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Inspector Ramírez #2
The Poisoned Pawn
Detective Mike Ellis returns home after he is cleared in the death of a young boy while on vacation in Cuba, only to discover that his estranged wife, Hilary, is dead, and that he’s the main suspect. Meanwhile, Inspector Ramírez, head of the Havana Major Crimes Unit, is dispatched to Ottawa to take custody of a Cuban priest apprehended by authorities while in possession of a laptop full of child pornography. Ramírez will uncover a web of deceit and depravity that extends from the corridors of power in Ottawa to the hallowed halls of the Vatican—and back again.
336 pages, Paperback
First published February 5, 2013
5 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
About the author
Peggy Blair
9 books108 followersPeggy Blair was a lawyer for more than thirty years. A recognized expert in Indigenous law, she worked as both a criminal defence lawyer and Crown prosecutor before going into real estate. Blair is a Level 5 Boxer, an artist and a renovator. She is named in the Canadian Who's Who and is probably best known for her #DearestMartha tweets during the Freedom Convoy. She lives just outside Ottawa with a friendly cat and a TV watching dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
May 24, 2017
Peggy Blair brings back Mike Ellis and his wife Hilary in this second book of the Inspector Ramirez series. This time there's several plots running at the same time. Hilary dies on the plane ride from Cuba back to Canada which raises some alarm flags for Inspector Ramirez considering Mike had just been cleared in the death of a young boy while he was vacationing in Havana with Hilary. Could Mike have been involved? Inspector Ramirez is also sent to Canada to bring back a Catholic priest who has been stopped in Customs for some questionable material on his laptop. But this priest has serious ties to some other shady things that have going in Cuba. And, there's also another murder that needs investigating. How do they all tie together? Nice job Peggy Blair for some great plot twists!!
March 4, 2013
Peggy Blair introduced readers to Inspector Ricardo Ramirez of the Havana Major Crimes Unit last year with her first novel The Beggar's Opera. I loved it (my review) and so did a lot of other folks. It was the 2012 Scotiabank Giller Prize Reader's Choice Winner, the CBC Bookie Award Winner for Best Canadian Crime Novel and was shortlisted for the Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger Award!
Needless to say, I was very eager to pick up the second book - The Poisoned Pawn. Did it live up to the first? Absolutely - and more!
I was delighted to find that the book literally picked up where the first book left off. I had thought there was more to the story and other avenues to explore and I was right. In The Poisoned Pawn, Hillary, the wife of Michael Ellis - the Canadian cop suspected of horrific crimes in Cuba - is flying home to Ottawa. She becomes extremely ill on the plane and dies. But what killed her? Ramirez is also headed to Canada - sent by his superiors to pick up a Catholic priest being returned to Cuba to face charges for sex crimes against Cuban children. But, back in Cuba, two other women die in circumstances exactly like Hillary. Ramirez is under pressure from many factions....
There are so many things to like about Blair's novels. For me, the biggest draw is the characters. Ramirez is one of the last few honest cops left on Havana's force (although he does borrow rum from the evidence locker). He's dogged and determined and deftly weaves his way through the political mire of the department and country to achieve results. Ramirez also sees the dead. A victim's ghost will attach itself to Ricardo, until he manages to solve the death. But I enjoy his friend and colleague, pathologist Dr. Hector Apiro just as much. Apiro's mind is brilliant and his personal storyline is both unique and moving.
The setting in Cuba continues to fascinate me. The descriptions of what is not there (soap, meat and more) the limitations placed on the citizens, the city and land, as well as the customs and culture - Voodoo, Santeria and more. In juxtaposition, Ramirez's introduction to Canada at the Ottawa airport is an eye opener.
"They walked past a store with maple-sugar candy; a display of bright art painted on canvas. Another store sold purses brief-cases, scarves and ties. Ramirez already felt overwhelmed. He wondered how Canadians could pick out what to wear each day with so many choices. In Cuba, most stores had only a rack or two of wares; the other shelves were empty. Even in Havana, the bodegas generally had only one brand of canned goods. If they had anything to sell at all."
"Ramirez watched servers do the unthinkable; scrape leftovers into the garbage. It was all he could do to restrain himself from running over to grab their hands, to plead with them to stop the waste."
The title? The Poisoned Pawn is a chess move. "A player places a pawn where it can be easily captured. If the other player takes the bait, his own men are exposed to attack. Bu the ploy is risky, because it can reveal both sides' weaknesses......But few chess games are ever perfect."
Blair's plotting resembles an intricate chess game as well. She has come up with an inventive, multi-layered plot that kept me guessing as to where the next move would be.
Blair also weaves social commentary into her novel, with sharp, pointed and timely commentary, touching on the Catholic Church, Canadian First Nations, and residential schools in both Cuba and Canada. She also includes historical references that had me headed to the Web to investigate further.
The Poisoned Pawn was such a satisfying read on so many levels - I will be eagerly awaiting the next in this series.
Needless to say, I was very eager to pick up the second book - The Poisoned Pawn. Did it live up to the first? Absolutely - and more!
I was delighted to find that the book literally picked up where the first book left off. I had thought there was more to the story and other avenues to explore and I was right. In The Poisoned Pawn, Hillary, the wife of Michael Ellis - the Canadian cop suspected of horrific crimes in Cuba - is flying home to Ottawa. She becomes extremely ill on the plane and dies. But what killed her? Ramirez is also headed to Canada - sent by his superiors to pick up a Catholic priest being returned to Cuba to face charges for sex crimes against Cuban children. But, back in Cuba, two other women die in circumstances exactly like Hillary. Ramirez is under pressure from many factions....
There are so many things to like about Blair's novels. For me, the biggest draw is the characters. Ramirez is one of the last few honest cops left on Havana's force (although he does borrow rum from the evidence locker). He's dogged and determined and deftly weaves his way through the political mire of the department and country to achieve results. Ramirez also sees the dead. A victim's ghost will attach itself to Ricardo, until he manages to solve the death. But I enjoy his friend and colleague, pathologist Dr. Hector Apiro just as much. Apiro's mind is brilliant and his personal storyline is both unique and moving.
The setting in Cuba continues to fascinate me. The descriptions of what is not there (soap, meat and more) the limitations placed on the citizens, the city and land, as well as the customs and culture - Voodoo, Santeria and more. In juxtaposition, Ramirez's introduction to Canada at the Ottawa airport is an eye opener.
"They walked past a store with maple-sugar candy; a display of bright art painted on canvas. Another store sold purses brief-cases, scarves and ties. Ramirez already felt overwhelmed. He wondered how Canadians could pick out what to wear each day with so many choices. In Cuba, most stores had only a rack or two of wares; the other shelves were empty. Even in Havana, the bodegas generally had only one brand of canned goods. If they had anything to sell at all."
"Ramirez watched servers do the unthinkable; scrape leftovers into the garbage. It was all he could do to restrain himself from running over to grab their hands, to plead with them to stop the waste."
The title? The Poisoned Pawn is a chess move. "A player places a pawn where it can be easily captured. If the other player takes the bait, his own men are exposed to attack. Bu the ploy is risky, because it can reveal both sides' weaknesses......But few chess games are ever perfect."
Blair's plotting resembles an intricate chess game as well. She has come up with an inventive, multi-layered plot that kept me guessing as to where the next move would be.
Blair also weaves social commentary into her novel, with sharp, pointed and timely commentary, touching on the Catholic Church, Canadian First Nations, and residential schools in both Cuba and Canada. She also includes historical references that had me headed to the Web to investigate further.
The Poisoned Pawn was such a satisfying read on so many levels - I will be eagerly awaiting the next in this series.
March 21, 2014
This is the second novel to feature Inspector Ricardo Ramirez, following on from Midnight in Havana (also published under the title The Beggar’s Opera). The Poisoned Pawn is very much a sequel and features many of the characters that appeared in the first novel, so it does help if you have read that first.
In the first novel, Inspector Ramirez was investigating the assault and murder of a street child. His main suspect was a Canadian police officer, Mike Ellis. This book begins with the return to Canada of his wife, Hillary Ellis, and her sudden death on the flight home to Canada. Ramirez is due to travel to Canada in order to escort back a Catholic priest, arrested on child abuse charges. While there, he meets up with lawyer Celia Jones, who travelled to Havana to represent Mike Ellis. Despite the fact that he was in custody when his wife died, her mother is accusing him of the crime. Meanwhile, back in Cuba, another woman dies suddenly, with similar symptoms to those experienced by Hillary, and Ramirez has to help pathologist Hector Apiro discover the link, before there are any more victims.
As in the first book, Ricardo Ramirez sees the ghosts of the victims of cases he is investigating. In this case, the ghost of a cigar lady, who has been left with a knife in her chest and who forlornly trails him around, as though accusing him of not working hard enough on her behalf. There are many strands to the plot of this book and many which carry on from the first novel. This, however, is turning into a rich and rewarding series. The scenes set in Cuba are atmospheric and there are a good cast of characters around Ramirez, to give the series depth. His reactions to visiting Canada emphasise the differences – and challenges – he faces. His investigations are hampered by a lack of almost every necessary piece of equipment and constant bureaucracy . Astounded by the amount of technology, food, advertising and the cold, Ramirez struggles to understand this new world, but is always capable of adapting.
If you are looking for an intelligent, well written crime series, with an exotic location and great characters, you will enjoy this. Inspector Ramirez is a man of great integrity and intelligence and I look forward to reading more novels featuring him and Hector Apiro.
In the first novel, Inspector Ramirez was investigating the assault and murder of a street child. His main suspect was a Canadian police officer, Mike Ellis. This book begins with the return to Canada of his wife, Hillary Ellis, and her sudden death on the flight home to Canada. Ramirez is due to travel to Canada in order to escort back a Catholic priest, arrested on child abuse charges. While there, he meets up with lawyer Celia Jones, who travelled to Havana to represent Mike Ellis. Despite the fact that he was in custody when his wife died, her mother is accusing him of the crime. Meanwhile, back in Cuba, another woman dies suddenly, with similar symptoms to those experienced by Hillary, and Ramirez has to help pathologist Hector Apiro discover the link, before there are any more victims.
As in the first book, Ricardo Ramirez sees the ghosts of the victims of cases he is investigating. In this case, the ghost of a cigar lady, who has been left with a knife in her chest and who forlornly trails him around, as though accusing him of not working hard enough on her behalf. There are many strands to the plot of this book and many which carry on from the first novel. This, however, is turning into a rich and rewarding series. The scenes set in Cuba are atmospheric and there are a good cast of characters around Ramirez, to give the series depth. His reactions to visiting Canada emphasise the differences – and challenges – he faces. His investigations are hampered by a lack of almost every necessary piece of equipment and constant bureaucracy . Astounded by the amount of technology, food, advertising and the cold, Ramirez struggles to understand this new world, but is always capable of adapting.
If you are looking for an intelligent, well written crime series, with an exotic location and great characters, you will enjoy this. Inspector Ramirez is a man of great integrity and intelligence and I look forward to reading more novels featuring him and Hector Apiro.
April 2, 2013
This is Blair's second book that features Ramirez and Apiro in Cuba. It starts almost immediately after the end of A Beggar's Banquet. It starts promisingly with a dying Canadian woman, and a dead old lady in Havana. Unfortunately, it veers off very quickly after that. Ms Blair seems to have a few issues that she likes to air - mistreatment of First Nations, child abuse by the Catholic priests - and she doesn't waste time in getting to them. The middle of the book gets lost in these areas, and it is difficult to remember that you are supposed to be in a murder mystery. Since Ramirez is in Ottawa this time (in January!), we do not get the pleasure of basking in Cuban sun. Eventually, we get do back to solving crimes, but, once again, the ending becomes difficult to believe, with far too many complications. Disappointing and frustrating. Ramirez and Apiro are interesting, but the plots are too serpentine.
April 24, 2013
Sometimes second novels disappoint. This is clearly not the case with "The Poisoned Pawn," Peggy Blair's sequel to "The Beggar's Opera." It's had a ton of reviews in the press -- in all the right places, and Blair seems to have hit all the right buttons with reviewers.
It begins with a really well-done weaving of the new narrative with the old. The 48 hours of "Pawn" reach back to the 72 hours of "Opera" and the threads in the two books join seamlessly. The author is more relaxed in her writing in this second book, and it moves along smoothly, step by flawless step.
Blair has given herself time constraints in both books --2 and 3 days for her inspector Ricardo Ramirez to find out, and figure out, a lot of stuff. TBO was set in Cuba. TPP is set in both Canada and Cuba, and this allows for some stark contrasts and striking similarities between the two countries.
Through the inspector's eyes, we see an embarassingly rich Canada, with its surplus of luxuries, not merely necessities. In Cuba, Ramirez can't access the simplest of supplies to conduct even a rudimentary police investigation. Through his eyes also, we see our democratic society, flawed but with its emphasis on individual rights.
Ramirez is on a mission that centers around the most shameful fact of life in both countries: rampant pedophilia, and, most particularly priestly pedophilia. Both countries share the further shame of their treatment of indigenous peoples.
This is a mystery story, not a political polemic, but these serious issues are part of the story. And Blair tells her story well, while still making her point.
It begins with a really well-done weaving of the new narrative with the old. The 48 hours of "Pawn" reach back to the 72 hours of "Opera" and the threads in the two books join seamlessly. The author is more relaxed in her writing in this second book, and it moves along smoothly, step by flawless step.
Blair has given herself time constraints in both books --2 and 3 days for her inspector Ricardo Ramirez to find out, and figure out, a lot of stuff. TBO was set in Cuba. TPP is set in both Canada and Cuba, and this allows for some stark contrasts and striking similarities between the two countries.
Through the inspector's eyes, we see an embarassingly rich Canada, with its surplus of luxuries, not merely necessities. In Cuba, Ramirez can't access the simplest of supplies to conduct even a rudimentary police investigation. Through his eyes also, we see our democratic society, flawed but with its emphasis on individual rights.
Ramirez is on a mission that centers around the most shameful fact of life in both countries: rampant pedophilia, and, most particularly priestly pedophilia. Both countries share the further shame of their treatment of indigenous peoples.
This is a mystery story, not a political polemic, but these serious issues are part of the story. And Blair tells her story well, while still making her point.
March 12, 2013
There are many reasons I give “The Poisoned Pawn” a 5 star rating. According to Amazon this rating means, “I loved it” — and I did. Here are a few of my favourite things about the book.
The writing is clear, informative and yet descriptive. The plot is complex with many twists and unexpected turns. Blair touches on very dark subjects, which is something I personally love about the mystery/police procedural genre. Authors can highlight social justice issues without depressing the reader, because in most novels, the bad guys get their just desserts.
As a Canadian, I was particularly interested in Inspector Ramirez’s perspectives on Canada. I felt like a tourist in my own country. That speaks to the quality of the writing, in that the Inspector is so real, interesting, flawed but heroic, and sympathetic that I immediately saw everything through his eyes. The fact that the ghosts of the wronged haunt Ramirez adds an element of fantasy and charm, as well as a fascinating puzzle. What are they trying to tell him about their murders?
Here’s another of my favourite parts: the characters. There are lots of them and every one is captivating. Ramirez’s friend, pathologist Hector Apiro, is so unique that I, like Peggy Blair herself admits in her back pages, believe they must live in some parallel universe.
My recommendation: Read both of Peggy Blair’s books, The Beggar’s Opera, then The Poisoned Pawn. Fall in love with the characters, which will make you want to follow them everywhere.
The writing is clear, informative and yet descriptive. The plot is complex with many twists and unexpected turns. Blair touches on very dark subjects, which is something I personally love about the mystery/police procedural genre. Authors can highlight social justice issues without depressing the reader, because in most novels, the bad guys get their just desserts.
As a Canadian, I was particularly interested in Inspector Ramirez’s perspectives on Canada. I felt like a tourist in my own country. That speaks to the quality of the writing, in that the Inspector is so real, interesting, flawed but heroic, and sympathetic that I immediately saw everything through his eyes. The fact that the ghosts of the wronged haunt Ramirez adds an element of fantasy and charm, as well as a fascinating puzzle. What are they trying to tell him about their murders?
Here’s another of my favourite parts: the characters. There are lots of them and every one is captivating. Ramirez’s friend, pathologist Hector Apiro, is so unique that I, like Peggy Blair herself admits in her back pages, believe they must live in some parallel universe.
My recommendation: Read both of Peggy Blair’s books, The Beggar’s Opera, then The Poisoned Pawn. Fall in love with the characters, which will make you want to follow them everywhere.
March 31, 2015
A mighty fine read. The ghosts sort of float around in my head as I read Blair's beautifully detailed look at a crime that needs to be solved. Her characters begin to become part of your life while reading and hoping my favorite ones are not guilty. Keeps you guessing and turning the pages as fast as my eyes can read. I have been thinking of bringing a flashlight to bed so I can read and not wake up my husband as he sleeps. Blair leads the reader through the streets of Havana and Ottawa like a cat on the prowl. You never know what you are going to see at the next corner. The trio of the tails of Inspector Ramirez's life and job mix with the culture as smooth as sliding on a wet plastic sheet in the heat at a park in summer. The stories the ghosts tell without saying a word is spooky but not scary. By the beginning of the second book "The Poisoned Pawn", the dead folk seem to belong. You get so you can smell Havana and feel the tension growing as the Inspector travels to Ottawa. Blair reminds us all that is simple is only a window to what hides behind the curtains. She can spin a tale. Worth the time, worth the cost, even worth losing a wee bit of sleep to read on into the dawn!
August 30, 2016
The mixture of mystery and knowledge sharing continues in this series by Peggy Blair. It is a true art to be able to combine intriguing fictitious murders with the realities of the shameful treatment and genocide of Canada's First Nations. The Cuban detective Ramirez is skillful and introduces the reader to the grim life of Cubans in the course of conversing with the dead and solving murders. This book is unique in the series as Ramirez has a job related trip to Canada in the winter. His perspective of my fine nation was interesting; the dog in its coat and booties, the similarities of water safety issues within Canada and Cuba, the horrendous waste of food in Canada and the overwhelming availability of everything. A central group of characters continue in this series and of them all, I have formed a close connection to Charlie Pike, a policeman who tenderly watches over the homeless 'old man'.
March 6, 2013
The Poisoned Pawn picked up where The Beggar's Opera left off. If you didn't read the first novel, go back and read it before taking on this one. There are intertwining plots - the death of a Canadian tourist on a plane on it's way from Cuba back home to Canada, and the death of an old woman dressed in white who may be a practitioner of Santeria. Inspector Ricardo Ramirez is also sent to Canada as a Cuban police emissary to bring back a priest who was found in possession of child pornography on his laptop - depictions of Cuban children among them. The Inspector is still haunted by the ghosts of the dead and his friend Dr. Apiro, the coroner, figures prominently throughout. The misdeeds of Catholic priests in the Cuban orphanages, the residential schools in Canada, and in other countries, and the corruption of officials is another ongoing theme. Well done, Peggy Blair!
January 11, 2014
“The Poisoned Pawn” picked up right where "The Beggar's Opera" finished. Like the first, this one will not disappoint.
This time we follow Inspector Ramirez as he travels to Canada. As a Canadian, married to a Cuban, I was particularly interested in Inspector Ramirez’s perspectives on Canada. Many of the same characters return and Blair's remarkable storytelling fully of twists and unexpected turns that keep engrossed with every turn of the page.
I would recommend this book, and the series, to anyone looking for a good page-turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I'll be sitting on the edge of my seat until we meet Inspector Ramirez again.
This time we follow Inspector Ramirez as he travels to Canada. As a Canadian, married to a Cuban, I was particularly interested in Inspector Ramirez’s perspectives on Canada. Many of the same characters return and Blair's remarkable storytelling fully of twists and unexpected turns that keep engrossed with every turn of the page.
I would recommend this book, and the series, to anyone looking for a good page-turner that keeps you on the edge of your seat. I'll be sitting on the edge of my seat until we meet Inspector Ramirez again.
March 1, 2014
This was a delightful mystery. I found the characters likable and felt very comfortable around them in very short time. I found humor, tragedy, love, all the essentials.
I do not discuss the particulars of a book as you can easily find that information. I am more concerned with the reading experience in itself. This book does not disappoint. Our lead detective in this story has one quirky characteristic that I just love and will come back for if he's ever in another Peggy Blair book, but that's as far as I'm going to go with my secret information.
If you enjoy a good mystery and good writing...read the book, you'll love it!
I do not discuss the particulars of a book as you can easily find that information. I am more concerned with the reading experience in itself. This book does not disappoint. Our lead detective in this story has one quirky characteristic that I just love and will come back for if he's ever in another Peggy Blair book, but that's as far as I'm going to go with my secret information.
If you enjoy a good mystery and good writing...read the book, you'll love it!
March 6, 2017
While this mystery certainly stands on it's own, do yourself a favour and read The Beggar's Opera. It can only enhance the second book in the series. I love Ms. Blair's style of including timely social commentary in her stories without feeling dated. Another hit!
May 25, 2017
This is the second book in the Inspector Ramirez series. Peggy Blair is a lawyer with extensive experience with First Nations work. She does a good job of carrying the horrors of residential schools and the abuse in them across nations, across the world . Once again Mike Ellis , a Canadian detective is suspected of murder, this time his wife. Once again inspector Ramirez and Dr. Apiro must tie several murders together both in Cuba and Canada while trying to bring to justice a far reaching child pornography ring. Everyone in this circle have demons and ghosts. I think Blair does a good job of tying together the various stories with background on Cuban and Canadian First Nations mythology.
interesting characters and storylines. I look forward to reading more of them.
interesting characters and storylines. I look forward to reading more of them.
February 4, 2017
Great series full of twists. Looking forward to more.
February 6, 2014
This is the second mystery in the Inspector Ramirez series, but the only one I have read. The Poisoned Pawn follows the same characters, but it stands on it's own as an intriguing mystery story with different victims and different criminals, though the Inspector remains the same thoughtful analyst of confusing and murky clues.
The first book, The Beggar's Opera, is set in Cuba. In the second, Ramirez is surprised to be sent to Canada to bring back a priest who is thought to have child pornography including Cuban children, on his laptop.
In the opening chapter of The Poisoned Pawn that priest happens to have a seat adjoining that of Hillary Ellis on the airline departing Cuba for Ottawa. Ms. Ellis is the wife of the Canadian policeman who is accused of a crime in the first book and investigated by Inspector Rick Ramirez. Before the plane lands she is stricken fatally ill and dies shortly after landing in Canada.
Ramirez is considered to be among the few untainted cops in the Cuban police force, though he does rationalize taking money from the evidence room, not to mention assorted items that are essential to doing his job from time to time. Perhaps this is why his superiors select him to travel to Canada to bring back the priest, though he is working on a new case. The body of an elderly Cuban woman has just been discovered with a fishing knife buried in her chest, and no one seems to know who she is or why she was killed.
Ms. Blair does paint a picture of a severe lack of the basic necessities among the citizens of Cuba. She contrasts that with the amenities and privileges that are available to Cuban tourists. When Ramirez gets to Canada, there is much to contrast between the wealth and largesse of Canada and the neediness of Cuba (though Ramirez definitely misses the Cuban coffee!). He is stunned of course by the contrast in temperature, as he is in Canada early in the New Year when the cold has Canada thoroughly in its grip and his clothing is nowhere near adequate.
Though Ms. Blair does build a complex mystery with plenty of twists and turns, she also incorporates social commentary aplenty about the aboriginal populations in both Canada and Cuba, both of which were treated abysmally by the European conquerors of both countries. She also has plenty to say about sexual victimization of children in residential schools by Catholic priests in both countries.
Ms. Blair uses both the game of chess and the plots of operas to help move her story forward. The charming and intelligent Inspector has a close working relationship with Hector Aptiro, the medical examiner for the Havana Major Crimes Unit. Their friendship is based on mutual respect and intellectual parity, which helps them ferret out the meaning of confusing clues even as they discuss unrelated topics. Dr. Aptiro is a dwarf who has overcome many obstacles to achieve all that he has achieved.
But Inspector Ramirez still can't bring himself to reveal everything about himself to Hector. He is concerned that the ghosts he sees may be figments of his imagination, or worse, evidence of a physical or mental disability. But the truth is that the ghosts are often the victims of the crimes he is trying to solve and seem to be trying to help him understand the clues around him. Ramiriez' grandmother came from Africa and brought her beliefs in voodoo religions with her. She taught Ricardo about those spirits, and those beliefs merged with teachings he learned as a child about Catholicism.
That mix of paranormal and mystery could have gotten annoying, but it didn't. The ghosts do not reveal all; they just try to get Ramirez to see the clues that are there already.
I got the chance to read the book courtesy of LibraryThing and will be looking for more from Peggy Blair, a Canadian author who creates a great mystery peopled with interesting and complex characters.
The first book, The Beggar's Opera, is set in Cuba. In the second, Ramirez is surprised to be sent to Canada to bring back a priest who is thought to have child pornography including Cuban children, on his laptop.
In the opening chapter of The Poisoned Pawn that priest happens to have a seat adjoining that of Hillary Ellis on the airline departing Cuba for Ottawa. Ms. Ellis is the wife of the Canadian policeman who is accused of a crime in the first book and investigated by Inspector Rick Ramirez. Before the plane lands she is stricken fatally ill and dies shortly after landing in Canada.
Ramirez is considered to be among the few untainted cops in the Cuban police force, though he does rationalize taking money from the evidence room, not to mention assorted items that are essential to doing his job from time to time. Perhaps this is why his superiors select him to travel to Canada to bring back the priest, though he is working on a new case. The body of an elderly Cuban woman has just been discovered with a fishing knife buried in her chest, and no one seems to know who she is or why she was killed.
Ms. Blair does paint a picture of a severe lack of the basic necessities among the citizens of Cuba. She contrasts that with the amenities and privileges that are available to Cuban tourists. When Ramirez gets to Canada, there is much to contrast between the wealth and largesse of Canada and the neediness of Cuba (though Ramirez definitely misses the Cuban coffee!). He is stunned of course by the contrast in temperature, as he is in Canada early in the New Year when the cold has Canada thoroughly in its grip and his clothing is nowhere near adequate.
Though Ms. Blair does build a complex mystery with plenty of twists and turns, she also incorporates social commentary aplenty about the aboriginal populations in both Canada and Cuba, both of which were treated abysmally by the European conquerors of both countries. She also has plenty to say about sexual victimization of children in residential schools by Catholic priests in both countries.
Ms. Blair uses both the game of chess and the plots of operas to help move her story forward. The charming and intelligent Inspector has a close working relationship with Hector Aptiro, the medical examiner for the Havana Major Crimes Unit. Their friendship is based on mutual respect and intellectual parity, which helps them ferret out the meaning of confusing clues even as they discuss unrelated topics. Dr. Aptiro is a dwarf who has overcome many obstacles to achieve all that he has achieved.
But Inspector Ramirez still can't bring himself to reveal everything about himself to Hector. He is concerned that the ghosts he sees may be figments of his imagination, or worse, evidence of a physical or mental disability. But the truth is that the ghosts are often the victims of the crimes he is trying to solve and seem to be trying to help him understand the clues around him. Ramiriez' grandmother came from Africa and brought her beliefs in voodoo religions with her. She taught Ricardo about those spirits, and those beliefs merged with teachings he learned as a child about Catholicism.
That mix of paranormal and mystery could have gotten annoying, but it didn't. The ghosts do not reveal all; they just try to get Ramirez to see the clues that are there already.
I got the chance to read the book courtesy of LibraryThing and will be looking for more from Peggy Blair, a Canadian author who creates a great mystery peopled with interesting and complex characters.
February 25, 2017
Hillary Ellis, a tourist, going home from her vacation (in Cuba) falls into a fatal coma. She left Cuba earlier than planned when her marriage to her husband falls apart. Inspector Ramirez is headed to Ottawa for a case involving a pedophile priest who is being extradited to Cuba.mike, Hillary's husband is under suspicion for a horrible crime.Ramirez's ghost helps him untangle a web between these two countries. What is the web? A surgeon/pathologist works on a case that will intersect with the two other cases.
The author's mystery is a continuation of her first mystery. The humor in this book is somewhat dark. It is a fast paced story that wil have surprises in it. This mystery will hold your interest. Don't miss it!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
The author's mystery is a continuation of her first mystery. The humor in this book is somewhat dark. It is a fast paced story that wil have surprises in it. This mystery will hold your interest. Don't miss it!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
March 5, 2013
This, and other reviews can be found on Just a Lil' Lost
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4.5/5 stars)
Mere days after Inspector Ricardo Ramirez solves the crime that Mike Ellis was arrested for, he is enjoying the new year with his wife when he gets called on an assignment of a sensitive nature. After some governmental strings were pulled, Ramirez is being sent to Canada to bring home a priest who has been found in possession of some illegal material involving young children. To make matters more dire, seemingly unrelated women start dropping dead from an unknown cause and Ramirez must race to bring home the accused priest before a travel advisory is released, thereby crippling Cuba’s income from tourism.
Many of the familiar characters from the first book are back in this exciting sequel. I felt this second installment of the Inspector Ramirez series was even better than the first. The flow of the storytelling felt more polished and the narrative kept the action moving. The first book often mentioned Ramirez’ unusual affliction, in that he can see the ghosts of the victims. While I found that to be an interesting component to the story, I also appreciated that it wasn’t as much in the forefront for this one. The Poisoned Pawn focused more on the characters and the several mysteries that were at play in any given time.
There was also less explanation in this book, which is the good thing that works for subsequent books in a series. The author doesn’t have to spend as much time explaining and setting the scene or characters, but just enough to have newcomers still know what’s going on. Right from the beginning, this book jumps right into it and doesn’t let up till the very end. Blair weaves a fantastic tale of corruption and mystery, with some fantastically shocking reveals. Being set in both Canada and Cuba, it’s a welcome mix of the familiar and exotic. The Poisoned Pawn is a definite must-read for fans of the mystery genre.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ (4.5/5 stars)
Mere days after Inspector Ricardo Ramirez solves the crime that Mike Ellis was arrested for, he is enjoying the new year with his wife when he gets called on an assignment of a sensitive nature. After some governmental strings were pulled, Ramirez is being sent to Canada to bring home a priest who has been found in possession of some illegal material involving young children. To make matters more dire, seemingly unrelated women start dropping dead from an unknown cause and Ramirez must race to bring home the accused priest before a travel advisory is released, thereby crippling Cuba’s income from tourism.
Many of the familiar characters from the first book are back in this exciting sequel. I felt this second installment of the Inspector Ramirez series was even better than the first. The flow of the storytelling felt more polished and the narrative kept the action moving. The first book often mentioned Ramirez’ unusual affliction, in that he can see the ghosts of the victims. While I found that to be an interesting component to the story, I also appreciated that it wasn’t as much in the forefront for this one. The Poisoned Pawn focused more on the characters and the several mysteries that were at play in any given time.
There was also less explanation in this book, which is the good thing that works for subsequent books in a series. The author doesn’t have to spend as much time explaining and setting the scene or characters, but just enough to have newcomers still know what’s going on. Right from the beginning, this book jumps right into it and doesn’t let up till the very end. Blair weaves a fantastic tale of corruption and mystery, with some fantastically shocking reveals. Being set in both Canada and Cuba, it’s a welcome mix of the familiar and exotic. The Poisoned Pawn is a definite must-read for fans of the mystery genre.
February 11, 2014
Did you read Blair’s 2012 The Beggar’s Opera? If not, you’d better be bringing a lotta gumption, Chumley. See, PP is set immediately post-BO, so if you don’t know the 411 you’re SOL. Having said that, it just takes a little longer—and more gumption—to find the plot here. Or, rather, the four different plots—and four different narrators—on offer within the first few pages. The main story of this police procedural set in 2006 Cuba centers on capable, dependable detective Ricardo Ramirez, who is haunted by the ghosts of his unsolved cases. At the same time that Ramirez is sent to Toronto to collect a priest found with ch!ld p0rn on his laptop (no graphic descriptions, no airsickness bag needed), a bunch of apparently unrelated poisonings of Cuban women occurs. Why? How? It’s Ramirez’s job to find out before the Canadian government issues a travel ban for Cuba, which would affect the island nation’s economy and which Ramirez’s Castro-esque governmental ministers really don’t want. So he’s busier than a one-legged man at an ass-kicking contest. Luckily he is assisted by a charming dwarf pathologist named Hector Apiro—an obvious homage to author Martin Cruz Smith’s Professor Andreev. Pastiches of other stories create an enjoyable, if disjointed, larger picture. In contrast to the grim murders and glimpses of life in hardscrabble Cuba are moments of quiet hilarity[1], as when Ramriez sees one of his ghosts, a two-weeks-dead, cigar-smoking woman; “The old woman had managed to squeeze her rather large rear end into [a] small swivel chair.” VERDICT While this is an interesting and thoughtful read, it really can be a jumble to follow if you haven’t read the first book [Starred review, LJ 1/1/14].
Find this review and others at Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal: see http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/cat.... Copyright Library Journal.
Find this review and others at Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal: see http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/cat.... Copyright Library Journal.
February 1, 2014
Sometimes a second book in a series reads as if it is the second half of the first book, as if the publisher decided to lop a long manuscript in two rather than try to sell the public on a mammoth 700 page mystery tale from a first time author. That is not the case with THE POISONED PAWN although it is a very good idea to read her first book, THE BEGGAR’S OPERA before starting this.
So many of the plot lines in this story relate directly to the events in the first story, so many characters overlap, and so much of the action here is derived from the events there that it seems easier to go from book one and into book two directly.
Having said that, there is enough, rapid, nearly shorthand references made to, and explanations of the history of these characters, all told in a smooth fashion, that you can, as I did, navigate this story without the reading of the first, but I think you would do yourself a disservice to skip the first. THE POISONED PAWN features Inspector Ramirez of the Havana Crime Squad and a colorful cast of surrounding characters. The action starts with a woman dying on a flight from Cuba to Canada, and the inspector is soon propelled to Canada on a convoluted mission to retrieve an old priest that has been found with child pornography depicting Cuban children. Along the way he must save the Cuban tourist industry by solving a series of deaths back home, two involving Canadians, successfully navigate the political intrigue of his superiors back home and try to make his wife happy, perhaps the most daunting of all his tasks.
Along the way crime victims both Cuban and Canadian must be avenged, the guilty must pay, and somehow the Vatican must accept some level of culpability in all of this. A fast paced and intriguing read, THE POISONED PAWN is hard to put down.
So many of the plot lines in this story relate directly to the events in the first story, so many characters overlap, and so much of the action here is derived from the events there that it seems easier to go from book one and into book two directly.
Having said that, there is enough, rapid, nearly shorthand references made to, and explanations of the history of these characters, all told in a smooth fashion, that you can, as I did, navigate this story without the reading of the first, but I think you would do yourself a disservice to skip the first. THE POISONED PAWN features Inspector Ramirez of the Havana Crime Squad and a colorful cast of surrounding characters. The action starts with a woman dying on a flight from Cuba to Canada, and the inspector is soon propelled to Canada on a convoluted mission to retrieve an old priest that has been found with child pornography depicting Cuban children. Along the way he must save the Cuban tourist industry by solving a series of deaths back home, two involving Canadians, successfully navigate the political intrigue of his superiors back home and try to make his wife happy, perhaps the most daunting of all his tasks.
Along the way crime victims both Cuban and Canadian must be avenged, the guilty must pay, and somehow the Vatican must accept some level of culpability in all of this. A fast paced and intriguing read, THE POISONED PAWN is hard to put down.
December 13, 2013
This is one of those cases where you should read the first in the series before undertaking this one. The Poisoned Pawn picks up where The Beggar’s Opera left off.
Michael Ellis, prime suspect in the prior book, returns to Canada only to become suspected of another murder—that of his estranged wife. Cuban Police Inspector Ricardo Ramirez is also bound for Canada, assigned to bring back a priest found in possession of child pornography, possibly including Cuban children.
Ramirez is still haunted by visions of the dead, which he fears may signal dementia or some other serious disease. The latest is a cigar lady murdered shortly before Ramirez is to leave for Canada. Because of his pending departure, he turns the case over to a new young subordinate, Fernando Espinoza (who I suspect will be a player in future volumes of the series).
Shortly after Ramirez arrives in Ottawa, two women die under mysterious circumstances in Havana and the inspector is plagued with the twin concerns of worry about his family and fears of a travel advisory detrimental to Cuba’s tourist economy.
Once more Blair weaves a complex story of secrets and deceit, intriguing characters and insights into very different cultures. In the first book we had the insights of Canadians on Cuban life. This time it is a Cuban view of Canadian society. In addition to Ramirez, who is a solid character on his own, we also meet once again pathologist Hector Apiro, and Celia Jones, who played important roles in the previous book, and are introduced to Detective Charlie Pike, an Ojibway officer.
I’m not a big fan of the paranormal in mystery novels. But Blair doesn’t let it get out of hand and I’m almost tempted to say it adds to the flavor of this series.
Michael Ellis, prime suspect in the prior book, returns to Canada only to become suspected of another murder—that of his estranged wife. Cuban Police Inspector Ricardo Ramirez is also bound for Canada, assigned to bring back a priest found in possession of child pornography, possibly including Cuban children.
Ramirez is still haunted by visions of the dead, which he fears may signal dementia or some other serious disease. The latest is a cigar lady murdered shortly before Ramirez is to leave for Canada. Because of his pending departure, he turns the case over to a new young subordinate, Fernando Espinoza (who I suspect will be a player in future volumes of the series).
Shortly after Ramirez arrives in Ottawa, two women die under mysterious circumstances in Havana and the inspector is plagued with the twin concerns of worry about his family and fears of a travel advisory detrimental to Cuba’s tourist economy.
Once more Blair weaves a complex story of secrets and deceit, intriguing characters and insights into very different cultures. In the first book we had the insights of Canadians on Cuban life. This time it is a Cuban view of Canadian society. In addition to Ramirez, who is a solid character on his own, we also meet once again pathologist Hector Apiro, and Celia Jones, who played important roles in the previous book, and are introduced to Detective Charlie Pike, an Ojibway officer.
I’m not a big fan of the paranormal in mystery novels. But Blair doesn’t let it get out of hand and I’m almost tempted to say it adds to the flavor of this series.
February 26, 2013
I absolutely loved Blair's first book. I picked it up at a time when I didn't consider myself a mystery reader and I was instantly taken in by the book and had a hard time putting it down. The setting of Cuba was so richly described and jumped off the page at you. And in this latest book, it does the same. Whereas The Beggar's Opera spends a bit more time giving an overall picture of Cuban society and culture, The Poisoned Pawn jumps right in to the mystery.
This time around we also see Inspector Ramirez travel off the island, something few Cubans are able to do and when he comes to Canada he is exposed to our Aboriginal history and culture as well as our freezing cold climate (having spent a few years in Ottawa myself, I cringed for Ramirez as he stepped off the plane in the middle of winter.) As Ramirez and Apiro race to discover who is behind the deaths of three women in Cuba and prevent the Canadian government from issuing a travel advisory that could cripple Cuba's tourism industry, readers are exposed to the horrors of residential schools and child abuse that not only haunt our First Nations people but all Canadians. And as we learn from the book, this is a worldwide problem, not just confined to the borders of one country.
What I really liked about this book is how it picked up right where the last one left off and how both of the books have built to a bigger storyline than what is in its own pages. It shows how intricately woven so much of life is, how everyone and everything has more to it than meets the eye. I can't wait for more Inspector Ramirez!
This time around we also see Inspector Ramirez travel off the island, something few Cubans are able to do and when he comes to Canada he is exposed to our Aboriginal history and culture as well as our freezing cold climate (having spent a few years in Ottawa myself, I cringed for Ramirez as he stepped off the plane in the middle of winter.) As Ramirez and Apiro race to discover who is behind the deaths of three women in Cuba and prevent the Canadian government from issuing a travel advisory that could cripple Cuba's tourism industry, readers are exposed to the horrors of residential schools and child abuse that not only haunt our First Nations people but all Canadians. And as we learn from the book, this is a worldwide problem, not just confined to the borders of one country.
What I really liked about this book is how it picked up right where the last one left off and how both of the books have built to a bigger storyline than what is in its own pages. It shows how intricately woven so much of life is, how everyone and everything has more to it than meets the eye. I can't wait for more Inspector Ramirez!
September 3, 2013
This is the sequel to The Beggar's Opera and I am glad to meet Inspector Ricardo Ramirez again. I was a little afraid the Canadian police would overshadow this character from Cuba. Although a Cuban-American friend said that some of the cultural aspects are not authentic, I enjoyed learning a little about Cuban life. In this book Ramirez travels to Canada--a fish out of water for sure--and readers see some of the ways Canadian life is not that different from Cuban. The mystery part has some continuation from the first book--Hillary, the wife of the Canadian cop, Michael Ellis, who was accused of horrendous crimes in The Beggar's Opera, dies on the plane back to Canada. Is her death somehow connected to seemingly unrelated women dying is Cuba? How is the priest Ramirez is going to pick up connected to other child molestation cases and murders in Cuba? It all comes together nicely, but not too neatly, in the end. I also have to give a shout out to pathologist Dr. Hector Apiro. He is a "tall" character in spite of his dwarfism. And the ending seems to set up a next book where he will be more prominently featured. Oh, and the title comes from a chess move so I learned a little bit about the game.
January 23, 2014
I was so eager to read this one, because I absolutely loved 'The Beggars' Opera' a.k.a. 'Midnight in Havana'. It continues the story that we thought we had seen resolved in the first book, so it would be difficult to read this with no prior knowledge. This time, Inspector Ramirez has to venture to Canada - and the observations about the cultural (and temperature) differences were fun and acutely oberved.
However, I did not find this book as satisfying as the first.
It starts very promisingly, with the death of Mike Ellis's wife (who flounced out of Havana early on in the first book and thus set the whole story in motion) on the plane on the way home to Canada. ut then I found there were too many instances of 'telling' rather than showing, long explanations via dialogue which felt a bit forced. Although the child abuse by Catholic priests is still very much a topical subject, it has been covered in so many books (fiction and memoir) by now, that it feels a little stale.
Some lovely characters and moments, though, scattered throughout the book, which will make me eager to read the next one in the series.
However, I did not find this book as satisfying as the first.
It starts very promisingly, with the death of Mike Ellis's wife (who flounced out of Havana early on in the first book and thus set the whole story in motion) on the plane on the way home to Canada. ut then I found there were too many instances of 'telling' rather than showing, long explanations via dialogue which felt a bit forced. Although the child abuse by Catholic priests is still very much a topical subject, it has been covered in so many books (fiction and memoir) by now, that it feels a little stale.
Some lovely characters and moments, though, scattered throughout the book, which will make me eager to read the next one in the series.
February 4, 2014
Cuban police detective, Ricardo Ramirez, the lead character in this mystery, is sent to Canada to bring back a priest found with child pornography showing Cuban children. The Havana police department and Cuba itself have woefully few resources—the availability of basic necessities comes and goes. Ramirez thinks something is up when his flight and hotel are quickly approved. The cost of his trip will be as much as half a month’s budget for the whole department. Almost as quickly as he has begun investigating the child pornography case, a second case of a series of poisoned women in Havana begins. Ramirez has more than he can handle, but thanks to help from his friend, forensic pathologist Hector Apiro, and the spirit of a murdered woman, both cases finally come together for him.
Blair has written a page-turning mystery that gets better the more you read. Her depictions of life in Havana are illuminating and the story line is complex and satisfying. If you think you can enjoy a helpful ghost mixed into a mystery, give POISONED PAWN a read. I found it most satisfying.
Blair has written a page-turning mystery that gets better the more you read. Her depictions of life in Havana are illuminating and the story line is complex and satisfying. If you think you can enjoy a helpful ghost mixed into a mystery, give POISONED PAWN a read. I found it most satisfying.
February 9, 2014
This is the second Inspector Ramirez book and my first and I really enjoyed it. I found all the characters well written and very likable especially Inspector Ramirez and Dr. Apiro. It pulls you in from the beginning, has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing and an ending that leaves you satisfied. I found the digs to President Bush a little off-putting and it contributed nothing to the story, but the author is entitles to her opinion as am I. I wish I had read The Beggar's Opera first but you don't have to. All in all an entertaining read. I received this book from LibraryThing Early Reviewers for an honest review.
June 12, 2014
A very good follow up to her first book. The best part of the book are the historical references the author makes about the voodoo, Santeria, practices in Cuba, its origins in Africa, and the melting of it with Catholicism. She also details the sex abuse committed by priest in Cuba and at the Canadian Indian residential school system. It also details the attempts made by the Catholic Church to cover its involvement. The mystery is a plus to the book as it describes Cuban law enforcement procedures and what the every day hardships that the Cuban people suffer as a result of the embargo. I sure hope that the series continues.
August 4, 2015
This intriguing mystery is set in Havana, Cuba and Ottawa, Canada. A Cuban police inspector is sent to Ottawa to retrieve a priest who was involved in the abuse of children he oversaw in an orphanage. Inspector Ramirez is also trying to solve the mysterious death of a Canadian woman, followed by the death of another Canadian woman. The Canadian government is set to impose a travel advisory to Cuba as a result, thinking that it might be related to some disease or virus. If this happens the loss of tourist dollars will be devastating to the Cuban economy. The author offers interesting characters in an unusual setting.
September 5, 2015
Wonderful story. I should have read book 1 before this but...... In any case, I live in Ottawa and was happy to see all the accurate references to streets, neighbourhoods and the cold....yes, the cold. Little wonder so many Canadians go to Cuba each winter. I like the interaction with Ramirez and the pathologist. I also love stories with intricate 'get even' twists. By the end of the story I was ready to send a carton of surgical gloves to Cuba. The creative ways to make do with so little is, at least in this story, a testament to our will to get the job done. Now I will be getting the other books by Peggy Blair.
July 29, 2015
I had trouble getting any work done, once I got my nose into this book, the sequel to The Beggar's Opera. Even thoug I knew I was reading it too fast, I kept succumbing to the "just one more chapter" syndrome. Then I had to read the whole thing a second time to figure out what happened and the last ten chapters a third time as the politics are rather convoluted. When I finally understood what caused Hilary Ellis's death, it was a bit of a let-down but the unravelling of the causes of the other deaths was fascinating.
August 29, 2014
What to say about a police procedural about a horrific topic, that of child sexual abuse? Parts are hard to read. The writing is concise, the Cuban characters and background details convincing. I especially liked the device of ghosts that follow along with Det Ramirez, all in all, this along with her first The Beggars Opera offers a glimpse of contemporary Cuba. I hope Ms. Blair continues the series.
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