Blackout

Delegado Espinosa #6

by Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza, Benjamin Moser (Translator)

The murder of an anonymous beggar on a cobblestone street in the wealthy precincts of Copacabana haunts Inspector Espinosa in this “beguiling” series ( The New York Times Book Review ) With no witnesses and no weapon, it seems like the case of the one-legged homeless man found lying in a cul-de-sac on São João Hill, shot through the heart, will remain unsolved. But Chief Inspector Espinosa can’t shake thoughts of the hapless victim—who would target a penniless man who posed no physical threat? Focusing his incisive mind and characteristically unhurried inquiry on a group of affluent guests who dined at a nearby mansion on the stormy night of the murder, Espinosa carefully interrogates his way into the lives of his suspects, exposing lies, cover-ups—and further mysteries. When the body of a prominent young urbanite is discovered in a scandalous state of undress, Espinosa must find the unlikely connections between two murders with no apparent witnesses or motive. Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza turns up the heat in this novel, supplementing his seductive prose with psychological twists and steamy secrets that lead to the unexpected climax.

Genres: Mystery, Portuguese Literature, Crime, Fiction, Brazil, Romance, Detective

243 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza is a Professor of Philosophy at Rio University in Brazil.

Series:
* Inspector Espinosa

Reviews

[Jim Fonseca · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Edited, pictures added 10/17/22]

Chief Inspector Espinosa reminds me of Hercule Poirot: persistent, methodical and very deferential to the upper-middle-class Brazilian folks who are the suspects in this mystery. He's also a bit like the TV detective Columbo, always in your waiting room with just one more question.



A lower-class man is shot at night during a heavy rainstorm in a ritzy neighborhood. There are no clues. No witnesses, no shell casing, no fingerprints, no footprints, no tire tracks. Inspector Espinosa does his work by talking with suspects and gauging their reactions.

The plot focuses on an architect, his psychiatrist wife and his female assistant. The architect seems to be a suspect and then the architect's wife is murdered. And, let's put it this way: the multiple relations among these three characters gives new meaning to the phrase 'love triangle.'

There's lots of local color from the book's setting in the high-rises of the Copacabana neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro.



The author (1936-2020) was a Brazilian professor who wrote academic books in philosophy and psychology. Around age 60 he started writing his Chief Inspector Espinosa series. He wrote ten novels in the series and it appears that six have been translated into English. His most-read book in English is The Silence of the Rain.

Top photo of Copacabana condos in Rio de Janeiro from hotelscombined.com
The author from Wikipedia

[Glenn Russell]

Blackout - The sixth novel in Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza's Inspector Espinosa series where the Brazilian author proves himself a master of building suspense. Once you begin this scorching thriller, you'll get hooked and find it nearly impossible to put down.

All the elements critical for good crime fiction are on display here. As a way of composing my review, I'll take an immediate jump to the list.

Crime – On a cal-de-sac at the end of a steep, S-shaped cobblestone road on the rocky flank of São João Hill in Copacabana, the police use a plastic sack to cover a one-legged homeless man shot in the chest, a beggar who climbed the steep hill on a rainy night in order to receive his customary handout of leftovers from kitchen help working for the club located at the summit. They place the dead man's crutches on top of the plastic to hold it down. The prime question: Why would anybody murder such a harmless beggar?

Sluth - Prior to turning to writing novels, Garcia-Roza spent his career as a university philosophy professor. We shouldn't be surprised that his main character, Chief Inspector Espinosa, shares a name with one of the great philosophers and is a bookish outsider—incorruptible, inclined to dreamy intuitions as well as rational calculation, a man with a highly refined aesthetic sensibility, and a romantic, uninhibited sensualist when it comes to the lovely, sexy ladies.

Colorful Characters – Here's a trio deserving a special call-out: Aldo Bruno, a interior architect (Aldo likes the sound of the title more than interior decorator), Aldo's wife, Dr. Camilia Bruno, an attractive psychotherapist, and beautiful, fiery Mercedes, Aldo's assistant at his firm. But wait. The more we learn of Mercedes, the more we discover that she's not only an alluring beauty . . . she's a true femme fatale.



Setting and Atmosphere – Rio de Janeiro. Reading Blackout, it's as if we're right there in this vibrant, singular city, walking the crowded streets as we take in the sights and smells. “Despite the heat, Aldo decided to walk to work, which meant crossing all if Ipanema down to the Avenida Atlântica. It wasn't far, three kilometers at the most, but it was extremely hot. He chose the shady side of the street and headed down the Rua Visconde de Pirajá in the direction of the Avenida Atlântica while he thought about the events of the last few days.” Oh, yes, Rio's landmarks and streets are always given by name.

Narrative Momentum – Each scene, each police interview, each clue adds tension, suspense, and intrigue to the unfolding drama that started out with a murdered homeless man. And when a second murdered victim is discovered . . . well, there's ample reasons why Blackout is a knockout thriller.

Foreshadowing - The author inserts three short episodes from the past lives of one or possibly two of the characters. This technique infuses the story with a highly creative way to include dramatic foreshadowing. There are other examples of foreshadowing, all subtle, that can be detected with careful reading.

Red Herrings – Clues are dropped that might incline a reader to point the finger at a specific character. I must admit, this is something that I did and was eventually proven wrong. Ah, a good detective novel!

Satisfying Ending – What we discover on the final pages of Blackout might not shock every reader, but it certainly shocked me — an ending that is not only bizarre but, as Inspector Espinosa unravels in his point-by-point analysis, perfectly logical.


Brazilian author Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza, 1936-2020

[Filipa Ribeiro Ferreira · Rating 4 out of 5]

O delegado Espinosa é o perfeito detetive dos livros, inteligente e calmo e é um gosto acompanhá-lo a pé pelas ruas de copacabana e ipanema, parando para entrar nas livrarias e esperando com ele no apartamento pela encantadora namorada que sobe as escadas carregada de queijos e vinho. Pelo meio, com elegância, vai desmascarando assassinos.

[Moureco · Rating 2 out of 5]

É particularmente frustrante quando um escritor nos desilude quase, quase no fim do livro.
Fala Espinosa:
"— O senhor provavelmente será indiciado como cúmplice no assassinato de sua esposa e como autor do assassinato de Elias do Nascimento... que, pelo que pude depreender, o senhor matou pensando ser outro sem-teto de nome Nilson."
Ora, o delegado Espinosa em nenhum momento do livro toma conhecimento deste nome, que é o nome do fantasma (ou pessoa real) que assombra a vida do assassino. Páginas atrás, numa reflexão interior (não passível de ser ouvida pelo delegado Espinosa), pensava assim o assassino:
"O que estava pretendendo o delegado ao dizer que o homem morto no beco se chamava Elias do Nascimento? Que tipo de jogada era aquela? Por que trocar o nome do homem? Para criar um conflito e obrigá-lo a se expor? Se era isso que pretendia, fora uma bela armadilha: a surpresa fora tanta que ele quase chegara a dizer que o nome era Nilson, e não Elias."
Pois é, mau demais para um escritor como García-Roza. Só não dou uma estrela porque não é um livro terrivelmente mau, é só um romance mais... descuidado... talvez isso: descuidado. Excesso de confiança nos seus leitores, eventualmente desatentos e pouco envolvidos na história e nas personagens? Ou o mesmo excesso de confiança mas nos seus leitores excessivamente envolvidos na história? Tão envolvidos que se comovem, tremem, assustam-se, etc., mas não se dariam conta deste lapso?

[Newton Nitro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Espinosa Sem Saída (Inspector Espinosa #7) - Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza | #crime #mistério | NITROLEITURAS | 210pgs., Cia das Letras 2006, lido de 08.07.17 a 10.07.17

SINOPSE
O delegado Espinosa, protagonista de outros romances de Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza, enfrenta um de seus casos mais enigmáticos: o assassinato de um anônimo sem-teto no alto de uma ladeira de Copacabana, na fronteira entre a cidade e a mata.

Contra a tendência geral numa cidade violenta como o Rio, em que os homicídios ocorrem diariamente às dezenas, o delegado não arquiva o processo nem esquece o incidente, mas mobiliza toda a sua inteligência para elucidar o mistério, sempre acompanhado por seus fiéis auxiliares, o inspetor Ramiro e o detetive Welber.

Outro assassinato, este de uma profissional bem-sucedida, ocorrido em Ipanema, vem se embaralhar ao primeiro. Convencido de que os dois crimes, aparentemente tão díspares, estão interligados, Espinosa vê crescer à sua volta uma rede de mistérios que envolve perversões sexuais, traumas de infância, trocas de identidade e surtos psicóticos.

RESENHA
De volta ao bom e velho Espinosa, entramos mais uma vez nas relações entre o trabalho do investigador e as causas na visão psicanalítica dos envolvidos no mistério da narrativa. A crítica social continua forte na narrativa, a prosa é aquela coisa enxuta e elegante que já me viciei.

O drama psicológico em ESPINOSA SEM SAÍDA lida com o famoso "retorno do recalcado", com um fantasma de uma vítima assombrando seu algoz, em uma metáfora para os milhares de miseráveis que se arrastam pelas nossas cidades brasileiras "assombrando" as classes sociais mais privilegiadas.

Gostei muito das reviravoltas da história e das discussões psicanalíticas na narrativa, principalmente sobre as motivações de um dos protagonistas.

Muito bom, um dos meus favoritos da série Espinoza até agora!

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[Alden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blackout is a novel written by retired Brazilian professor Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza. The book is seventh in Inspector Espinosa series but each can stand alone and obviously no need to start from the first book because each book is different from all the others. According to the author's biography, he had little knowledge of police work before he began writing novels so I think that's the reason why he was able to write a detective series like this one.

Like all the other books in the series, the story takes place in Brazil. It begins with the unexplainable murder of a one-legged beggar on a rainy night in a part of a town where the victim should not have logically been. From that point the story unfolds, revealing a childhood trauma, mistaken identity, double identities, and a second murder. The story is certainly complicated and the conclusion is even more so but the author does not use big or flashy words, which makes this book well-worth reading.

I admit, the lead character is not that appealing. Chief Inspector Espinosa is not what you can call a 'run-of-the-mill' detective. In fact, he relies much on intuition rather than logic and often lets his colleagues Ramiro and Welber do the job. But the storyline is terrific and readers can even obtain an insightful look through the lives of Brazilian people, how they deal with crimes and stuff like that.

I picked up this one at Booksale because of the Philippine slum-like cover (Yes, I'm a little bit sucker for books with eye-catching covers). But putting that aside, Blackout is an easy but intelligent read with a lot of twists and turns. Perhaps there is a Brazilian mystery novel that is far more stronger than this one but this is still an entertaining read.

[Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

from http://weeksnotice.blogspot.com/2013/...

Last month I read Luiz Alfredo Garcia-Roza's The Silence of the Rain and wrote that it was nicely written but with a terrible ending. I decided to give the second book in the series, Blackout, a shot. And there was a similar problem (though the ending was just very mediocre rather than terrible). It is the story of a homeless man murdered in a wealthy and steep Rio cul-de-sac.

You've got this great writing and wonderfully clear images of Rio de Janeiro. Chief Inspector Espinosa is something like Columbo--not flashy, a bit rumpled, dogged, and always with one more question. Garcia-Roza's Espinosa mysteries are also like the Columbo show because he reveals things about the crime(s). The problem is that you end up pretty much knowing who is the murderer. Audiences accept that with Columbo because they like watching how cleverly he figures things out. But that doesn't really happen with Espinosa. There's good tension but then it falls flat with events that just aren't likely and unsatisfying logic.

[João · Rating 3 out of 5]

Garcia-Roza escreve lindamente, uma prosa limpa, linear, aparentemente simples. O primeiro capítulo é, mesmo, deslumbrante, envolvendo-nos num calor quase sólido, numa evocação de um passado distante e misterioso, num sentimento de impotência! O crime é, também, intrigante... um sem-abrigo, perneta, é assassinado com um único tiro no peito no cimo de uma ladeira de um beco sem saída de um dos morros do Rio de Janeiro onde o delegado Espinosa costumava brincar quando criança. Mas o desenvolvimento pareceu-me frágil, as considerações de Espinosa sobre o crime, algo repetitivas, e o final abrupto e um tanto previsível. Um desapontamento, porque não sou grande fã de policiais, mas sobretudo porque conheço uns quantos grandes fãs espinosistas... mas não desisto já. Abre-te Uma Janela Em Copacabana!

[Micaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muitooooo bom! bem, para quem gosta de policiais...de todos os sete, que já li....este é provavelmente o mais intrigante e desconcertante .... muito bem escrito, com um portugu~es impecável...mas ao mesmo tempo tão simples e envolvente...li-o num ápice e ficou-me o gostinho por mais....
Imfelizmente terei de aguardar o próximo a ser publicado :-))

[Erica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not finish this book, because about half way through I realized I didn't care about the characters or what had happened.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely puzzle this is.

Aldo Bruno, architect, and his wife Camila, psychotherapist, attend a dinner party in a fancy part of Rio de Janeiro. When they have to leave they encounter rain, so Camila stays inside while Aldo runs for the car, parked in a cul-de-sac at the end of the street.

Later, they learn that a homeless man had been shot in that location, and Aldo was one of two persons from the party who might have seen what happened.

Homeless people rarely are seen in this rich enclave, and this one was particularly memorable because he had only one leg and got around with crutches. He would have a time climbing the steep hill to get where he was found.

Inspector Espinosa is on the case. He wonders why the dead man was there in the first place, and why anyone would want to kill him. He interviews anyone who was in a position to offer any information, including Aldo Bruno and his wife.

Bruno confesses to his wife the next day that his memory blanked out, and he did not remember what he did from the time he left the dinner party until he picked her up to go home. It worries him because it wasn't the first time he had memory gaps. Camila isn't worried, suggests that this happens to everyone from time to time. But Aldo does worry.

Worse, Aldo does not want to admit his memory loss to anyone else, so he makes up a story to tell the police. A plausible and possibly true story but he just doesn't remember it.

Aldo's office focuses on interior design rather than architecture. He has an assistant and a couple of interns, and they keep busy. Camila's practice is successful as well, although she comes from money and thus it is likely that neither actually has to work.

As Aldo grapples with his memory and Espinosa struggles with the little he is able to glean from visitors, residents, and workers in the area, there is another death. This one hits far closer to home for Aldo and he is swimming in confusion.

Full of intrigue and interesting twists, I enjoyed it. I did guess one of the critical aspects of the puzzle but that did not prevent me from enjoying the trip.

[JKC · Rating 3 out of 5]

When all else fails, turn to someone tried and true. I have enjoyed this author for some years. I've not found that many people in the US know of him but he is well known as a mystery/detective novel writer in Brazil. I enjoy his spare style, the way he incorporates daily details such as street names and what the protagonist has for his meals. It would seem that it might get repetitive (for instance, he eats the same thing most of the time) but it actually does not; it gives a nice flavor to the lives of the characters. As for this story, I am again impressed at Garcia-Roza's ability to take what seems like a crime that no one is going to care about (the death of a homeless person) and turns it into something more complicated, bit by bit. In the end, it almost becomes ordinary and it is left hanging a bit because the culprit (spoiler!) dies in prison without answering all the questions. The reader knows more than the detective does, though. A welcome read after several failed attempts with other books.

[Gabriel Miranda · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Pensou que, naquele instante, o sol iluminava metade do planeta, abrangendo aritmeticamente metade da população do mundo, algo em torno de três bilhões de pessoas, e ele era o único habitante... mais do que isso, era o único ser atingido por aquela faixa de luz solar... ela era só dele... e não apenas naquele momento, mas para todo o sempre. e pensou ainda que, se aquilo era o que de melhor podia pensar naquele momento de plenitude, era sinal de que a espécie humana realmente não tinha dado certo. Levantou-se e foi lavar a louça do café-da-manhã."

[Karry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here we are in Rio de Janeiro with Inspector Espinoza trying to solve a murder. I think I've had enough of this series. I once loved these stories but this one and the one last one I read were a let down. I loved the twisty lusty story but the end was ridiculous with no real ending and the author just slopping through the conclusion. It was simply lazy writing at the end. The reader, if they're anything like me, would be highly disappointed. Therefore, I cannot recommend it to anyone else. This one goes in the recycle book bag...off to the little libraries.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Garcia-Roza's style. He really puts you in Copacabana or other Brazilian locations and you feel the heat and humidity. I love the character of Espinoza and look forward to reading the other novels in the series. But I must say this ending was a huge disappointment to me and kind of a cop-out on the author's part.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crime books should justify their worth to warrant translation into English. I'm not sure this one passed the test.

[Manfredo Prange · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mais um bom livro do autor. Nada emais e nada de menos. Bom livro para ser lido rápido. Bom pollicial e melhor porque se passa em Copacabana. Assim como os demais livros do autor. Muito bom.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another intriguing psychological noirish thriller involving Inspector Espinoza and his childhood. A homeless man is murdered on a cul de sac that has many childhood memories for the good inspector. He takes on this case despite the indifference of the world and soon has a wealthy architect sweating over what he's told the police. Half way through the book a startling event occurs with the murder of another person. And at the end you're still not quite sure who did what but somebody pays.

[Miguel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mais uma fantástica aventura do Delegado Espinosa, o herói policiário mais fascinante da actual literatura do género. Num sentido que os 'espinosistas' mais radicais entenderão, a maior novidade deste volume é passar-se, grande parte dele, em Ipanema. Quanto ao resto, da estante feita com os próprios livros que sobe parede acima, às deambulações pelas ruas do Rio e pelas suas livrarias, passando pela maneira única, informal, subtil e incisiva de investigar os crimes, está lá tudo.

[Sherree · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really thought this one would be at least a 4 because it is really well written. Unfortunately, the ending ruined it for me. On the dust jacket, it said there was a shocking twist (or something like that) at the end, but I've finished the book, and I'm still waiting for that twist. It fell flat for me, so I had to downgrade it.

[Ayman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a brilliant and dazzling way in setting the events, i simply could not put it downn, a page-turner with its provocative and unsettling plot. when camila died i got mad i truly liked her, but now i can see how the death of camila bruno upgraded the suspense, my nervousness to the next level, it made my theory(or conjecture) more reasnoble, but at the end i got astounded.

[Suevw · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost went five stars but the end -left me hanging for more too much.. Confession I have read others of his and loved them too BUT have lost a couple in my house and want to read them -will hope THAT gets done (NOTE TO SELF- CLEAN)! Reminded me of the Italian author I love so - oh the one who wrote "The snack Thief" also very cultural rich.

[Ann Tonks · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a new author to me and a new country in which to read a thriller. Although I ultimately didn't care about the crime or the killer, I did find Inspector Espinosa interesting enough to keep reading.

[Steve Arndt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good. Interesting and a little different. Good characters.

[Sharron · Rating 4 out of 5]

as creepy as all of those that precede it and Espinosa is still a great character

[Edb · Rating 2 out of 5]

A different kind of murder mystery. Not too good, but at least semi able to hold your interest.

[Amweatherill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best book in this series.

[Tiffany · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tried to read this... just couldn't get into it. Stopped after a few chapters :(