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Inspector Ramírez #3
Hungry Ghosts
Inspector Ricardo Ramirez investigates a string of dead prostitutes from Cuba to Canada in this carefully constructed mystery from award-winning author Peggy Blair.
Murders always multiply when there’s a full moon, Inspector Ricardo Ramirez knows. As he’s investigating a vandal in the art world, a ghost appears by Ramirez’s side…a sure sign that another murder victim is on the way. Ramirez’s fears are confirmed when a dead prostitute is found in Havana with nylons wrapped tightly around her neck, an MO that connects to his only cold case.
When another woman’s body is discovered in a similar condition on a First Nation reserve in Northern Ontario, Detective Charlie Pike struggles to determine whether the murder is a standalone crime or if the Highway Strangler has struck again. Before long, both detectives find themselves tracking a killer whose reach extends further than they could have imagined.
As the pressure mounts, Inspector Ramirez has to piece together the clues and track down an international serial killer before his government silences him.
Murders always multiply when there’s a full moon, Inspector Ricardo Ramirez knows. As he’s investigating a vandal in the art world, a ghost appears by Ramirez’s side…a sure sign that another murder victim is on the way. Ramirez’s fears are confirmed when a dead prostitute is found in Havana with nylons wrapped tightly around her neck, an MO that connects to his only cold case.
When another woman’s body is discovered in a similar condition on a First Nation reserve in Northern Ontario, Detective Charlie Pike struggles to determine whether the murder is a standalone crime or if the Highway Strangler has struck again. Before long, both detectives find themselves tracking a killer whose reach extends further than they could have imagined.
As the pressure mounts, Inspector Ramirez has to piece together the clues and track down an international serial killer before his government silences him.
353 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2015
5 people are currently reading
333 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 69 reviews
May 8, 2015
Dead prostitutes in Havana... a dead woman on a reserve in northern Ontario. In Cuba, no one but Inspector Ramirez seems to care. In Canada, local cops don’t want to touch a native case, and Detective Charlie Pike is brought back to the home he left long ago. Two cases and two cops, each battling their systems and their ghosts (yes there are ghosts!), only to find that the cases are linked.
As she has done in the first two books in the series, Blair has created deep, multifaceted characters within settings that you can almost touch and smell. Powerful evocative writing—and a tight mystery plot—make for great summer reading that also makes you stop and think.
Disclosure: I was sent an advance copy by the publisher, with no strings attached.
As she has done in the first two books in the series, Blair has created deep, multifaceted characters within settings that you can almost touch and smell. Powerful evocative writing—and a tight mystery plot—make for great summer reading that also makes you stop and think.
Disclosure: I was sent an advance copy by the publisher, with no strings attached.
July 20, 2015
Book 3, in the Inspector Raminez series
“Hungry Ghost” is my introduction to Canadian author Peggy Blair. Was I lost starting at this point?, yes at first, but it didn’t take too many chapters to place the missing pieces together, go with the flow and enjoy this light mystery, one rich in atmosphere and style.
The storyline has three threads:
It begins in Havana with Inspector Ricardo Raminez investigating vandalism at a local museum. The chapters describing the heist are exciting with lots of actions and suspense but things soon peters out and we find ourselves following Ricardo on other crimes involving dead prostitutes. This switching of theme in the second thread brings a bit of confusion and to boot victims’ ghost appearing at Ricardo’s side out of the blue, advising him of impending deaths becomes fast an irritant. The added ghostly touch can be easily omitted and this would not affect any way, shape or form the development of this story. In alternate chapters the third thread brings us to Canada, on a First nation reserve in Northern Ontario with aboriginal detective Charlie Pike on a case of a murder victim whose death may be linked to a serial killer.
When the heist and the whodunits come together the elements of the mystery hold up pretty well. We have terrific characters in both Raminez and Pike doing what they do best in their isolated locations: one in the non-touristy Cuba and the other in impoverished Canadian wilderness. This book is a good read, carefully constructed, complex in many ways and layered with humour. The narrative is outstanding and the dialogue between players highlights the author’s expertise in the art of interrogation and shows how knowledgeable she is in the Aboriginal culture and ways of life.
“Hungry Ghosts” is a gritty and a chilling read of two detectives against an international serial killer
“Hungry Ghost” is my introduction to Canadian author Peggy Blair. Was I lost starting at this point?, yes at first, but it didn’t take too many chapters to place the missing pieces together, go with the flow and enjoy this light mystery, one rich in atmosphere and style.
The storyline has three threads:
It begins in Havana with Inspector Ricardo Raminez investigating vandalism at a local museum. The chapters describing the heist are exciting with lots of actions and suspense but things soon peters out and we find ourselves following Ricardo on other crimes involving dead prostitutes. This switching of theme in the second thread brings a bit of confusion and to boot victims’ ghost appearing at Ricardo’s side out of the blue, advising him of impending deaths becomes fast an irritant. The added ghostly touch can be easily omitted and this would not affect any way, shape or form the development of this story. In alternate chapters the third thread brings us to Canada, on a First nation reserve in Northern Ontario with aboriginal detective Charlie Pike on a case of a murder victim whose death may be linked to a serial killer.
When the heist and the whodunits come together the elements of the mystery hold up pretty well. We have terrific characters in both Raminez and Pike doing what they do best in their isolated locations: one in the non-touristy Cuba and the other in impoverished Canadian wilderness. This book is a good read, carefully constructed, complex in many ways and layered with humour. The narrative is outstanding and the dialogue between players highlights the author’s expertise in the art of interrogation and shows how knowledgeable she is in the Aboriginal culture and ways of life.
“Hungry Ghosts” is a gritty and a chilling read of two detectives against an international serial killer
July 7, 2015
I am a huge fan of Peggy Blair's Inspector Ramirez series. The third book - Hungry Ghosts - has just released.
From the opening pages, I slipped back into the world of Inspector Ramirez of the Havana, Cuba police department. Ramirez is called to investigate an art exhibit vandalization. While there, a ghost joins him. Yes, Ramirez sees the dead - specifically the murdered. And one of those now following him is another dead prostitute - strangled with a pair of stockings.
Up in the colder climates of Canada, Detective Charlie Pike is also called to the murder of a dead woman on the Manomin Bay First Nation Reserve. She too has a stocking around her neck......
Blair's plotting is meticulous, inventive and oh, so well played. The two investigations mirror each other, from the crimes, the detectives, the metaphysical, politics and more. The cases are told in alternating chapters, guaranteeing that 'just one more chapter' late night read. Lots of twists and turns tie the two cases together in a most unexpected manner.
The plotting is rich, but so are the settings. The details surrounding both locales give the reader a vivid picture of both Havana and Northern Ontario, using architecture, the natural world, rules, laws, attitudes and language to bring both sites to life. I am fairly familiar with the First Nations lore and location, but did indeed learn something new. I am constantly fascinated by the details of Havana and 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.
Blair winds social commentary about both countries throughout her novels to great effect. The novel is set in 2007 and many news/historical events are referenced, such as residential schools and Guantanamo Bay. This reality gives the books added depth.
But it is the characters of Ramirez and coroner Hector Apiro that have captured me. 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. Seeing the dead only adds to the plot and the characters. Apiro's mind is brilliant and his personal storyline is both unique and moving. However, with this third novel, I found the character of Charlie Pike appealing to me just as much. His personal storyline is just as rich and compelling. Supporting players are just as well drawn.
The title? "...there are three kinds of ghosts. There are orphan ghosts, who have no children to honour them properly. There are the ghosts of those who die violently, who sometimes come back for revenge. And then there are the hungry ghosts, the ones who can't feed themselves enough no matter how hard they try. Most murdered women are hungry ghosts."
Hungry Ghosts was another satisfying read on so many levels. And an excellent addition to a wonderful series. Absolutely recommended - I'll be waiting for the next book. Hungry Ghosts could certainly be read as a stand alone, but I really recommend you read the first two books - The Poisoned Pawn and The Beggar's Opera. They're both just as good and you'll get to know the characters from the beginning.
From the opening pages, I slipped back into the world of Inspector Ramirez of the Havana, Cuba police department. Ramirez is called to investigate an art exhibit vandalization. While there, a ghost joins him. Yes, Ramirez sees the dead - specifically the murdered. And one of those now following him is another dead prostitute - strangled with a pair of stockings.
Up in the colder climates of Canada, Detective Charlie Pike is also called to the murder of a dead woman on the Manomin Bay First Nation Reserve. She too has a stocking around her neck......
Blair's plotting is meticulous, inventive and oh, so well played. The two investigations mirror each other, from the crimes, the detectives, the metaphysical, politics and more. The cases are told in alternating chapters, guaranteeing that 'just one more chapter' late night read. Lots of twists and turns tie the two cases together in a most unexpected manner.
The plotting is rich, but so are the settings. The details surrounding both locales give the reader a vivid picture of both Havana and Northern Ontario, using architecture, the natural world, rules, laws, attitudes and language to bring both sites to life. I am fairly familiar with the First Nations lore and location, but did indeed learn something new. I am constantly fascinated by the details of Havana and 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.
Blair winds social commentary about both countries throughout her novels to great effect. The novel is set in 2007 and many news/historical events are referenced, such as residential schools and Guantanamo Bay. This reality gives the books added depth.
But it is the characters of Ramirez and coroner Hector Apiro that have captured me. 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. Seeing the dead only adds to the plot and the characters. Apiro's mind is brilliant and his personal storyline is both unique and moving. However, with this third novel, I found the character of Charlie Pike appealing to me just as much. His personal storyline is just as rich and compelling. Supporting players are just as well drawn.
The title? "...there are three kinds of ghosts. There are orphan ghosts, who have no children to honour them properly. There are the ghosts of those who die violently, who sometimes come back for revenge. And then there are the hungry ghosts, the ones who can't feed themselves enough no matter how hard they try. Most murdered women are hungry ghosts."
Hungry Ghosts was another satisfying read on so many levels. And an excellent addition to a wonderful series. Absolutely recommended - I'll be waiting for the next book. Hungry Ghosts could certainly be read as a stand alone, but I really recommend you read the first two books - The Poisoned Pawn and The Beggar's Opera. They're both just as good and you'll get to know the characters from the beginning.
August 21, 2017
Inspector Ramirez has his hands full - vandalism of some Italian masterpieces on loan to the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Havana and prostitutes turning up dead. Detective Charlie Pike in Ottowa has his hands full - a woman found dead on a First Nation reserve in the midst of protests between First Nation members and a pulp mill accused of dumping pollutants into the water. There's a few more characters to keep track of up in Ottowa and the reader gets to know even more about Detective Pike's past. But, it's finding out if there's a connection between what's going on in Havana and what's going on on the Reserve that keeps you riveted to this book. Another great job Peggy Blair. Looking forward to the next one.
October 30, 2015
Ricardo Ramirez is a homicide investigator in Havana. It’s not a popular profession to have in Cuba nor does it come with much government support in the way of state of the art labs, DNA testing or even pencils. However, Detective Ramirez has his own secret weapon … the ghosts of the victims he will be investigating. Whenever Ricardo sees a new apparition he knows that a new case is about to come his way. Unfortunately, these ghosts cannot speak to him, but somehow, they manage to help.
The latest victim appears when the body of a dead prostitute is found with nylon stockings tied in a bow around her neck … the same MO as his one and only unsolved murder.
Quick switch of locations where Charlie Pike finds a similar victim, also with stockings tied into a bow around her neck, on a First Nations Reserve in Northern Ontario. Can these cases possibly be related? Is there really an international serial killer on the loose?
For me this book was interesting on so many levels and, surprisingly, the ghost story was the least of them. While the ghost added color and some comic relief to a rather grisly murder mystery, had the book been written without the inclusion of the apparitions it would have worked just as well. I enjoyed the glimpse into the life of the local inhabitants of Havana that is a far cry from the tourist experience. Contrasting and comparing Detective Ramirez in Cuba to Detective Pike on the First Nations Reserve was eye-opening … so many of the same issues face the population in both areas. Ms. Blair incorporates the comparison so smoothly into her narrative that it never detracts from the story, yet makes a strong statement never the less. It thoroughly added to my enjoyment of this well written book. There were enough plot twists and red herrings to keep me turning the pages at a pretty brisk pace and the ending was a revelation I didn’t really see coming until Ms. Blair places her reader in the midst of the action.
I enjoyed all of the characters but have to give a special shout-out to the portrayal of Hector Apiro, the coroner. He is one of the most original characters I’ve read in a long time and were I casting this as a movie Peter Dinklage would be my first and only choice. If that’s not teaser enough to tempt you to pick up the book I don’t know what is.
This is the third in the Inspector Ramirez series and the first I have read. It held up well as a stand-alone book and despite my protest of not wanting to get involved with another series I will be picking up book one and two somewhere along the way. There were ghost, so I am including this in my Halloween reads and give it 4 ghosts … not as a Halloween read but as a very good book overall.
The latest victim appears when the body of a dead prostitute is found with nylon stockings tied in a bow around her neck … the same MO as his one and only unsolved murder.
Quick switch of locations where Charlie Pike finds a similar victim, also with stockings tied into a bow around her neck, on a First Nations Reserve in Northern Ontario. Can these cases possibly be related? Is there really an international serial killer on the loose?
For me this book was interesting on so many levels and, surprisingly, the ghost story was the least of them. While the ghost added color and some comic relief to a rather grisly murder mystery, had the book been written without the inclusion of the apparitions it would have worked just as well. I enjoyed the glimpse into the life of the local inhabitants of Havana that is a far cry from the tourist experience. Contrasting and comparing Detective Ramirez in Cuba to Detective Pike on the First Nations Reserve was eye-opening … so many of the same issues face the population in both areas. Ms. Blair incorporates the comparison so smoothly into her narrative that it never detracts from the story, yet makes a strong statement never the less. It thoroughly added to my enjoyment of this well written book. There were enough plot twists and red herrings to keep me turning the pages at a pretty brisk pace and the ending was a revelation I didn’t really see coming until Ms. Blair places her reader in the midst of the action.
I enjoyed all of the characters but have to give a special shout-out to the portrayal of Hector Apiro, the coroner. He is one of the most original characters I’ve read in a long time and were I casting this as a movie Peter Dinklage would be my first and only choice. If that’s not teaser enough to tempt you to pick up the book I don’t know what is.
This is the third in the Inspector Ramirez series and the first I have read. It held up well as a stand-alone book and despite my protest of not wanting to get involved with another series I will be picking up book one and two somewhere along the way. There were ghost, so I am including this in my Halloween reads and give it 4 ghosts … not as a Halloween read but as a very good book overall.
December 17, 2015
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It started off in a confusing way, switching back and forth between Northern Ontario and missing aboriginal women and Cuba and dead prostitutes but soon it found its rhythm and the story became very compelĺing This is the first book I have read in this series but the characters were well-drawn and the plot suspenseful. Again we are shown the way both dictatorships and democracies treat those whose lives are deemed unimportant. The difference is that in Cuba most citizens are oppressed and in Canada the weight of injustice often falls on those who are not white. The author's sympathy is clearly with those who have been marginalized but to her credit she does not portray the natives as plaster of paris saints. My only criticism came at the beginning as she felt obliged to give her readers constant reminders of aboriginal protests and problems we are well acquainted with. On the other hand, given that a recent NDP federal candidate did not know what Auschwitz was,and after reading reports that concentration camps are in danger of being turned into theme parks or nunneries, perhaps a little bit of historical demagoguery isn't a bad thing.
April 10, 2015
Goodreads Advance Uncorrected Proofs Win
In this third installment, we find Inspector Ricardo Ramirez investigates a string of dead prostitutes that takes him from Cuba to Canada.
What started as an art investigation turns into appearances by ghosts. When a visit of a ghost appears at his side a murder prostitute is found strangled to death by silk nylons around her neck. To make matters worse this was the MO of the only case he has never solved in his career.
Meantime Detective Charlie Pike on a First Nation reserve in Northern Ontario another woman body is found in similar condition. He wonders if it just a singular crime or does it have to do with the Highway Strangler as each men try to figure out things.
Ramirez must find the international killer before he is sent back to Canada and be quieted. Could these things be tied together and how so?
A fast moving thriller that keeps you guessing that was an enjoyable read.
In this third installment, we find Inspector Ricardo Ramirez investigates a string of dead prostitutes that takes him from Cuba to Canada.
What started as an art investigation turns into appearances by ghosts. When a visit of a ghost appears at his side a murder prostitute is found strangled to death by silk nylons around her neck. To make matters worse this was the MO of the only case he has never solved in his career.
Meantime Detective Charlie Pike on a First Nation reserve in Northern Ontario another woman body is found in similar condition. He wonders if it just a singular crime or does it have to do with the Highway Strangler as each men try to figure out things.
Ramirez must find the international killer before he is sent back to Canada and be quieted. Could these things be tied together and how so?
A fast moving thriller that keeps you guessing that was an enjoyable read.
February 7, 2017
I love this series. I really enjoyed the two parallel plot lines between Havana and northern Ontario, and the ending was quite a good twist. Inspector Ramirez is a charming character: haunted by ghosts, trying to save his marriage, trying to do the right thing in spite of all the barriers in his way. I hope Peggy Blair writes more books starring him.
June 15, 2015
One of my English profs often used the expression "the willing suspension of disbelief". It's what you need to get into this book, but once you're there, you have to find out how the story will unfold. Now I need to go back and read the previous books in the series.
June 4, 2017
Hungry Ghosts is the third book in the Inspector Ricardo Ramirez series. Ramirez's wife is out of town with the children. He isn't lonely though as a the ghost of a murdered man is hanging out with him. Ramirez sees dead people, specifically murder victims. He knows that a body will be discovered before long.
Set in Havana, Ramirez is a dedicated police officer who often laments about the state of Cuba with his best friend, Hector Apiro, a pathologist. Peggy Blair lets us see the Cuba that tourists are insulated from. In Hungry Ghosts, Ramirez is working on a potential serial killer case as there have been several murders of prostitutes. The victims are strangled using a nylon which bears a similarity to a case in Canada.
Detective Charlie Pike makes a trip to his home reserve in Ontario to investigate the murder of a white woman on the reserve. It's an emotional journey that brings back memories and reintroduces him to old friends.
Blair ties the two stories together, although the transition between the two settings didn't have a great flow to it. This is an enjoyable series written by a writer who is well versed in First Nations issues. I said it when reading Poisoned Pawn and I will say it again, both these settings and characters deserve their own series. The Cuba/Canada mix doesn't do either justice.
Set in Havana, Ramirez is a dedicated police officer who often laments about the state of Cuba with his best friend, Hector Apiro, a pathologist. Peggy Blair lets us see the Cuba that tourists are insulated from. In Hungry Ghosts, Ramirez is working on a potential serial killer case as there have been several murders of prostitutes. The victims are strangled using a nylon which bears a similarity to a case in Canada.
Detective Charlie Pike makes a trip to his home reserve in Ontario to investigate the murder of a white woman on the reserve. It's an emotional journey that brings back memories and reintroduces him to old friends.
Blair ties the two stories together, although the transition between the two settings didn't have a great flow to it. This is an enjoyable series written by a writer who is well versed in First Nations issues. I said it when reading Poisoned Pawn and I will say it again, both these settings and characters deserve their own series. The Cuba/Canada mix doesn't do either justice.
June 6, 2017
Peggy Blair just keeps getting better and better. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite authours.
February 8, 2019
The author continues to enlighten the reader about native traditions and Cuban life. Both stories do come together but before they do, so much is happening in each country where murders need to be solved. Looking forward to next book.
July 17, 2015
Patricia Filteau Hungry Ghosts by Peggy Blair, Simon & Schuster 2015
–deliciously despicable
Peggy Blair introduced us to the endearing, quirky Inspector Ramirez in her debut novel, The Beggars Opera (aka Midnight in Havana – UK release) in 2012 quickly followed by The Poisoned Pawn in 2013 and on a roll, she presented her committed readership and growing following with Hungry Ghosts in 2015. Hungry Ghosts, reads well as a stand-alone, in, or out of order, in the series.
For American readers, who will soon begin migrating to Cuba for winter sojourns, the way Canadian snowbirds have been doing for decades, ever wonder how a few of these visitors descend into the criminal world? Peggy Blair’s ghostly tale will give you a glimpse at the intrigue that besets Inspector Ramirez as he chases the clues to unravel the string of deaths of Cuban women in Havana. The origins of the crime scenes reach beyond the poverty, squalor and corruption of the oppressive Cuban regime into the sordid, squalid, compromised First Nations communities of northern Ontario in Canada that have also been experiencing a horrifying string of murders of native women. Two intuitive investigating officers – each influenced by the spiritual world and beliefs of their respective socio-cultural heritages, each under paid, over worked and ill supported – navigate the quagmire of corrupt bureaucracies and remain steadfast in the determination to identify the predatory behaviour that wrenches precious lives from unsuspecting, vulnerable women in their communities. Both investigators listen to their spiritual world, their elders and follower their instincts to converge on the heartless killer.
Peggy Blair’s tale delights, tantalizes, weaves, melds and leaves the reader exhaustingly satisfied when the last page is turned. For this reader it was done so by headlamp, late into the night, deep in the wilderness of Algonquin Park in northern Ontario, on a summer canoe trip, seized by the snap of a branch outside the tent when I laid the book to rest. I would have gladly welcomed the nearby tread of Charlie Pike, officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
–deliciously despicable
Peggy Blair introduced us to the endearing, quirky Inspector Ramirez in her debut novel, The Beggars Opera (aka Midnight in Havana – UK release) in 2012 quickly followed by The Poisoned Pawn in 2013 and on a roll, she presented her committed readership and growing following with Hungry Ghosts in 2015. Hungry Ghosts, reads well as a stand-alone, in, or out of order, in the series.
For American readers, who will soon begin migrating to Cuba for winter sojourns, the way Canadian snowbirds have been doing for decades, ever wonder how a few of these visitors descend into the criminal world? Peggy Blair’s ghostly tale will give you a glimpse at the intrigue that besets Inspector Ramirez as he chases the clues to unravel the string of deaths of Cuban women in Havana. The origins of the crime scenes reach beyond the poverty, squalor and corruption of the oppressive Cuban regime into the sordid, squalid, compromised First Nations communities of northern Ontario in Canada that have also been experiencing a horrifying string of murders of native women. Two intuitive investigating officers – each influenced by the spiritual world and beliefs of their respective socio-cultural heritages, each under paid, over worked and ill supported – navigate the quagmire of corrupt bureaucracies and remain steadfast in the determination to identify the predatory behaviour that wrenches precious lives from unsuspecting, vulnerable women in their communities. Both investigators listen to their spiritual world, their elders and follower their instincts to converge on the heartless killer.
Peggy Blair’s tale delights, tantalizes, weaves, melds and leaves the reader exhaustingly satisfied when the last page is turned. For this reader it was done so by headlamp, late into the night, deep in the wilderness of Algonquin Park in northern Ontario, on a summer canoe trip, seized by the snap of a branch outside the tent when I laid the book to rest. I would have gladly welcomed the nearby tread of Charlie Pike, officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
July 22, 2015
I received this book through the Goodreads giveaway. I hadn't heard of the series or Peggy Blair previously and I can say, having now finished the book, that it was a shame I hadn't!
At first, the switching between separate storylines confused me but once I settled in and got used to the characters I was hooked.
I have an academic background in Spanish so the inclusion of the words in the language and the cultural authenticity on that end. I would have loved the book regardless but I really enjoyed the extra flair it added.
I was also a huge fan of all the twists and turns. I can't even count the amount of times I just stared at the page and thought (or said) "oh.my.goodness. What just happened?!". I had just finished reading Liars, Inc. and had a bit of a book hangover from the way Paula Stokes threw the surprises at me so this book was an AMAZING recovery book.
Overall, the characters we incredibly authentic and likeable, the stories were captivating, the writing was well done. I loved, loved, loved it. I definitely intend on reading the other Inspector Ramirez books down the road as I'm sure they can only be just as awesome.
April 17, 2015
Thanks to the publisher for a free copy of this book.
When I first started reading Hungry Ghosts, I was captivated. I knew that I would be wanting to read the prior two Inspector Ramirez books, The Beggar's Opera and The Poisened Pawn. So, while Hungry Ghosts could be read as a stand alone novel, I decided to read the other two first. That made the book even more enjoyable, as I became more engaged with the characters, knowing more about their back stories.
Peggy Blair seamlessly weaves three different storylines about art world vandalism and prostitute murders, set in Cuba and Northern Ontario. Blair inserts information about Cuban and Aboriginal culture/history, forensic science, legal and police procedures, among others, without slowing down the plot. She handles gruesome material sensitively and intelligently. I was interested from beginning to end with all the plot twists and turns.
The characters are well developed and likeable. In this book, I was especially invested in Inspector Ramirez. I found it hard to put this book down. Hungry Ghosts was an engrossing page turner right to the end.
When I first started reading Hungry Ghosts, I was captivated. I knew that I would be wanting to read the prior two Inspector Ramirez books, The Beggar's Opera and The Poisened Pawn. So, while Hungry Ghosts could be read as a stand alone novel, I decided to read the other two first. That made the book even more enjoyable, as I became more engaged with the characters, knowing more about their back stories.
Peggy Blair seamlessly weaves three different storylines about art world vandalism and prostitute murders, set in Cuba and Northern Ontario. Blair inserts information about Cuban and Aboriginal culture/history, forensic science, legal and police procedures, among others, without slowing down the plot. She handles gruesome material sensitively and intelligently. I was interested from beginning to end with all the plot twists and turns.
The characters are well developed and likeable. In this book, I was especially invested in Inspector Ramirez. I found it hard to put this book down. Hungry Ghosts was an engrossing page turner right to the end.
July 19, 2015
"Hungry Ghosts" is Peggy Blair's best book yet. The third in the Inspector Ramirez series builds on the strong foundations of the previous two: the engaging and very human character of the Inspector, the informed social commentary surrounding Cuba and Canada, and the ghosts who walk on and off stage at will. These latter aren't the product of soft spiritualism; they're realistic entities, often amusing in their cheeky intrusions on Ramirez's investigations.
"Hungry Ghosts" is two murder mysteries for the price of one. An investigation takes place in Canada's north and another in the south -- Cuba. It isn't until close to the end that the separate stories draw to their conclusions. Only after that are the crimes are linked in a surprising twist at the end.
As always, Peggy Blair's prose is well-written, well-informed, and full of interesting fact, cultural and historical, as well as legal and forensic, related to solving the crime.
I have a hard time reading fiction lately -- my eyes are too used to grazing the computer screen -- but "Hungry Ghosts" absorbed me from beginning to end.
"Hungry Ghosts" is two murder mysteries for the price of one. An investigation takes place in Canada's north and another in the south -- Cuba. It isn't until close to the end that the separate stories draw to their conclusions. Only after that are the crimes are linked in a surprising twist at the end.
As always, Peggy Blair's prose is well-written, well-informed, and full of interesting fact, cultural and historical, as well as legal and forensic, related to solving the crime.
I have a hard time reading fiction lately -- my eyes are too used to grazing the computer screen -- but "Hungry Ghosts" absorbed me from beginning to end.
July 12, 2015
Another excellent mystery by Peggy Blair, intertwining Inspector Ramirez in Cuba--and all the challenges of living and working there--and Detective Charlie Pike of the Ottawa police force, this time at a First Nations reserve in northern Ontario, in what appear to be related murders, as written in the book. The many surprises in the plot, and in the ending, are well disguised with little foreshadowing. Blair also incorporates considerable knowledge of the challenges of Canadian indigenous people and other legal, political, and social issues and cases into Charlie Pike's experiences. Parallels between the two cultures in such different countries, such as the role of visions, as well as previous work between the two policemen, and lawyer Celia Jones who works with the Ottawa police, and who happens to be in the northern Ontario town near the reserve, also are nicely threaded. Although published this year, Blair says she finished writing the book in fall 2012. I hope that means there will be a 4th book in this series published soon.
December 8, 2016
I loved this book. It was chosen as a selection for book club for a date I could not attend but I decided to read it anyway, and I am so glad I did. It has linked parallel investigations of murders of prostitutes in Canada and Cuba. In Cuba, Inspector Ricardo Ramirez sees ghosts of the crimes he is investigating and so the book opens with a ghost disturbing his privacy while his wife is away with the kids. The host's body shows up on a beach while he is also called to investigate vandalism at the Art Museum. Soon a prostitute shows up in a wood close to the airport road which is reminiscent of a year old cold case. How his four cases relate is the startling conclusion to the book. Meanwhile in Canada Detective Charlie Pike must confront his past when investigating the murder of a white woman whose body is found on land belonging to the band where Charlie grew up. Does this crime relate to his investigation of the Highway Strangler? How to account for the change in pattern? This story is intertwined with the Cuban story in a believable and satisfying way.
November 22, 2015
Good crime/mystery with a whole cast of characters including two main characters, detectives, in two different countries, one in Cuba and one in Canada. Ricardo Ramirez is on the trail of an art theft and murder/s of prostitutes in Cuba; Charlie Pike is on the trail of the Highway Strangler in northern Ontario, Kenora area, only this time it is not an Indian woman who is murdered, it is a white woman. And what both will discover is similarities between the murders and their connection to both countries. Lots of current (2007) headlines we'll be familiar with that hit home like embargos in Cuba and Pickton murders in Canada. Storylines intersect nicely and Blair gives the reader a chapter set in Cuba then one in Canada. Strong characters, interesting settings and fascinating political,cultural and topical themes. And the ghosts? Yes, they're real.
August 23, 2016
I knew that this mystery series had captured my interest when I read this novel out of sequence because I was so eager to continue. The Ottawa Citizen wrote about this book 'it's the Cuban story that really makes it sing". I respectfully disagree as it was the Canadian part of this mystery that I especially enjoyed. In 1975 at the age of 20 I moved to Kenora where I had my first introduction to the horrible conditions that many of our First Nations live with; mercury poisoning, discrimination, poor water quality, alcohol addictions, poverty and violence. Hungry Ghosts respectfully explores these themes as well as the heartbreak of the murdered and missing Aboriginal women and girls as part of an intriguing murder case. Miigwetch Peggy Blair. Your talent continues to entertain and educate me.
July 1, 2016
This is the third book I have read in Peggy Blair's unique crime series. As usual, her plot is very clever and creative with many seemingly disparate strands ultimately intersecting. Her Cuban characters, Inspector Ramirez of Havana and his various colleagues are set off very effectively by the Canadian characters.
What elevates this book above the level of so many detective stories are the descriptions of the social environment in Cuba and the situation of First Nations people in Canada. The parallels between the two are striking. Charlie Pike, an aboriginal law enforcement officer in Ontario, is developing into a very interesting character who will hopefully take more of a centre stage role in future stories.
What elevates this book above the level of so many detective stories are the descriptions of the social environment in Cuba and the situation of First Nations people in Canada. The parallels between the two are striking. Charlie Pike, an aboriginal law enforcement officer in Ontario, is developing into a very interesting character who will hopefully take more of a centre stage role in future stories.
July 31, 2016
I wanted to read this book because it was short-listed for the Arthur Ellis award, and also I had just been to Cuba, where it is partially set. I enjoyed the settings, both northern Ontario and Havana, learning about the cultures of both places, in particular Mohawk and Ojibway customs. A number of aspects related to Canadian First Nations are quite shocking: their treatment in residential schools, indifference to missing aboriginal women, racism, mercury poisoning of the river by a pulp mill, etc. I found the plot quite convoluted, with its dual settings and several murders in each. However, this may be because I read the novel in many short bursts, and it is my first to read in the series, even though it is #3.
April 16, 2015
Thank you to Goodreads, Simon and Schuster Canada and Peggy Blair for the Goodreads ARC of this novel. It is the first Inspector Ramirez novel that I have read and I am looking forward to reading more. This is a great book that skillfully tells two separate tales and entwines the characters and storyline to perfection. I quickly liked all of the characters, each one a believable person and it took me nearly the entire book to figure out "who dunit". I enjoying learning about Cuba and the citizens along with an insight to living on a reserve here in Canada. Well done to the author.
September 13, 2015
At first, I struggled with the apparitions with which Insp. Ramirez was burdened, but later I found they integrated so well with his character and were such perfect metaphors for his personal demons and the stress of the job. Actually, I started looking forward to them. Great stuff!
I really enjoyed the "bon mots" and I personally loved the Canadian settings and characters a lot. Charlie Pike deserves his own novel!
This is a very complex Canadian book with unusual detail and fine lexicon. I learned something new.
Reichs and Gerritsen could learn a thing or two. . .
I really enjoyed the "bon mots" and I personally loved the Canadian settings and characters a lot. Charlie Pike deserves his own novel!
This is a very complex Canadian book with unusual detail and fine lexicon. I learned something new.
Reichs and Gerritsen could learn a thing or two. . .
December 17, 2015
This was my favourite of the three Inspector Ramirez novels. In The Hungry Ghosts, Peggy Blair created an aura of unease and sadness that carried throughout the book. She resisted the temptation either to underplay or overplay the spectral, which would have detracted from the effectiveness of the imagery and the emotional impact. I was sorry to think that this might be the last of her novels, as I felt that Ms Blair was coming into full stride as a writer with this book. Now I hear that a new book is coming out in 2016? Bravo!
August 30, 2015
I am a big fan of Peggy Blair. Beggar's Opera won me over with her rich cast of characters and intriguing magical realism of sorts. Main character sees ghosts after all and they help him slightly in solving mysteries and murders set in Cuba. Hungry Ghosts doesn't disappoint. Dead prostitutes turn up in Havana and our favourite detective is back on the case. Enjoyed the rich First Nations subplot. Peggy Blair is a real Canadian treasure.
July 2, 2015
This is the third and best book in what is already a very strong series. Blair combines both narratives, one in Cuba and one in Canada, with precision and ease. Her descriptions and characters in Cuba were already strong in the previous two books, but the addition of a Canadian angle and Canadian characters running parallel to the Cuban side adds more depth and power to the series. Highly recommended.
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October 15, 2016Excellent read. I really enjoyed all three of Peggy's books. Her tremendous knowledge on legal matters and aboriginal affairs were weaved into the murder mysteries that took us from Cuba to Canada. The main character Inspector Ramirez is one calm cool dude who you would want on your side any day. The books were witty and well written. I definitely would recommend.
July 10, 2015
4.75, actually. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Deft character development, every interaction felt natural and believeable. Richly layered story, the intrigue kept me engaged and on my toes. The underlying theme made my heart ache, but I loved how it was woven in at the very start. So honest, respectful and compassionate.
Definitely recommended.
Definitely recommended.
September 6, 2015
This is the third book in the series. It was still very good but had a slightly different feel to it. I'm not sure if it was because this book had more of a split between things happening in Cuba & Canada or something else. Still liked it a lot. I really appreciated the new police officer introduced in book 2, Charlie Pike. Looking forward to a fourth book, hopefully!
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