What do you think?
Rate this book
La muerte baja en el ascensor
"Una mujer desciende a la madrugada en el ascensor iluminado de un exclusivo edificio de la calle Santa Fe. Es joven, es bella y está muerta. Sobre esa imagen gira una de las mejores novelas policiales escritas en Argentina.
Convertida en literatura mundial, en el siglo XXI la novela policial ha puesto en cuestión el predominio del thriller a la norteamericana y ha flexibilizado sus procedimientos siguiendo la ruta de los temores sociales. La muerte baja en el ascensor se liga a ese nuevo espacio de lectura del género, afirma los clásicos presupuestos del relato de investigación y a la vez los renueva y los modifica.
Perversa novela de costumbres, La muerte baja en el ascensor confirma que la literatura policial es la que mejor realiza la primordial- y despiadada- presunción de Homero: los dioses han enviado las desgracias a los mortales para que puedan contarlas." del prólogo.-
Convertida en literatura mundial, en el siglo XXI la novela policial ha puesto en cuestión el predominio del thriller a la norteamericana y ha flexibilizado sus procedimientos siguiendo la ruta de los temores sociales. La muerte baja en el ascensor se liga a ese nuevo espacio de lectura del género, afirma los clásicos presupuestos del relato de investigación y a la vez los renueva y los modifica.
Perversa novela de costumbres, La muerte baja en el ascensor confirma que la literatura policial es la que mejor realiza la primordial- y despiadada- presunción de Homero: los dioses han enviado las desgracias a los mortales para que puedan contarlas." del prólogo.-
154 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1954
30 people are currently reading
496 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
January 29, 2022
A mystery in translation set in the wintertime. This checked quite a few boxes for me when I chose to read it. Taking place after WWII in Argentina, the story opens at the apartment where many European emigres happen to live and a woman is found dead in the elevator. It's a very intriguing set up and as the police detectives arrive and interview the residents it's clear to see many have secrets.
The story takes a few twists and turns (it's a short volume) and I admit that I did not peg the murderer. That made for a good point but this ends so abruptly and matter-of-factly that I can't say I was satisfied. I can't even attribute the ending to being a translation quirk, there can't be more to translate when there is no more. So, a fine enough police procedural with detectives I'd happily spend time with again but I'd hope for a bit more breadth. Three stars to this outing of Argentina's Christie!
The story takes a few twists and turns (it's a short volume) and I admit that I did not peg the murderer. That made for a good point but this ends so abruptly and matter-of-factly that I can't say I was satisfied. I can't even attribute the ending to being a translation quirk, there can't be more to translate when there is no more. So, a fine enough police procedural with detectives I'd happily spend time with again but I'd hope for a bit more breadth. Three stars to this outing of Argentina's Christie!
November 30, 2016
'Death Going Down' by María Angélica Bosco
4 stars/ 8 out of 10
I have read very few books set in Argentina, so was interested to read this novel, first published in 1955. This 2016 translation into English is by Lucy Greaves. The translation reads very well.
The story starts with the discovery of a dead body in a lift, in an apartment block in Buenos Aires. Was it suicide or was it murder? Whichever it was, in the spirit of all good detective novels, all the residents of the apartment block seem to have secrets to hide.
I enjoyed reading this book immensely. The story had enough action in it right from Chapter 1 to keep the reader's attention, and there were often elements of humour. All the characters were well delineated. I especially liked the detectives, Ericourt and Blasi. I enjoyed the insight into life in Buenos Aires following the Second World War.
I understand that this is the first detective novel that was written by Mariá Angélica Bosco. If further novels of hers are translated into English, I will definitely read them.
Thank you to Pushkin Press and to NetGalley for an ARC.
November 21, 2016
How refreshing to read a crime novel set in Argentina especially an author who was unknown to me.
María Angélica Bosco (Buenos Aires 1917 -2006) was an award-winning author, known as the Argentinean Agatha Christie for her dedication to detective fiction. Some commentators claim she was 97 years old when she passed away which links with https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/María_A... which states she was born el 23 de agosto de 1909 en Buenos Aires.
Death Going Down was her first novel, and won the Emecé Novel Award in 1954.
We should also be grateful to Pushkin Press / Pushkin Vertigo for its efforts in bringing such novels to a wider audience, originally published in 1955 this excellent translation by Lucy Greaves in 2016.
Is she the Agatha Christie of Argentina? Well maybe, there is murder/suicide with poison. A denouement and a final re-enactment where the detectives are looking for anyone to give themselves away as the truth alludes them or the evidence isn't conclusive.
For this type of detective fiction to work you need a closed location, a limited number of suspects with things to hide and an unwilliness to talk to the police.
Set just 10 years after the end of WWII a number of individuals have resettled in Argentina to escape the horrors of Europe and build a new life. Imagine if across the world you meet someone who knows your past; it secrets and yours lies.
Motives galore, but no-one appears to have both sufficient motive and opportunity.
The key message of this book appears to be dependence in its many forms and restrictions; not being able to move nor being prepared to allow others to change. But is really really enough to kill or was it really just a suicide?
It was really a great experience to read an old fashioned crime novel set in another country, oozing rich language and intelligently written.
Unlike some books developing at this time this book keeps it focus on the crime and the background of the participants. It isn't, nor perhaps could it be a sociopolitical novel as Argentina was a very different country to say Sweden in the mid-fifties. This doesn't distract from this reading experience as it is insightful in terms of policing and underscores the frailties of human nature where people are 'normal' but remain capable of murder.
María Angélica Bosco (Buenos Aires 1917 -2006) was an award-winning author, known as the Argentinean Agatha Christie for her dedication to detective fiction. Some commentators claim she was 97 years old when she passed away which links with https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/María_A... which states she was born el 23 de agosto de 1909 en Buenos Aires.
Death Going Down was her first novel, and won the Emecé Novel Award in 1954.
We should also be grateful to Pushkin Press / Pushkin Vertigo for its efforts in bringing such novels to a wider audience, originally published in 1955 this excellent translation by Lucy Greaves in 2016.
Is she the Agatha Christie of Argentina? Well maybe, there is murder/suicide with poison. A denouement and a final re-enactment where the detectives are looking for anyone to give themselves away as the truth alludes them or the evidence isn't conclusive.
For this type of detective fiction to work you need a closed location, a limited number of suspects with things to hide and an unwilliness to talk to the police.
Set just 10 years after the end of WWII a number of individuals have resettled in Argentina to escape the horrors of Europe and build a new life. Imagine if across the world you meet someone who knows your past; it secrets and yours lies.
Motives galore, but no-one appears to have both sufficient motive and opportunity.
The key message of this book appears to be dependence in its many forms and restrictions; not being able to move nor being prepared to allow others to change. But is really really enough to kill or was it really just a suicide?
It was really a great experience to read an old fashioned crime novel set in another country, oozing rich language and intelligently written.
Unlike some books developing at this time this book keeps it focus on the crime and the background of the participants. It isn't, nor perhaps could it be a sociopolitical novel as Argentina was a very different country to say Sweden in the mid-fifties. This doesn't distract from this reading experience as it is insightful in terms of policing and underscores the frailties of human nature where people are 'normal' but remain capable of murder.
May 15, 2017
Like a 3.7 or so rounded up.
for a tiny smidgen of plot since in this book to tell would be to spoil, you can click here. Otherwise, continue.
Published in 1955, while Death Going Down works along the lines of a police procedural/detective novel, it is neither a cut-and-dried nor a routine detective story. After finishing it, I have to say I was surprised not only at the identity of the murderer but also at the assumptions I made as a reader while following the case. When I turned the last page, it dawned on me just how very clever the author had been here precisely in how she used reader expectations while developing this story. The book is well worth reading for several reasons (including the fact that the apartment building is home to a number of European refugees from World War II - very nice move), but for me it was all about the fact that I was completely caught off guard while expecting one thing and ending up with something completely different. Sorry to sound so cryptic, but I really don't want to divulge anything. Suffice it to say that any author who can do this in a whodunit earns my respect since I've been reading mystery/crime novels since I was about five.
The story moves a bit slowly and may not be for readers who like fast-paced crime; it's really not cozy material, and it's not at all your average police procedural. However, it's quite good, nicely done, and as I said, the solution threw me for a loop. From the back-cover blurb I learned that María Angélica Bosco was known in her day as "the Argentinian Agatha Christie," but I have to say that her writing style (at least as evidenced here) is most definitely her own. Readers of translated crime fiction really do not want to pass this one by.
for a tiny smidgen of plot since in this book to tell would be to spoil, you can click here. Otherwise, continue.
Published in 1955, while Death Going Down works along the lines of a police procedural/detective novel, it is neither a cut-and-dried nor a routine detective story. After finishing it, I have to say I was surprised not only at the identity of the murderer but also at the assumptions I made as a reader while following the case. When I turned the last page, it dawned on me just how very clever the author had been here precisely in how she used reader expectations while developing this story. The book is well worth reading for several reasons (including the fact that the apartment building is home to a number of European refugees from World War II - very nice move), but for me it was all about the fact that I was completely caught off guard while expecting one thing and ending up with something completely different. Sorry to sound so cryptic, but I really don't want to divulge anything. Suffice it to say that any author who can do this in a whodunit earns my respect since I've been reading mystery/crime novels since I was about five.
The story moves a bit slowly and may not be for readers who like fast-paced crime; it's really not cozy material, and it's not at all your average police procedural. However, it's quite good, nicely done, and as I said, the solution threw me for a loop. From the back-cover blurb I learned that María Angélica Bosco was known in her day as "the Argentinian Agatha Christie," but I have to say that her writing style (at least as evidenced here) is most definitely her own. Readers of translated crime fiction really do not want to pass this one by.
August 28, 2019
Buenos Aires, mid-1950s, and late at night a young woman is found dead in the elevator of a small apartment block. It proves she has died of cyanide poisoning, and the initial assumption of the cops is that this is a case of suicide. But there are enough anomalies about the situation that soon they realize they're looking at murder.
As they investigate further and another person dies, again by cyanide, the secrets of the building's occupants -- many of whom are emigres who fled Germany at the end of WWII -- come tumbling out. It seems the motives for the murders are rooted in the guilty truths people have brought with them from the old world . . .
Pushkin Vertigo, part of whose distinguished series of crime/noir reissues this is, are keen to assure us on the cover that Bosco is "the Queen of Argentinian Mystery." This novel, which as far as I can establish was her first (it's certainly the first to have been translated into English, some six decades after its initial publication), shows a knowledge of some of the essential components of the GAD novel but a fumbling hand when it comes to deploying them. There's never any deep sense of mystery here, any sense that we're up against a truly knotty problem that only some marvelous feat of ratiocination will be able to unravel. There's a puzzle concerning howdunnit in both murders, but the two explanations are each unsatisfying in a quite different way (in the first instance because it relies on the cops not having checked something they'd have surely checked at the outset). Bosco also has an irritating habit of keeping important bits of information from us.
I do have to give Bosco credit for having completely bamboozled me as to the identity and motive of the killer. I was backing entirely the wrong horse.
There's no amateur detective here, the investigation instead being in the hands of the cops; but I found it hard for a long time to work out just who was the detective I was supposed to be focusing on, Blasi or Ericourt, both of whom at different times seemed to be spearheading the process of revelation. Perhaps Bosco was aiming for a police-procedural style of story, where the investigation is a team effort, but the novel didn't really work for me on that basis either. There was never, for example, any feeling of a dynamic relationship between the two men, or between the two men and their colleagues -- no smell of the squadroom.
Matters weren't helped for me by the translation, which seemed pretty limp and full of bits of phrasing that perhaps made perfect colloquial sense in the original Spanish but, literally translated, simply aren't English. There's also the occasional minor grammatical error (such as, repeatedly, "Czerbós’s apartment" for the apartment of the Czerbó family).
I'm looking forward to reading others in Pushkin's Vertigo series, and indeed could well be persuaded to try another Bosco novel; but Death Going Down, alas, failed to light my fire.
As they investigate further and another person dies, again by cyanide, the secrets of the building's occupants -- many of whom are emigres who fled Germany at the end of WWII -- come tumbling out. It seems the motives for the murders are rooted in the guilty truths people have brought with them from the old world . . .
Pushkin Vertigo, part of whose distinguished series of crime/noir reissues this is, are keen to assure us on the cover that Bosco is "the Queen of Argentinian Mystery." This novel, which as far as I can establish was her first (it's certainly the first to have been translated into English, some six decades after its initial publication), shows a knowledge of some of the essential components of the GAD novel but a fumbling hand when it comes to deploying them. There's never any deep sense of mystery here, any sense that we're up against a truly knotty problem that only some marvelous feat of ratiocination will be able to unravel. There's a puzzle concerning howdunnit in both murders, but the two explanations are each unsatisfying in a quite different way (in the first instance because it relies on the cops not having checked something they'd have surely checked at the outset). Bosco also has an irritating habit of keeping important bits of information from us.
I do have to give Bosco credit for having completely bamboozled me as to the identity and motive of the killer. I was backing entirely the wrong horse.
There's no amateur detective here, the investigation instead being in the hands of the cops; but I found it hard for a long time to work out just who was the detective I was supposed to be focusing on, Blasi or Ericourt, both of whom at different times seemed to be spearheading the process of revelation. Perhaps Bosco was aiming for a police-procedural style of story, where the investigation is a team effort, but the novel didn't really work for me on that basis either. There was never, for example, any feeling of a dynamic relationship between the two men, or between the two men and their colleagues -- no smell of the squadroom.
Matters weren't helped for me by the translation, which seemed pretty limp and full of bits of phrasing that perhaps made perfect colloquial sense in the original Spanish but, literally translated, simply aren't English. There's also the occasional minor grammatical error (such as, repeatedly, "Czerbós’s apartment" for the apartment of the Czerbó family).
I'm looking forward to reading others in Pushkin's Vertigo series, and indeed could well be persuaded to try another Bosco novel; but Death Going Down, alas, failed to light my fire.
May 1, 2022
Un misterio al estilo Agatha Christie en Buenos Aires. A las dos de la mañana, Pancho Soler regresa borracho a su departamento en la Avenida Santa Fe. El presiona el botón del ascensor que después llega con una sorpresa adentro: una hermosa rubia muerta. Muchos de los sospechosos en el edificio son inmigrantes recientes de Europa y, sus recuerdos y secretos de la Segunda Guerra Mundial aún están frescos. Boris, un químico búlgaro que trabajó para los nazis, es el más divertido de todos. Están las habituales pistas falsas y revelaciones en la búsqueda del asesino. El joven detective argentino no es muy impactante, pero esta es una novela policíaca satisfactoria.
October 22, 2018
Author called the Argentinian Agatha Christie? Set in an interesting time period, Argentina shortly after WWII (originally published in 1955)? Unknown victim, a women dead in an elevator, with an interesting and varied group of suspects? I should have loved this so much. Not so much. To Bosco's credit, I think my feelings on this have less to do with the story/mystery and more with the translation. A literal translation in spots made it clunky to read and hard to understand. Not allowing for colloquialism in either language led to some problems with both plot and characterization. I especially liked the interplay of the Argentinian and German ex-pat characters into the story, although that makes more sense if you already have some understanding of why so many Germans came to Argentina after WWII (isn't fully explained in the plot). Would probably rate this higher if I could read it in the original Spanish.
March 26, 2017
I am loving the genre of crime noir fiction at the moment - and this is no exception.
This time the setting is in Buenos Aires - Pancho Francesco Soler discovers the body of a murdered woman in an elevator. All the residents of the building have something to hide - after WWII, many immigrants made their way to Argentina - and many had skeletons in the closet.
The story is punchy, and not short on suspects, motives, secrets, red herrings and death.
Who is the victim and why was she killed - all is revealed in the final chapter as the pieces of this puzzle fall into place.
Further reading: Frederic Dard, Augusto de Angelis, Caimh McDonnell, Bradley Spinelli.
This time the setting is in Buenos Aires - Pancho Francesco Soler discovers the body of a murdered woman in an elevator. All the residents of the building have something to hide - after WWII, many immigrants made their way to Argentina - and many had skeletons in the closet.
The story is punchy, and not short on suspects, motives, secrets, red herrings and death.
Who is the victim and why was she killed - all is revealed in the final chapter as the pieces of this puzzle fall into place.
Further reading: Frederic Dard, Augusto de Angelis, Caimh McDonnell, Bradley Spinelli.
July 14, 2020
This book is rated here as 3.11 and in my opinion that is rather harsh. I found it to be very enjoysble and a short and interesting read.
A superb murder/suicide case with plenty of red herrings. A good cast of characters and even a shoe sniffing dog.
The first crime novel I have read set in Argentina and a nice change to the European, Japan and America that I am used to.
The novel is translated and this is where I think it loses people, its a bit off at some points but I think its down to the translation, surely any translated fiction loses some of the spirit of the original.
Also the author is described as the Argentinian Agatha Christie, quite the weighty comparison and one that will unfairly give comparisons to Poirot.
A great read and perfect for something to fill a little gap for a few hours.
A superb murder/suicide case with plenty of red herrings. A good cast of characters and even a shoe sniffing dog.
The first crime novel I have read set in Argentina and a nice change to the European, Japan and America that I am used to.
The novel is translated and this is where I think it loses people, its a bit off at some points but I think its down to the translation, surely any translated fiction loses some of the spirit of the original.
Also the author is described as the Argentinian Agatha Christie, quite the weighty comparison and one that will unfairly give comparisons to Poirot.
A great read and perfect for something to fill a little gap for a few hours.
December 20, 2018
Another from the Pushkin Vertigo series, this time not as enjoyable as usual.
This is a run of the mill whodunnit with the feature being it’s setting, an apartment block in an affluent area of Buenos Aires. The block has some key features; it has one residence on each of its six floors, with a lift, hence the title.
A young woman is found dead in the elevator late one evening, and the story is of the two detectives investigating the apparent suicide, which turns out to be murder.
There’s little wrong with it, and fans of the genre will get a lot out of it. In its favour, it’s concise and to the point, whereas many of its US and UK counterparts tend to be twice as long.
This is a run of the mill whodunnit with the feature being it’s setting, an apartment block in an affluent area of Buenos Aires. The block has some key features; it has one residence on each of its six floors, with a lift, hence the title.
A young woman is found dead in the elevator late one evening, and the story is of the two detectives investigating the apparent suicide, which turns out to be murder.
There’s little wrong with it, and fans of the genre will get a lot out of it. In its favour, it’s concise and to the point, whereas many of its US and UK counterparts tend to be twice as long.
September 6, 2017
Someone, please, turn this book into a black and white movie. Good old fashion pulp fiction of the Raymond Chandler kind, this time an English translation of an Argentine novel first published in 1955. Very good translation it is to - could not read it fast enough and then when it all came together I was 'ahh, ya cheeky monkey, you got me'. Really enjoyed this. Will definitely be trying publishers Pushkin Vertigo again to see if this is a one off or they have other gems up their sleeve. I hope so.
December 22, 2024
"El tiempo cristaliza los hechos pero la medida de ese tiempo no pertenece al hombre."
Novela policial corta, rescatada por Piglia para la colección de autores argentinxs. Me gustó mucho, hay un tinte poético en Bosco que me pareció muy hermoso, por ejemplo en la forma de describir los espacios de la ciudad de Buenos Aires. Le doy tres estrellas porque en realidad los policiales no son muy lo mío :p
Novela policial corta, rescatada por Piglia para la colección de autores argentinxs. Me gustó mucho, hay un tinte poético en Bosco que me pareció muy hermoso, por ejemplo en la forma de describir los espacios de la ciudad de Buenos Aires. Le doy tres estrellas porque en realidad los policiales no son muy lo mío :p
November 22, 2021
Como la persona desesperada que soy, soy horrible para leer misterio, sin embargo conseguí terminarlo sin spoilearme, y eso siempre es un win
Read
June 30, 2021A quick read with enough twists and interesting characters to make it an entertaining one as well. It’s fairly classic detective style, but set in a neighbourhood I am unfamiliar with. Quite a few twists and intrigues for such a slim story.
March 18, 2017
I got this book because the author was referred to as the Argentinian Agatha Christie. I can see how she merited the comparison. The one issue I had with the book is that members of the investigating team wander in and out of the story but only some merit any time spent on developing them so I was never sure of who reported to who and why some of them were involved. I think a brief introduction to the Argentinian justice system would have helped. Note that this author pulled off this story in 160 pages so it succinct.
June 3, 2025
Perdana baca buku terjemahan terbitan Laksana.
Buku yang berjudul asli Death Going Down merupakan novel pertama Maria Angelica Bosco yang memenangkan penghargaan Novel Emece tahun 1954. Maria juga dikenal sebagai penulis spesialis cerita detektif dan dikenal sebagai Agatha Christie-nya Argentina.
Cerita dibuka dengan setting sekitar tahun 1950-an di Buenos Aires. Hari sudah larut malam ketika Soler pulang dalam kondisi mabuk dan melihat seorang wanita muda tewas di lift apartemennya.
Polisi menduga kemungkinan besar pelakunya adalah orang yang terakhir ditemui korban. Karena, apartemen itu tidak bisa dimasuki sembarang orang, maka polisi tentu saja mencurigai seluruh penghuni apartemen.
Ada 5 lantai apartemen yang tiap lantainya diisi penghuni.
Lantai 1 : keluarga Suarez Loza
Lantai 2 : Don Agustin Inarra, Beatriz Inarra, Gabriela de Inarra.
Lantai 3 : Boris Czerbo, Rita Czerbo
Lantai 4 : Pancho Soler
Lantai 5 : dr Adolfo Luchter
Penghuni apartemen tersebut rupanya didominasi oleh imigran yang melarikan diri dari Jerman pada Perang Dunia II. Kebetulan korban yang tewas ternyata juga salah satu imigran kaya raya asal Jerman yang pindah ke Argentina.
Salah satu ulasan di Goodreads mengatakan suasana dalam buku ini cocok dijadikan film dengan format hitam putih. Saya sepakat. Ceritanya bergerak agak lambat dan mungkin kurang nyaman untuk pembaca yang sat set. Walau begitu, saya suka dengan jalan ceritanya yang runut, tidak melebar kemana-mana dan ditulis dengan apik.
Sayangnya terjemahan yang kurang memuaskan membuat saya agak lambat menikmati keindahan buku ini. Ditambah lagi penggunaan banyak panggilan nama untuk satu orang.
Salah satu contoh yang membuat saya bingung : Gabriela de Inarra. Kadang ditulis Gabriela, kadang Gabby, kadang Nyonya Inarra. Kalau cuma 1 orang sih oke-oke aja. Masalahnya tokoh-tokohnya lumayan banyak. Saya sampai butuh kertas kecil untuk mencatat nama panjang dan panggilannya. Ingatan saya soal nama memang payah.
Saat membaca saya seperti digiring untuk mencurigai seluruh penghuni apartemen. Saya mengakui bahwa saya tidak berhasil menebak pembunuhnya. Penyelesaiannya lumayan sih, cara membunuhnya juga tak terduga, namun untuk sebuah cerita detektif saya masih merasa kurang greget.
Bintang 2/5
Buku yang berjudul asli Death Going Down merupakan novel pertama Maria Angelica Bosco yang memenangkan penghargaan Novel Emece tahun 1954. Maria juga dikenal sebagai penulis spesialis cerita detektif dan dikenal sebagai Agatha Christie-nya Argentina.
Cerita dibuka dengan setting sekitar tahun 1950-an di Buenos Aires. Hari sudah larut malam ketika Soler pulang dalam kondisi mabuk dan melihat seorang wanita muda tewas di lift apartemennya.
Polisi menduga kemungkinan besar pelakunya adalah orang yang terakhir ditemui korban. Karena, apartemen itu tidak bisa dimasuki sembarang orang, maka polisi tentu saja mencurigai seluruh penghuni apartemen.
Ada 5 lantai apartemen yang tiap lantainya diisi penghuni.
Lantai 1 : keluarga Suarez Loza
Lantai 2 : Don Agustin Inarra, Beatriz Inarra, Gabriela de Inarra.
Lantai 3 : Boris Czerbo, Rita Czerbo
Lantai 4 : Pancho Soler
Lantai 5 : dr Adolfo Luchter
Penghuni apartemen tersebut rupanya didominasi oleh imigran yang melarikan diri dari Jerman pada Perang Dunia II. Kebetulan korban yang tewas ternyata juga salah satu imigran kaya raya asal Jerman yang pindah ke Argentina.
Salah satu ulasan di Goodreads mengatakan suasana dalam buku ini cocok dijadikan film dengan format hitam putih. Saya sepakat. Ceritanya bergerak agak lambat dan mungkin kurang nyaman untuk pembaca yang sat set. Walau begitu, saya suka dengan jalan ceritanya yang runut, tidak melebar kemana-mana dan ditulis dengan apik.
Sayangnya terjemahan yang kurang memuaskan membuat saya agak lambat menikmati keindahan buku ini. Ditambah lagi penggunaan banyak panggilan nama untuk satu orang.
Salah satu contoh yang membuat saya bingung : Gabriela de Inarra. Kadang ditulis Gabriela, kadang Gabby, kadang Nyonya Inarra. Kalau cuma 1 orang sih oke-oke aja. Masalahnya tokoh-tokohnya lumayan banyak. Saya sampai butuh kertas kecil untuk mencatat nama panjang dan panggilannya. Ingatan saya soal nama memang payah.
Saat membaca saya seperti digiring untuk mencurigai seluruh penghuni apartemen. Saya mengakui bahwa saya tidak berhasil menebak pembunuhnya. Penyelesaiannya lumayan sih, cara membunuhnya juga tak terduga, namun untuk sebuah cerita detektif saya masih merasa kurang greget.
Bintang 2/5
February 21, 2022
Death of the Reader's 14th-highest recommendation for 2021 is Maria Angelica Bosco’s ‘Death Going Down’. This 1954 novel - translated to English by Lucy Greaves and released by Pushkin Vertigo in 2017 - strikes a bizarre point for me. I think, for the right reader, this novel is uniquely charming, and if anything we say about it intrigues you - please, go check it out, because if you are that reader, we need to get you reading this novel. Let’s talk about how it landed in 14th place for us.
Death Going Down follows the investigation of the death of German Immigrant Frida Eidinger, in a small apartment block in Buenos Aires. She didn’t live there, and the inhabitants of the building don’t know who she was. The police suspect suicide, but some curious behaviour and loose threads convince Blasi - one of the two inspectors on the case - to stick around the scene poking and prodding until someone’s mask slips. Accompanied by a suspiciously-narrated introduction, a clever-waiter of a thematic device and the occasional poetic aside, your suspicion as the reader is on the top floor from the very beginning, even though neither of our investigators would quite agree with you at the outset.
Has the building’s caretaker, Andres, been framed, or did he do a sloppy job covering up a murder? Is the disabled Don Augustin a motionless mastermind? Is there any crack in the neatly consistent wall of alibis? Despite coming in with a low-stakes urban cosy, the hallmarks are all there for a classic closed-circle mystery, and Bosco does an excellent job of never letting you forget your suspicions even while disarming you. The most clever narrative device, right from the beginning, is that the higher you go up the building, the more suspicious the characters living on that floor. The corpse is in an elevator called from the sixth floor, found by the person on the fifth, who arrived before the person on the fourth, with the following floors each having fewer opportunities to have committed the crime, right down to an entirely absent family on the ground floor. You are challenged to spend the entire novel grappling with whether this thematic device will be subverted or just… verted? The main disarmament Bosco uses is Blasi’s casual journey from suspect to suspect. You know he’s there for information, but he does as good a job feeling unassuming to you as he does to his marks, from asking for a simple photo development to adopting the victim’s dog, to almost asking a suspect out on a date. His gentle approach gets him into situations that a more openly investigative character would never find themselves in, and Bosco uses it to great effect. The unfortunate side-effect of these side-ventures is that it becomes a bit difficult to not side-line some by the end, but maybe the real mystery was the stories we lost along the way.
One of the things I liked most about the novel was its confidence in putting odd asides, internal thoughts and inexplicable observations in front of the reader, sending your best guesses to the basement of busted theories with ruthless efficiency. Of course, you can still challenge it with the classic ‘unreliable narrator’ but then you’ve only dug yourself a deeper grave. You learn a lot about the characters from their internal responses to quiet moments, and assertions to their motivations you wouldn’t get in many other novels. Despite how effective these are, we felt the stylistic choices became more poorly employed the further the novel went on, which is a shame, because I actually really liked the approach. It’s the kind of issue that I’d expect to temper on if I was to revisit the novel in a few years over a morning cup of tea. I also think it might be a wise choice to crack open a book or few on Argentinian history post World-War-2, before or as you read this, because the book is littered with the cultural aftershocks of the war and colonialism, and there’s undoubtedly a lot more depth to everything if you go armed with a bit more context.
The final thing that I found myself wrestling with over the course of the novel was our detective duo. To the best of my atrocious Spanish, I understand that Ericourt and Blasi both feature in her later works, together and as a Blasi-solo-act in some stories, and I’d be incredibly curious to see more of them. Their neither-Holmes-nor-Watson back-and-forth was oddly captivating in the way that it felt so...normal, and competent. In no way similar to Miss Marple as characters, but striking that same non-confronting note that made Marple so easy to digest. You can tell that Ericourt and Blasi were a well-adjusted duo with just enough familiarity to trust one another, but also deal with their doubts in a straightforward way that really fit the story. As I mentioned, the police start assuming suicide, and Blasi’s slow and genuine convincing of Ericourt that the case was otherwise provides a firm foothold that takes us uphill towards a climax that otherwise might never have come. When I think of Bosco’s other work being translated, it’s the evolution of these two that really beckons me.
So, neither ups, nor downs, really, for this 14th place ranking on Review Season. It’s a solid mystery that feels right at home on our list, a unique set of clues to find its solution in an ordinary setting that I enjoyed, but wasn’t hooked on. When a book this reliable is 14th on the list, you know we’ve had an astonishingly great year. I do hope you, at home, eyeing a copy of this book, are the mystical intended reader, because it will have a cherished place on your shelf.
Death Going Down follows the investigation of the death of German Immigrant Frida Eidinger, in a small apartment block in Buenos Aires. She didn’t live there, and the inhabitants of the building don’t know who she was. The police suspect suicide, but some curious behaviour and loose threads convince Blasi - one of the two inspectors on the case - to stick around the scene poking and prodding until someone’s mask slips. Accompanied by a suspiciously-narrated introduction, a clever-waiter of a thematic device and the occasional poetic aside, your suspicion as the reader is on the top floor from the very beginning, even though neither of our investigators would quite agree with you at the outset.
Has the building’s caretaker, Andres, been framed, or did he do a sloppy job covering up a murder? Is the disabled Don Augustin a motionless mastermind? Is there any crack in the neatly consistent wall of alibis? Despite coming in with a low-stakes urban cosy, the hallmarks are all there for a classic closed-circle mystery, and Bosco does an excellent job of never letting you forget your suspicions even while disarming you. The most clever narrative device, right from the beginning, is that the higher you go up the building, the more suspicious the characters living on that floor. The corpse is in an elevator called from the sixth floor, found by the person on the fifth, who arrived before the person on the fourth, with the following floors each having fewer opportunities to have committed the crime, right down to an entirely absent family on the ground floor. You are challenged to spend the entire novel grappling with whether this thematic device will be subverted or just… verted? The main disarmament Bosco uses is Blasi’s casual journey from suspect to suspect. You know he’s there for information, but he does as good a job feeling unassuming to you as he does to his marks, from asking for a simple photo development to adopting the victim’s dog, to almost asking a suspect out on a date. His gentle approach gets him into situations that a more openly investigative character would never find themselves in, and Bosco uses it to great effect. The unfortunate side-effect of these side-ventures is that it becomes a bit difficult to not side-line some by the end, but maybe the real mystery was the stories we lost along the way.
One of the things I liked most about the novel was its confidence in putting odd asides, internal thoughts and inexplicable observations in front of the reader, sending your best guesses to the basement of busted theories with ruthless efficiency. Of course, you can still challenge it with the classic ‘unreliable narrator’ but then you’ve only dug yourself a deeper grave. You learn a lot about the characters from their internal responses to quiet moments, and assertions to their motivations you wouldn’t get in many other novels. Despite how effective these are, we felt the stylistic choices became more poorly employed the further the novel went on, which is a shame, because I actually really liked the approach. It’s the kind of issue that I’d expect to temper on if I was to revisit the novel in a few years over a morning cup of tea. I also think it might be a wise choice to crack open a book or few on Argentinian history post World-War-2, before or as you read this, because the book is littered with the cultural aftershocks of the war and colonialism, and there’s undoubtedly a lot more depth to everything if you go armed with a bit more context.
The final thing that I found myself wrestling with over the course of the novel was our detective duo. To the best of my atrocious Spanish, I understand that Ericourt and Blasi both feature in her later works, together and as a Blasi-solo-act in some stories, and I’d be incredibly curious to see more of them. Their neither-Holmes-nor-Watson back-and-forth was oddly captivating in the way that it felt so...normal, and competent. In no way similar to Miss Marple as characters, but striking that same non-confronting note that made Marple so easy to digest. You can tell that Ericourt and Blasi were a well-adjusted duo with just enough familiarity to trust one another, but also deal with their doubts in a straightforward way that really fit the story. As I mentioned, the police start assuming suicide, and Blasi’s slow and genuine convincing of Ericourt that the case was otherwise provides a firm foothold that takes us uphill towards a climax that otherwise might never have come. When I think of Bosco’s other work being translated, it’s the evolution of these two that really beckons me.
So, neither ups, nor downs, really, for this 14th place ranking on Review Season. It’s a solid mystery that feels right at home on our list, a unique set of clues to find its solution in an ordinary setting that I enjoyed, but wasn’t hooked on. When a book this reliable is 14th on the list, you know we’ve had an astonishingly great year. I do hope you, at home, eyeing a copy of this book, are the mystical intended reader, because it will have a cherished place on your shelf.
February 12, 2020
Bien clásico.
September 22, 2025
Más bien vendrían a ser 3 estrellas, pero el favoritismo nacional juega y pesa más, por supuesto, así que queda en 4 estrellas.
No quiero hablar mal de la obra pero, siendo sincera, no hay ninguna innovación en esta novela, pasa totalmente desapercibida como otra del género policial.
Si bien fue escrita en 1955, prácticamente en el boom post Segunda Guerra Mundial con detectives y guiños al naz-word (ni idea si Goodreads me censura la palabra y me baja la reseña, ya que un poco también anda en esa ideología), la temporalidad de la obra no parecía ser de su importancia y hacía que me olvidara que, por ejemplo, el ambiente es el de un país argentino cinco años antes que mis padres nacieran. En mi cabeza, la época del libro podría haber pasado hace cinco años atrás, o en el comienzo del nuevo siglo, o en 1970. Está bueno que no tenga relevancia, porque eso significa que puede ser vista con los ojos del presente y no "envejecer", pero se me hacía raro que su discurso, su habla, sí sea de la década del '50 o cuando mencionaban esa palabra que no quiero decir¿. No está tan presente, para los personajes (y el narrador omnisciente), el período en el que transcurre todo, y probablemente porque sea aún un tema muy sensible para esa época, pero bueno, eso, me hacía un toquesín de ruido, ni idea. (Todo para decir que amé leer las palabras que se usaban anteaño, y hasta algunas las tuve que googlear.)
Por otra parte, capaz porque no me he leído tantos policialestodavía, pero la resolución final, la conclusión en la que cuenta el detective cómo y por qué fue realizado el crimen (o los crímenes, en plural *música de suspenso*), se sintió muy... inventada en el momento. O capaz fui yo que tardé casi un mes en terminarlo y se me pasaron algunos detalles, pero me hizo pensar en qué momento el detective sacó esa resolución y cómo. Se supone que yo también vi y "pensé" y "analicé" lo mismo que él, ¿cómo no sacamos las mismas conclusiones en lo más mínimo?
Como final, quería decir que hay un temita que me quedó un poco inconcluso y nunca lo resolvieron... o capaz fui yo que no le presté atención, pero para mi no lo resolvieron nunca.
En fin. Es una novela muy cortita que se lee en uno o dos días a más tardar, y que engancha porque querés saber quién es el/la/los culpable/s y hasta la última página no te lo dice (que esa es la idea del policial...). Qué sé yo, si tienen ganas de algo nacional y para pasar un rato, lo recomiendo.
No quiero hablar mal de la obra pero, siendo sincera, no hay ninguna innovación en esta novela, pasa totalmente desapercibida como otra del género policial.
Si bien fue escrita en 1955, prácticamente en el boom post Segunda Guerra Mundial con detectives y guiños al naz-word (ni idea si Goodreads me censura la palabra y me baja la reseña, ya que un poco también anda en esa ideología), la temporalidad de la obra no parecía ser de su importancia y hacía que me olvidara que, por ejemplo, el ambiente es el de un país argentino cinco años antes que mis padres nacieran. En mi cabeza, la época del libro podría haber pasado hace cinco años atrás, o en el comienzo del nuevo siglo, o en 1970. Está bueno que no tenga relevancia, porque eso significa que puede ser vista con los ojos del presente y no "envejecer", pero se me hacía raro que su discurso, su habla, sí sea de la década del '50 o cuando mencionaban esa palabra que no quiero decir¿. No está tan presente, para los personajes (y el narrador omnisciente), el período en el que transcurre todo, y probablemente porque sea aún un tema muy sensible para esa época, pero bueno, eso, me hacía un toquesín de ruido, ni idea. (Todo para decir que amé leer las palabras que se usaban anteaño, y hasta algunas las tuve que googlear.)
Por otra parte, capaz porque no me he leído tantos policiales
Como final, quería decir que hay un temita que me quedó un poco inconcluso y nunca lo resolvieron... o capaz fui yo que no le presté atención, pero para mi no lo resolvieron nunca.
En fin. Es una novela muy cortita que se lee en uno o dos días a más tardar, y que engancha porque querés saber quién es el/la/los culpable/s y hasta la última página no te lo dice (que esa es la idea del policial...). Qué sé yo, si tienen ganas de algo nacional y para pasar un rato, lo recomiendo.
February 14, 2018
Pancho Soler comes home to his six-floor apartment after a night of partying, and everything is normal until the elevator doors open. A recently deceased body is in the elevator, which just descended from the 6th floor. When the investigators and the police arrive on the scene, they presume that the victim committed suicide with cyanide. As the team of detective Blasi, Inspector Ericourt and Superintendent Lahore question witnesses and stack up evidence, the apartment residents become more and more suspicious, and after another death, lies start coming to the surface. In this crime novel from the 50s, the characters blend together in a well-paced mystery exploring murder in a unique setting.
Death Going Down has an interesting synopsis and a compelling first page hook. Other than these parts, the book fell kind of flat for me. The book being originally written in Spanish in 1955 just had its first English translation last year, and honestly it’s a bit choppy and awkward for me at times. Some of the metaphors seem a bit far fetched and the imagery was here and there sometimes, it seems like some of the magic of the book gets lost in translation. The supposed element of suspense was just not there for me, and I found myself not really invested in the story. The main characters, Blasi, Ericourt and Lahore were not really given much of a personality; while I could tell you that Soler was a ladies’ man who came home late regularly after a night at a bar, I couldn’t try to give you an individualistic image of each of them. Along with this, the residents of the apartment kept mixing together in my head which did not help with trying to peg someone as the killer. It was a very fast read, and I was finished before I knew it. I never had a solid guess for the perpetrator because a lot of the characters interviewed seemed like distractions from the author instead of actual suspects. The end was enjoyable though, and the reveal is satisfying, and surprising at the same time. This is the first crime novel I’ve ever read, so maybe crime novels are not for me, or this is just a lackluster example of the genre. For the queen of Argentinian mystery, my expectations were higher but maybe next time I’ll read a book of hers in Spanish.
Death Going Down has an interesting synopsis and a compelling first page hook. Other than these parts, the book fell kind of flat for me. The book being originally written in Spanish in 1955 just had its first English translation last year, and honestly it’s a bit choppy and awkward for me at times. Some of the metaphors seem a bit far fetched and the imagery was here and there sometimes, it seems like some of the magic of the book gets lost in translation. The supposed element of suspense was just not there for me, and I found myself not really invested in the story. The main characters, Blasi, Ericourt and Lahore were not really given much of a personality; while I could tell you that Soler was a ladies’ man who came home late regularly after a night at a bar, I couldn’t try to give you an individualistic image of each of them. Along with this, the residents of the apartment kept mixing together in my head which did not help with trying to peg someone as the killer. It was a very fast read, and I was finished before I knew it. I never had a solid guess for the perpetrator because a lot of the characters interviewed seemed like distractions from the author instead of actual suspects. The end was enjoyable though, and the reveal is satisfying, and surprising at the same time. This is the first crime novel I’ve ever read, so maybe crime novels are not for me, or this is just a lackluster example of the genre. For the queen of Argentinian mystery, my expectations were higher but maybe next time I’ll read a book of hers in Spanish.
November 1, 2020
A dead blonde in the elevator of a modern apartment house. No one knows anything, as there only the nice, polite people live there.
But the female has been poisoned.
Authoress that is called the Argentinian Agatha Christie? As a big fan of Ms Christie I could not do anything else than to grab this novelette! But while the novel cointains the known tricks and methods from the Golden Age of police procedural (probably because of the trends in the then writing fashion), I would not call it an Agatha Christie-like novel (as it misses the subtlety and wit of the Queen of Crime's settings and the well-worked psychology behind the wrongdoings). Also this promo is not very kind towards Ms Bosco, too, as she has had her own style and the Argentinian realities were different.
I do not know Ms Bosco's style and if this is one of her first works (there is potential and the writing skills are good, but this certain lightness which shows the experienced author is missing), but there is certain charm to be found here. The better translation would probably help, as it feels stifled and it is probably quite literal, which works against the best reading experience.
The setup also also cover the dark realities of the many naturalized Argentinians - this has probably worked better for the Argentinian readers who would know first-handedly the likes of the immigrants (many of whom had immigrated to Argentina have been quite evil people).
I would say that the novel reads better than many of the superficial, but popular modern works. The authoress should not get forgotten!
But the female has been poisoned.
Authoress that is called the Argentinian Agatha Christie? As a big fan of Ms Christie I could not do anything else than to grab this novelette! But while the novel cointains the known tricks and methods from the Golden Age of police procedural (probably because of the trends in the then writing fashion), I would not call it an Agatha Christie-like novel (as it misses the subtlety and wit of the Queen of Crime's settings and the well-worked psychology behind the wrongdoings). Also this promo is not very kind towards Ms Bosco, too, as she has had her own style and the Argentinian realities were different.
I do not know Ms Bosco's style and if this is one of her first works (there is potential and the writing skills are good, but this certain lightness which shows the experienced author is missing), but there is certain charm to be found here. The better translation would probably help, as it feels stifled and it is probably quite literal, which works against the best reading experience.
The setup also also cover the dark realities of the many naturalized Argentinians - this has probably worked better for the Argentinian readers who would know first-handedly the likes of the immigrants (many of whom had immigrated to Argentina have been quite evil people).
I would say that the novel reads better than many of the superficial, but popular modern works. The authoress should not get forgotten!
June 5, 2021
No voy a hacer una reseña muy larga...pues spoilers.
La historia te atrapa en un instante, como todo buen libro de misterio. Lo único que me hizo leerlo mas lento de lo normal fue que estaba en inglés siendo un libro escrito en Argentina (fue un regalo). Me pase mas tiempo viendo como hubiera sido cada oración en español que leyendo el libro en si mismo. Pero a pesar de esto, el libro fue muy llevadero. Ame leer sobre la calle Santa Fe y la plaza San Martín. Ni hablemos de la “siesta time” de Villa Devoto. Fue un verdadero placer leer y darme cuenta que conocía esos lugares (obvio que los conozco en la actualidad solamente)
La mayor queja que le tengo es que el final fue muy apresurado. Todos los sospechosos podrían haberlo hecho pero siento que el/la culpable no era un/a candidato/a muy fuerte. Las pistas y los hechos no me terminaron de encajar bien y eso es lo peor que puede pasarme en una novela de misterio.
Este libro lo leí como parte de un challenge donde tenia que leer un libro con malas críticas (no sé si 3,03 cuenta como malas críticas) pero a pesar del final, el libro supero mis expectativas.
La historia te atrapa en un instante, como todo buen libro de misterio. Lo único que me hizo leerlo mas lento de lo normal fue que estaba en inglés siendo un libro escrito en Argentina (fue un regalo). Me pase mas tiempo viendo como hubiera sido cada oración en español que leyendo el libro en si mismo. Pero a pesar de esto, el libro fue muy llevadero. Ame leer sobre la calle Santa Fe y la plaza San Martín. Ni hablemos de la “siesta time” de Villa Devoto. Fue un verdadero placer leer y darme cuenta que conocía esos lugares (obvio que los conozco en la actualidad solamente)
La mayor queja que le tengo es que el final fue muy apresurado. Todos los sospechosos podrían haberlo hecho pero siento que el/la culpable no era un/a candidato/a muy fuerte. Las pistas y los hechos no me terminaron de encajar bien y eso es lo peor que puede pasarme en una novela de misterio.
Este libro lo leí como parte de un challenge donde tenia que leer un libro con malas críticas (no sé si 3,03 cuenta como malas críticas) pero a pesar del final, el libro supero mis expectativas.
October 19, 2016
I would like to thank Netgalley and Pushkin Vertigo for an advance copy of Death Going Down, the fairly short investigation into the death of Frida Eidinger, found dead in an apartment block lift in Buenos Aires.
A female body is discovered in an apartment block's lift. She is not a resident and only one resident admits to knowing her although he denies she was visiting him that evening. As Inspector Ericourt and his secretary, Blazi start to enquire into Frida's life they uncover many secrets and still have no idea if it was suicide or murder but another body steers them towards murder.
Death Going Down is an old fashioned murder mystery with limited suspects and an ingenious method of killing. As befits the era, the novel was first published in 1955, the emphasis is all on the plot with little character development. I don't think this is a bad thing as it makes for interesting reading.
Ms Bosco, a new author to me, is apparently regarded as the Argentinian Agatha Christie and quite rightly so as this novel, her debut, had me baffled. I picked the wrong perpetrator and had no idea of method or motive. I stopped trying to guess when my brain started hurting.
If you want a short, engrossing puzzle Death Going Down fits the bill nicely and I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.
A female body is discovered in an apartment block's lift. She is not a resident and only one resident admits to knowing her although he denies she was visiting him that evening. As Inspector Ericourt and his secretary, Blazi start to enquire into Frida's life they uncover many secrets and still have no idea if it was suicide or murder but another body steers them towards murder.
Death Going Down is an old fashioned murder mystery with limited suspects and an ingenious method of killing. As befits the era, the novel was first published in 1955, the emphasis is all on the plot with little character development. I don't think this is a bad thing as it makes for interesting reading.
Ms Bosco, a new author to me, is apparently regarded as the Argentinian Agatha Christie and quite rightly so as this novel, her debut, had me baffled. I picked the wrong perpetrator and had no idea of method or motive. I stopped trying to guess when my brain started hurting.
If you want a short, engrossing puzzle Death Going Down fits the bill nicely and I have no hesitation in recommending it as a good read.
October 17, 2023
One of the most intriguing mystery novel outside of English language realm. This novel is from Argentina and I will probably pick up more mystery novels from Argentina after reading this one. This novel is short yet it managed to construct a complex mystery with fair amount of character development and storytelling.
A lady is found dead in an elevator of an apartment building in Buenos Aires. Its a locked community and the victime had the key to the main entrance. Was she invited ? who knew her ? No one wants to admit any connection to her apparently. Pretty soon more murder follows and the murderer seems completely invisible phantom.
The mystery aspect of this novel is quite satisfactory ala Agatha Christie novels. The author is called the Agatha Christie of Argentina and she justified such accolade.
A lady is found dead in an elevator of an apartment building in Buenos Aires. Its a locked community and the victime had the key to the main entrance. Was she invited ? who knew her ? No one wants to admit any connection to her apparently. Pretty soon more murder follows and the murderer seems completely invisible phantom.
The mystery aspect of this novel is quite satisfactory ala Agatha Christie novels. The author is called the Agatha Christie of Argentina and she justified such accolade.
September 1, 2020
Trigger warnings: murder, poisoning, mentions of cheating, mentions of war (in the past).
I've seen Bosco described as Argentina's Agatha Christie, and I feel like I would have enjoyed this more if I hadn't read that comparison.
This murder mystery started out in a very compelling fashion - a dead woman in an elevator. The investigation brought in a lot of discussion of European migration to Argentina after the war, which was fascinating. But the sense of mystery I was hoping for was ultimately somewhat lacking because the investigation was essentially a series of long interviews. And then the book just...ended??
So yeah. I was really excited going into this, and there were definitely elements that I enjoyed. But I didn't love it the way I'd hoped.
I've seen Bosco described as Argentina's Agatha Christie, and I feel like I would have enjoyed this more if I hadn't read that comparison.
This murder mystery started out in a very compelling fashion - a dead woman in an elevator. The investigation brought in a lot of discussion of European migration to Argentina after the war, which was fascinating. But the sense of mystery I was hoping for was ultimately somewhat lacking because the investigation was essentially a series of long interviews. And then the book just...ended??
So yeah. I was really excited going into this, and there were definitely elements that I enjoyed. But I didn't love it the way I'd hoped.
July 1, 2025
È un giallo, un pollicesco, un vudanit che chi l'ha visto chi è stato lo scoprirete solo leggendo le ultime pagine, dall'impianto classico che in realtà il fatto che sia ambientato in Argentina non si sente per niente. Poteva funzionare anche a Francolino, insomma. E per funzionare, funziona: in realtà anche i personaggi - soprattutto quelli femminili - sono caratterizzati piuttosto bene, cosa abbastanza inusuale per romanzi del genere, popolati di solito da macchiette. Certo, se avete letto Conan Doyle, Van Dine e compagnia bella l'atmosfera è quella, però per una roba da leggere d'estate, sedutə al bar del bagno Poldo mentre le altre persone muoiono sotto al sole, va benissimo.
September 30, 2022
No, il presente non è eroico ma spiacevole o spaventoso.
Ottima scrittura. Anche l’approfondimento psicologico dei personaggi è solido, considerando le poche pagine del romanzo.
È però una trama per nulla originale e i detective non hanno la personalità -o per lo meno la simpatia- di altri investigatori coevi.
Resta comunque interessanti lo sguardo sull’Argentina post guerra, con immigrazione sia da parte di rifugiati che di ex-nazisti: forse un romanzo che fungesse più da affresco, lasciando in secondo pieno l’indagine, avrebbe avuto più forza.
Ottima scrittura. Anche l’approfondimento psicologico dei personaggi è solido, considerando le poche pagine del romanzo.
È però una trama per nulla originale e i detective non hanno la personalità -o per lo meno la simpatia- di altri investigatori coevi.
Resta comunque interessanti lo sguardo sull’Argentina post guerra, con immigrazione sia da parte di rifugiati che di ex-nazisti: forse un romanzo che fungesse più da affresco, lasciando in secondo pieno l’indagine, avrebbe avuto più forza.
August 27, 2025
lo avevo cercato un po' che avevo letto una recensione che mi aveva incuriosito. mi piace il genere, molto. E finalmente era in bella vista in una libreria indipendente.
Un bel poliziesco, costruito ad arte. Camera chiusa, o meglio ascensore. Tutto si svolge al chiuso. Nella Argentina degli anni '50.
Protagonisti, oltre alla polizia che indaga (tre poliziotti molto interessanti!) sono dei ricchi emigrati tedeschi.
Nella postfazione Francesca Lazzarato offre un nell'approfondimento su autrice e genere poliziesco poliziesco in Argentina.
Un bel poliziesco, costruito ad arte. Camera chiusa, o meglio ascensore. Tutto si svolge al chiuso. Nella Argentina degli anni '50.
Protagonisti, oltre alla polizia che indaga (tre poliziotti molto interessanti!) sono dei ricchi emigrati tedeschi.
Nella postfazione Francesca Lazzarato offre un nell'approfondimento su autrice e genere poliziesco poliziesco in Argentina.
May 21, 2017
This is an interesting one, I can't really say that I liked it -- the way the solution came together at the end didn't seem very real, the characters weren't particularly engaging or really fleshed out, and it didn't really convey a lot of local vibe -- but somehow I still wanted to keep reading, I guess just to see if the ending brought it together. It may just be too much of its time for me -- the mysteries I read are mostly newer ones.
June 9, 2017
This was a 2.5 for me. I think it suffered from clunky translation (I hope it was the translation and not really awkward Spanish in the original), and the fact that the detectives' identities were not developed. I will be taking it to the Edinburgh Dog and Cat charity shop in Stockbridge if anyone would like it! I volunteer there and will price it low :-)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews