it actually happened." So this novel is actually a tiny slice of history, but big in the country of Argentina.
The writing is fluid, the pace quick and the facts and the history all make the atmosphere of the novel seem genuine. There is quite a bit of chasing around, many killings, which is not really my cup of tea but luckily there is an author's note included in the back of the book and when I read, "Of all the strange things presented in this novel, perhaps the strangest of all is how much of it actually happened." So this novel is actually a tiny slice of history, but big in the country of Argentina.
March 8, 2013
3.5 stars
If you're not familiar with the history of Eva Peron after her death, you might find parts of this book difficult to believe. Blood Makes Noise, though, is steeped in certain truths with regards to Eva's cult status after her husband's rule. The race to retrieve Eva's body to restore devotion to Peron in Argentina is fascinating - something we'd probably never see here or anywhere else.
The book is gripping and heart-wrenching at once, violent and tense and thoroughly engrossing.
ARC received from NetGalley.
If you're not familiar with the history of Eva Peron after her death, you might find parts of this book difficult to believe. Blood Makes Noise, though, is steeped in certain truths with regards to Eva's cult status after her husband's rule. The race to retrieve Eva's body to restore devotion to Peron in Argentina is fascinating - something we'd probably never see here or anywhere else.
The book is gripping and heart-wrenching at once, violent and tense and thoroughly engrossing.
ARC received from NetGalley.
January 26, 2020
Meet Michael Suslov. He's lived a lot of life in his approximately 30 years. Born to a Ukrainian father and Argentinian mother, he grew up in Buenos Aires. We learn early on in the book (pages 36-41) about his tragic childhood years, and the events leading up to his move to Chicago with his father. Then "He did on Michael's first day of college. No brother to sort through a pile of frozen bodies, no wife to throw herself at his casket, no daughter to weep softly. Only quiet Michael, not tossing in a handful of dirt like they do in Italy, or lighting a candle like they do in the Ukraine; just standing there stupidly and apart, waiting for it to be over, like they do in America." After college Michael joins the CIA, and is assigned to a small post in BA, Argentina. He must share an office with FBI agents who have ran the show for 20 plus years, and aren't excited to be sharing space with a "spook" now.
Isolated and unfamiliar with the area, he bungles his first attempt to stealthily bug a diplomat's house. Saved by a strange Argentinian spy of sorts, Hector, they go on to form an uneasy partnership. Hector doesn't let Michael forget who owes who favors though, and one night in 1956, he calls that favor in. Evita Peron, the real star of the book, is dead. That doesn't stop the people from idolizing her though.
The people's idolization is inconvenient and counterproductive for the current administration though, and so her body must be hidden. Enter Michael. But you know what they say about the best laid plans. Michael may succeed in carrying out Hector's plot to hide Evita, but what will the ordeal to to him? And what happens when (invariably) Argentina decides they want their Evita back again? Widen narrates a thrilling ride of a story chronically a man with not much left (including his dignity). He shows the lengths people will go to to redeem themselves. And he shows that emotional ties can bind, even years later.
Bottom line: Widen's previous work has been mostly screenplays, and this shows. Blood Makes Noise is in many ways a sequence of scenes. We never delve too deeply into character building, or the psychology behind most of the action. There are a few characters where this isn't true--Alejandro for instance gets a deep and complex backstory. The action is tense, the narration is a page turner, and be warned--the last third of the book is somewhat dark (increased violence and a bit of torture). Given 3.5 stars or a rating of "Very Good". In closing, here are a few more of my favorite quotes.
"Of all the things I chose not to see in her, the most essential was her dignity."
"They did it from the beginning. From the first day they saw Her. They lifted Her and changed Her and made Her theirs. They never cared who she really was. They don't now. Men have fought and died for Her, and who she really was doesn't matter at all. In fact, it's probably better for them that she's dead. Now the only sound she can make is what they put in her mouth."
"She hugged him then, held his wounded body close--close enough to feel his blood pound--and Gina thought: blood makes noise. If you're lucky in this life, blood makes noise."
Isolated and unfamiliar with the area, he bungles his first attempt to stealthily bug a diplomat's house. Saved by a strange Argentinian spy of sorts, Hector, they go on to form an uneasy partnership. Hector doesn't let Michael forget who owes who favors though, and one night in 1956, he calls that favor in. Evita Peron, the real star of the book, is dead. That doesn't stop the people from idolizing her though.
They'd tried to show she was just a whore mimicking the rich she supposedly despised. They displayed her diamonds, proved she stole magnificently from the treasury. But they missed the point. She had started poor and so, in becoming wealthy, fulfilled the Cinderella dream so many fantasized about. And if she stole from the rich for herself, she also stole for the poor, and no one had ever done that before. No one had shaken down international corporations to build hospitals and dedicate schools. And if it was all vanity and greed, who cared? No one had ever spoken to the great unwashed as an equal, held them to their breast, cooed to them like lovers, whispered hatred for those they hated: the rich; the privileged; the whole pointless, pathetic history of their nation.
The people's idolization is inconvenient and counterproductive for the current administration though, and so her body must be hidden. Enter Michael. But you know what they say about the best laid plans. Michael may succeed in carrying out Hector's plot to hide Evita, but what will the ordeal to to him? And what happens when (invariably) Argentina decides they want their Evita back again? Widen narrates a thrilling ride of a story chronically a man with not much left (including his dignity). He shows the lengths people will go to to redeem themselves. And he shows that emotional ties can bind, even years later.
Bottom line: Widen's previous work has been mostly screenplays, and this shows. Blood Makes Noise is in many ways a sequence of scenes. We never delve too deeply into character building, or the psychology behind most of the action. There are a few characters where this isn't true--Alejandro for instance gets a deep and complex backstory. The action is tense, the narration is a page turner, and be warned--the last third of the book is somewhat dark (increased violence and a bit of torture). Given 3.5 stars or a rating of "Very Good". In closing, here are a few more of my favorite quotes.
"Of all the things I chose not to see in her, the most essential was her dignity."
"They did it from the beginning. From the first day they saw Her. They lifted Her and changed Her and made Her theirs. They never cared who she really was. They don't now. Men have fought and died for Her, and who she really was doesn't matter at all. In fact, it's probably better for them that she's dead. Now the only sound she can make is what they put in her mouth."
"She hugged him then, held his wounded body close--close enough to feel his blood pound--and Gina thought: blood makes noise. If you're lucky in this life, blood makes noise."
September 19, 2013
When Juan Peron fled the country after a military coup, he left the preserved body of his wife Eva behind. The military removed Evita’s body from its display and its whereabouts were a mystery for 16 years. Then, in 1971, the military authorities revealed that Evita’s body was buried in crypt in Milan, Italy, under the name Maria Maggi. That same year, Evita’s body was exhumed and taken to Spain and turned over to Juan.
This is the basis for Gregory Widen’s “Blood Makes Noise.” Widen stays true to the history of Evita’s corpse. Of course, there is no way to know who said what to whom. However, Widen’s writing is superb and his dialogue has the ring of truth. His writing allows the reader to immerse herself into Argentina of the 1950s and the peoples’ obsession with Evita.
The book is well written and quickly becomes a page turner. However, about mid-way through the book, it takes a dark turn. Because the darkness is so intense and becomes so depressing, it also becomes hard to read. Then it picks back up toward the end.
This is the basis for Gregory Widen’s “Blood Makes Noise.” Widen stays true to the history of Evita’s corpse. Of course, there is no way to know who said what to whom. However, Widen’s writing is superb and his dialogue has the ring of truth. His writing allows the reader to immerse herself into Argentina of the 1950s and the peoples’ obsession with Evita.
The book is well written and quickly becomes a page turner. However, about mid-way through the book, it takes a dark turn. Because the darkness is so intense and becomes so depressing, it also becomes hard to read. Then it picks back up toward the end.
November 25, 2013
Very good book. A fictional story of what might have happened to explain the disappearance of Eva Peron's body after her death - it was missing for 16-17 years. This story weaves historical fact with creative storytelling. I really enjoyed this book. "Evita" is one of my favorite musicals, so this story was particularly interesting to me. Interesting characters, although I'm not sure that any of them were terribly likeable. The author is also a screenwriter and that became evident near the end of the book, the story wound down and was being wrapped up a little too neatly, too quickly with what the reader was being told. This was a book club read - discussion was good and generally everyone either liked the book or sort of liked it.
January 7, 2014
Interesting book
I like historical fiction. I have seen Evita's grave in BA and now, at some level I know her story. Parts of this book are fantastical but those are probably the most true. I recommend this book if you're interested the history of Argentina, the CIA, of Evita, or of the passions that drive people and counties to crazy behavior.
I like historical fiction. I have seen Evita's grave in BA and now, at some level I know her story. Parts of this book are fantastical but those are probably the most true. I recommend this book if you're interested the history of Argentina, the CIA, of Evita, or of the passions that drive people and counties to crazy behavior.
February 5, 2013
Just read the advance copy. Great book. I flew through it in three days. Cried twice. Its a really human portrait of CIA agent in extraordinary circumstances. Not knowing too much about Eva Peron beyond Evita, it was a little shocking what portions were true events. Good vacation read.
July 29, 2013
An excellent read! I want more! Penning thoughts to share soon.
February 27, 2023
Argentina.
I am rarely a fan of thrillers, but this was excellent! I learned a lot too. And from the author's notes, most of the more incredulous elements were true.
I am rarely a fan of thrillers, but this was excellent! I learned a lot too. And from the author's notes, most of the more incredulous elements were true.
December 24, 2013
I was completely surprised at the end of the book where the author describes that many of the events of the novel were true! Wow!
January 9, 2014
This book led me to do more research about Eva Peron and Argentina. I love books that are somewhat based on actual events that make me think! This was a well written book that captured my attention!
September 3, 2022
There are some books you read where the prose is so crisp, where the story flows so well, you immediately wonder what else the author has written. Blood Makes Noise is one of those books. Even if one were to have absolutely no idea who Gregory Widen is, it wouldn't take more than a few chapters to send you scrambling for Wikipedia to confirm that not only is he a writer, but an accomplished one at that.
Yes, this is the man who brought stories such as Highlander, Backdraft, and The Prophecy to the screen, and that deft touch for dramatic tension, narrative efficiency, and the almost poetic flow of ideas comes through in his first novel.
With its roots firmly embedded in the real-life story of Eva “Evita” Perón, Blood Makes Noise tells the story of her corpse's journey into exile, and then back home again, as witnessed on the way out, and accompanied on the way back, by Michael Suslov, a CIA officer assigned to Buenos Aires. This is a solid spy thriller, historical thriller, and human interest story all rolled into one, propelled by two very different (but equally flawed/damaged) personalities. It's because of Evita's legend that we're drawn into the tale, and because of Michael's sadly endearing life that we're so willing to stick around through the initial set-up. Once the novel his the halfway mark, however, it's a wild, frantic, and very bloody race to the finish.
While Widen's screenwriter pedigree makes for a crisp tale, it also makes for a thin one at times. There's not a lot of scene setting or description here. Many scenes are little more than dialogue, tersely worded actions, and a little narrative oversight. Personally, I found that to be a style that worked for the story, but some readers may find themselves craving a bit more detail, particularly early on. It is an emotionally gripping tale, however, and Widen does a masterful job of using Michael to draw the reader in, feel for his moral dilemmas, and ultimately sympathize with a man who isn't necessarily very likable. The pacing is a bit uneven for a novel, but were you to watch it as a movie, in a single sitting as opposed to reading it over multiple nights, the pacing would be just about right.
If you're looking for a good read to take to the cottage, and don't mind having to think a bit about what's going on and why, Blood Makes Noise is a great choice. It's not what I would call a 'fun' read, but an entertaining one.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Yes, this is the man who brought stories such as Highlander, Backdraft, and The Prophecy to the screen, and that deft touch for dramatic tension, narrative efficiency, and the almost poetic flow of ideas comes through in his first novel.
With its roots firmly embedded in the real-life story of Eva “Evita” Perón, Blood Makes Noise tells the story of her corpse's journey into exile, and then back home again, as witnessed on the way out, and accompanied on the way back, by Michael Suslov, a CIA officer assigned to Buenos Aires. This is a solid spy thriller, historical thriller, and human interest story all rolled into one, propelled by two very different (but equally flawed/damaged) personalities. It's because of Evita's legend that we're drawn into the tale, and because of Michael's sadly endearing life that we're so willing to stick around through the initial set-up. Once the novel his the halfway mark, however, it's a wild, frantic, and very bloody race to the finish.
While Widen's screenwriter pedigree makes for a crisp tale, it also makes for a thin one at times. There's not a lot of scene setting or description here. Many scenes are little more than dialogue, tersely worded actions, and a little narrative oversight. Personally, I found that to be a style that worked for the story, but some readers may find themselves craving a bit more detail, particularly early on. It is an emotionally gripping tale, however, and Widen does a masterful job of using Michael to draw the reader in, feel for his moral dilemmas, and ultimately sympathize with a man who isn't necessarily very likable. The pacing is a bit uneven for a novel, but were you to watch it as a movie, in a single sitting as opposed to reading it over multiple nights, the pacing would be just about right.
If you're looking for a good read to take to the cottage, and don't mind having to think a bit about what's going on and why, Blood Makes Noise is a great choice. It's not what I would call a 'fun' read, but an entertaining one.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
June 24, 2024
How is it he has never written another book? This was excellent, mostly, and told a compelling story of the chaos that happened in Argentina after Evita's passing. The spy story was interesting, the story of Michael's decline was believable. Casting the Terminator as the Bad Guy was a bit much, but it moved the story along. And with friends like Hector, you will never need another enemy.
If Widen were to pen another spy or crime thriller, I would be a reader.
If Widen were to pen another spy or crime thriller, I would be a reader.
August 22, 2018
Interesting.
I have always been fascinated with the life and death of Eva Peron. I am undecided about this book. Yes it included many well known facts but became more of a silly action movie script. I had to keep reading to see how it would conclude but I do find myself dissapointed.
I have always been fascinated with the life and death of Eva Peron. I am undecided about this book. Yes it included many well known facts but became more of a silly action movie script. I had to keep reading to see how it would conclude but I do find myself dissapointed.
September 29, 2020
A compelling story about the body of Eva Peron and her peculiar hold on many of the people of Argentina. Starting as a collaboration between a CIA operative and Argentinian Military Intelligence in the mid-1950s, this story is partly based on real historical facts and the second stage set in 1972 pursues a chaotic course through Italy, France, Spain and Switzerland.
July 10, 2017
I would rate this book as 3.5. An interesting story based on real events. At times I forced myself to continue reading but I'm glad I did. The story revolves around the embalmed corpse of Evita Peron and the devotion of the Argentine people to her even decades after her death.
May 22, 2018
A weirdly told story
Even though the author tried to weave his story through his historical facts, it is a weird story and very poorly presented. I do not know what made me reading until the end.
Even though the author tried to weave his story through his historical facts, it is a weird story and very poorly presented. I do not know what made me reading until the end.
April 21, 2019
Historical fiction
It took a while to finish this book but it was worth it .Evita has always fascinated me and others,the musical Evita for example..If a portion of this book is true then it was a worthwhile read.
It took a while to finish this book but it was worth it .Evita has always fascinated me and others,the musical Evita for example..If a portion of this book is true then it was a worthwhile read.
July 5, 2022
Great historical fiction
Loved the character development. Lots of detail. Very disturbing details about Evita. I learned some about the origins of the CIA. Interesting to watch the movie Evita on prime while reading the book.
Loved the character development. Lots of detail. Very disturbing details about Evita. I learned some about the origins of the CIA. Interesting to watch the movie Evita on prime while reading the book.
August 4, 2017
Not bad
But not great. Certain parts were compelling and kept me riveted but by the end I was beyond ready for the book to end.
But not great. Certain parts were compelling and kept me riveted but by the end I was beyond ready for the book to end.
August 11, 2019
Fascinating
Exciting read. Based on history. Surprised that most of the story of Evita’s corpse is true. Scary times in Argintina
Exciting read. Based on history. Surprised that most of the story of Evita’s corpse is true. Scary times in Argintina
May 30, 2020
Definitely full of twists
If you like history, conspiracy, tragedy, lots of twists, and Argentina, this book is for you. Kind of slow to start, but i t gets serious fast.
If you like history, conspiracy, tragedy, lots of twists, and Argentina, this book is for you. Kind of slow to start, but i t gets serious fast.
August 14, 2020
I got probably just a little bit shy of a quarter into the book. I put it down for something else with full intention to go right back. As I finished the other book, I actually felt a tiny bit of revulsion at the idea of coming back to this book. haha. I love many of Gregory Widen's movies. I think he's a fantastic screenwriter. I'm willing to try again with his prose down the line. I just couldn't with this book. Life's too short.
I'm not even sure what I found so unpalatable. I just didn't care. Maybe it was the image of Madonna in the movie. I like Madonna, but she came off silly to me in that movie. And that's kind of how I was feeling about Widen here. I think a lot of Americans are drawn to figures and stories like surrounding Eva and it feels somehow more real to them or inviting because of this exotic vibe. I've always hated that. There's this sweep and majesty brought that makes it more romantic than it really was and almost like it's a fairytale instead of somebody's real life, which is a bit of a shame. I'm not suggesting I would have liked this book better had it been written by a Latino. Just somebody less impressed with it, if you get what I mean. Somebody who might treat it real and without that corny glow and light you just know the movie version would have.
I'm not even sure what I found so unpalatable. I just didn't care. Maybe it was the image of Madonna in the movie. I like Madonna, but she came off silly to me in that movie. And that's kind of how I was feeling about Widen here. I think a lot of Americans are drawn to figures and stories like surrounding Eva and it feels somehow more real to them or inviting because of this exotic vibe. I've always hated that. There's this sweep and majesty brought that makes it more romantic than it really was and almost like it's a fairytale instead of somebody's real life, which is a bit of a shame. I'm not suggesting I would have liked this book better had it been written by a Latino. Just somebody less impressed with it, if you get what I mean. Somebody who might treat it real and without that corny glow and light you just know the movie version would have.
August 17, 2017
1 1/2 stars
The factual escapades of Eva Peron's cadaver could be the basis of an intriguing, exciting, globe-hopping adventure.
This is not that book.
What this is is the sad little tale of a sad little man in a sad little country. Author Gregory Widen seems to have gone to great lengths to make Michael Suslov a thoroughly unlikeable character. Oh, just about everyone in this novel is a schlemiel just begging to be put out of their misery. But because Suslov is the protagonist, because he is the one who insists on dragging me through this desolate landscape, he is the main target for my disdain.
The factual escapades of Eva Peron's cadaver could be the basis of an intriguing, exciting, globe-hopping adventure.
This is not that book.
What this is is the sad little tale of a sad little man in a sad little country. Author Gregory Widen seems to have gone to great lengths to make Michael Suslov a thoroughly unlikeable character. Oh, just about everyone in this novel is a schlemiel just begging to be put out of their misery. But because Suslov is the protagonist, because he is the one who insists on dragging me through this desolate landscape, he is the main target for my disdain.
April 24, 2013
First of all, I’d like to say that I’m not all that familiar with the historical figure Eva Peron. Blame my sieve of a memory for history, I’m a scientist. I’m of the right age where the mention of “Evita” makes me think of Madonna, which is probably not a good sign. But I love thrillers, and let me tell you, Gregory Widen has written one hell of a great historical thriller here in Blood Makes Noise. I didn’t think of Madonna once while I read the book, so you know that I was sucked right into the danger, the intrigue, the murder, the subterfuge, the political unrest…
CIA agent Michael Suslov is stationed in Buenos Aires in the 1950s for his first assignment. Learning the ropes in a city that isn’t foreign to him because he grew up there shouldn’t be as difficult as it is, but the other agents aren’t very welcoming. Michael and his wife constantly feel like the odd ones out, getting the cold shoulder from the agents and their wives both at work and at after work functions. But it’s at one of these parties soon after they arrive in Buenos Aires that Michael meets Hector Cabinillas, an Argentine military intelligence officer. And so begins their odd relationship where Hector will only deal with Michael, not any of the other American agents, and Michael is one of the few disinterested people that Hector truly trusts.
In the dark of night, Hector calls on Michael to meet him to bear witness to something monumental: the removal of Eva Peron’s preserved body from a sealed vault. Claiming that it’s for the good of the country to have Evita’s overwhelming presence—even in death—gone and forgotten about, Hector doesn’t have to do much to convince Michael that he is the only one that can get her corpse out of the country and hidden, and that it is Michael’s one chance at a happy life with his wife with a change in duty station.
So Michael manages to spirit the body of Eva Peron out of South America, but not before his life is destroyed just as anyone else’s who has had a hand in the regime. For sixteen years, only one person knows where Evita’s final resting place lies, and as Michael’s past finally catches up with him, he only has one chance to make up for a life of horrible wrongs.
Blood Makes Noise follows Michael Suslov for the first portion of the book as a CIA agent, and the third person narrative gives great insight into what it’s like to live in Buenos Aires in the 1950s and work as an operative in a foreign country. The middle third of the book focuses on Alejandro in the early 1970s, sixteen years after Eva Peron’s body disappeared. He had met Evita when he was an orphaned child and became fixated on her ever since. Now part of the neo-Peronist Montonero movement, he believed that she was still the soul of the revolution, and they believed that bringing her back into the country could quash the threat of civil war. Alejandro is brutal and will do anything to find her body, but first he has to find out who knows where she is. The final third of the book is where all hell breaks loose as the race to find Eva Peron begins.
The sights, the smells, and the sounds are all described vividly without being too obtrusive while the historical events are peppered into the story without sticking out. The writing is concise and not overly wordy, told in third person throughout with an emotional closeness that left my heart aching at times for the characters. The brutality, blunt ugliness of the time, carefully researched historical facts and people, and sometimes uneasy situations made Blood Makes Noise a tense, thrilling picture of mid-century South America—politics and all. The relationships between the characters were so realistic and heart-wrenching at times, but I could not put this book down. Five out of five for Blood Makes Noise—best thriller that I’ve read in a few of years.
(Also posted on Bewitched Bookworms)
CIA agent Michael Suslov is stationed in Buenos Aires in the 1950s for his first assignment. Learning the ropes in a city that isn’t foreign to him because he grew up there shouldn’t be as difficult as it is, but the other agents aren’t very welcoming. Michael and his wife constantly feel like the odd ones out, getting the cold shoulder from the agents and their wives both at work and at after work functions. But it’s at one of these parties soon after they arrive in Buenos Aires that Michael meets Hector Cabinillas, an Argentine military intelligence officer. And so begins their odd relationship where Hector will only deal with Michael, not any of the other American agents, and Michael is one of the few disinterested people that Hector truly trusts.
In the dark of night, Hector calls on Michael to meet him to bear witness to something monumental: the removal of Eva Peron’s preserved body from a sealed vault. Claiming that it’s for the good of the country to have Evita’s overwhelming presence—even in death—gone and forgotten about, Hector doesn’t have to do much to convince Michael that he is the only one that can get her corpse out of the country and hidden, and that it is Michael’s one chance at a happy life with his wife with a change in duty station.
So Michael manages to spirit the body of Eva Peron out of South America, but not before his life is destroyed just as anyone else’s who has had a hand in the regime. For sixteen years, only one person knows where Evita’s final resting place lies, and as Michael’s past finally catches up with him, he only has one chance to make up for a life of horrible wrongs.
Blood Makes Noise follows Michael Suslov for the first portion of the book as a CIA agent, and the third person narrative gives great insight into what it’s like to live in Buenos Aires in the 1950s and work as an operative in a foreign country. The middle third of the book focuses on Alejandro in the early 1970s, sixteen years after Eva Peron’s body disappeared. He had met Evita when he was an orphaned child and became fixated on her ever since. Now part of the neo-Peronist Montonero movement, he believed that she was still the soul of the revolution, and they believed that bringing her back into the country could quash the threat of civil war. Alejandro is brutal and will do anything to find her body, but first he has to find out who knows where she is. The final third of the book is where all hell breaks loose as the race to find Eva Peron begins.
The sights, the smells, and the sounds are all described vividly without being too obtrusive while the historical events are peppered into the story without sticking out. The writing is concise and not overly wordy, told in third person throughout with an emotional closeness that left my heart aching at times for the characters. The brutality, blunt ugliness of the time, carefully researched historical facts and people, and sometimes uneasy situations made Blood Makes Noise a tense, thrilling picture of mid-century South America—politics and all. The relationships between the characters were so realistic and heart-wrenching at times, but I could not put this book down. Five out of five for Blood Makes Noise—best thriller that I’ve read in a few of years.
(Also posted on Bewitched Bookworms)
November 12, 2014
“No one had ever spoken to the great unwashed as an equal, held them to their breast, cooed to them like lovers, whispered hatred for those they hated: the rich; the privileged; the whole pointless, pathetic history of their nation."
- Gregory Widen's Evita in "Blood Makes Noise"
Evita maintains a special place in popular culture. Already an amazing icon in South America, Andrew Lloyd Weber raised her profile to an unaware but willing world-wide audience. It's arguable that Madonna took it even further and certainly introduced Argentina's former First Lady to a new generation of pseudo historical/pop cultural fans.
Novelist and screenplay writer Gregory Widen, builds on the foundation of the Evita mystique to create an interesting, but uneven, thriller surrounding the disappearance of Evita's body following her death and her husband's exile. Widen points out in his author's note, “Of all the strange things presented in this novel, perhaps the strangest of all is how much of it actually happened."
A bit hokey and evocative of a dime-store novel lineage, "Blood Makes Noise" is at times melodramatic and often without a sniff of subtlety, but its not specifically charmless. Widen's testosterone-leaden tone and prose is both exhilarating and annoying. In its' second half, the novel becomes mawkish, and the plot loses its way from what was originally a solid series of plot elements.
“Evita. In life she’d shattered the pointless cycles of Argentine politics, flung open the gates of history to the great ignored, and ruled them as their pampa Cinderella. This bastard of a cow baron’s toady, the kept daughter of a kept mother of a kept town, rocketed into history on the shoulders of a dream-crazy mob that sang of her, named stars after her, and on her death, at a still-beautiful thirty-three, choked and paralyzed a country with grief.”
While the story's centerpiece is Her body, the plot focuses on Michael Suslov, best described by Widen himself, "twenty-four years old and fresh from spook camp and the frat-boy world view, was sent south, the first new blood in these parts since the consolidation in ’47. The first of the new CIA. And they hated him on sight. Ignored him, fucked with him, and every moment of every day for four years reminded Michael that he worked not for Buenos Aires station but for them.”
Suslov was born in La Boca, one of the poorest sections of Buenos Aires, and naturally had a disturbing and fairly traumatic upbringing. In 1951, he and his emotional baggage have returned to Argentina in the service of a 'new' cold war CIA. He's met Evita a time or two and he's moderately swept up by the passion she's introduced to a country he's not excited to be in.
“That every nation is given one light, one shining instant, and She was ours. Before Her, after Her, we are just immigrant chaos at the bottom of the world."
At its best, "Blood Makes Noise" paints an interesting portrayal of obsessive personalities, spiraling in a never-redemptive loop of anger, violence and dismay. Widen writes descriptively, if a bit cinematic in its visuals. Often it's over the top, but not terribly inconsistent with the tone of the plot. At its worst, the story is rushed, the plot points barely connected. And this is it's downfall.
- Gregory Widen's Evita in "Blood Makes Noise"
Evita maintains a special place in popular culture. Already an amazing icon in South America, Andrew Lloyd Weber raised her profile to an unaware but willing world-wide audience. It's arguable that Madonna took it even further and certainly introduced Argentina's former First Lady to a new generation of pseudo historical/pop cultural fans.
Novelist and screenplay writer Gregory Widen, builds on the foundation of the Evita mystique to create an interesting, but uneven, thriller surrounding the disappearance of Evita's body following her death and her husband's exile. Widen points out in his author's note, “Of all the strange things presented in this novel, perhaps the strangest of all is how much of it actually happened."
A bit hokey and evocative of a dime-store novel lineage, "Blood Makes Noise" is at times melodramatic and often without a sniff of subtlety, but its not specifically charmless. Widen's testosterone-leaden tone and prose is both exhilarating and annoying. In its' second half, the novel becomes mawkish, and the plot loses its way from what was originally a solid series of plot elements.
“Evita. In life she’d shattered the pointless cycles of Argentine politics, flung open the gates of history to the great ignored, and ruled them as their pampa Cinderella. This bastard of a cow baron’s toady, the kept daughter of a kept mother of a kept town, rocketed into history on the shoulders of a dream-crazy mob that sang of her, named stars after her, and on her death, at a still-beautiful thirty-three, choked and paralyzed a country with grief.”
While the story's centerpiece is Her body, the plot focuses on Michael Suslov, best described by Widen himself, "twenty-four years old and fresh from spook camp and the frat-boy world view, was sent south, the first new blood in these parts since the consolidation in ’47. The first of the new CIA. And they hated him on sight. Ignored him, fucked with him, and every moment of every day for four years reminded Michael that he worked not for Buenos Aires station but for them.”
Suslov was born in La Boca, one of the poorest sections of Buenos Aires, and naturally had a disturbing and fairly traumatic upbringing. In 1951, he and his emotional baggage have returned to Argentina in the service of a 'new' cold war CIA. He's met Evita a time or two and he's moderately swept up by the passion she's introduced to a country he's not excited to be in.
“That every nation is given one light, one shining instant, and She was ours. Before Her, after Her, we are just immigrant chaos at the bottom of the world."
At its best, "Blood Makes Noise" paints an interesting portrayal of obsessive personalities, spiraling in a never-redemptive loop of anger, violence and dismay. Widen writes descriptively, if a bit cinematic in its visuals. Often it's over the top, but not terribly inconsistent with the tone of the plot. At its worst, the story is rushed, the plot points barely connected. And this is it's downfall.
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