BALLAD OF DOGS' BEACH

by Jose Cardoso Pires ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 24, 1987

In April of 1960, the bullet-ridden body of Major Luis Dantas Castro is found on sand dunes in the Praia do Mastro area not far from Lisbon. The political police of the Salazar regime are interested in this murder--because Dantas was an anti-Salazar plotter, one who had four months earlier escaped from a fort-prison in Elvas (where he was awaiting sentence for his part in an abortive military coup). But the investigation is headed by civilian cop Inspector Elias Santana, 51, an introspective, methodical, repressed fellow whose thoughts on the crime--including elaborate fantasies--form the core of this odd, moody novel. Was Dantas killed by government agents? Or by his own comrades in conspiracy? Or because of sexual jealousy? Those are the questions that nag at Elias as he tries to reconstruct Dantas' last few months of life, working from scanty evidence and taciturn testimony: Dantas' young cohorts--alluring mistress Mena, pleasure-loving corporal Barroca, idealistic architect Fontenova--are in custody, but obviously not telling everything. So, amid sexual fantasies of Mena, Elias uses his imagination to create the scenes at the conspirators' hide-out that led up to the murder. Based on a true historical incident, thickened with footnotes (and an uneven translation): an intriguing but gnarled blend of politics, sex, and police-work--primarily for those with an existing interest in the 1960 Portugal setting.

Pub Date: April 24, 1987

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Beaufort

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1987

Categories: FICTION