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    Bellini and the Sphinx
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    Bellini and the Sphinx
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    Bellini and the Sphinx
    Ebook220 pages3 hours

    Bellini and the Sphinx

    By Tony Bellotto

    3/5

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    About this ebook

    Included in CrimeReads's list of February's Best International Crime Fiction

    Included in Chicago Review of Books's list of Winter's Best Thrillers

    Included in CBC Radio's The Homestretch's Fall 2019 Mystery Selections

    "Bellini and the Sphinx is the American debut for the wildly popular Sao Paulo-based crime series written by Bellotto, the celebrated Brazilian guitarist and writer. His private eye, Remo Bellini, is a conscious homage to Philip Marlowe and the classic noir American detectives, but with an identity all his own and a milieu, the streets of Sao Paulo, that are as alive and mysterious as any you'll come across in the genre. American readers have waited too long for this, but they'll finally get the chance to visit Brazil through Bellotto/Bellini's eyes."
    --Literary Hub

    Included in CrimeReads's List of The Most Anticipated Crime Books of 2019

    "Originally published in Portuguese in 1995, Bellotto's series opener introduces Remo Bellini, a private eye in the tradition of Spade and Marlowe but distinctively Brazilian...Bellotto's detective, less ironic and more earnest in his angst than his American counterparts, proves a compelling guide to the passionate world of São Paulo."
    --Kirkus Reviews

    "Previously published in Brazilian rock musician Bellotto's native country, the São Paolo–set noir follows private detective Remo Bellini, who is investigating the disappearance of several women connected to the underworld and the related murder of a famed surgeon. Bellotto says he modeled his PI on Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe, and that the plot, which involves prostitutes and live-sex performers, evokes two classically intertwined themes: sex and death."
    --Publishers Weekly

    "Private detective Remo Bellini plunges into the underworld of São Paulo in search of [a] missing dancer at the behest of her married lover, a renowned surgeon, who soon turns up dead."
    --Publishers Weekly, Included in Spring 2019 Announcements / Mysteries & Thrillers

    "The dialogue and interactions between [Remo and Dora Loba] are fantastic, and lent some much-needed lightness to the story. Both of these characters are well-drawn and thoughtful, so I do hope that these books continue to be translated for us English readers."
    --I've Read This

    "Bellini is a classic private eye, having fallen into the career from a failed attempt at the law...If a reader were interested in knowing what hard-boiled detective fiction is all about, this would be a good place to start."
    --The Cyberlibrarian

    "Bellini and the Sphinx is an enjoyable light ride, with enough variety to keep readers interested."
    --The Complete Review

    "Tony Bellotto has written his novel in the best noir tradition. The book, in the style of Edgar Allan Poe, grips the reader from beginning to surprising end. Bellini and the Sphinx is a landmark in Western crime fiction."
    --Paulo Lins, author of City of God

    Who is the missing dancer Ana Cíntia Lopes? Why did her coworkers, Camila and Dinéia, disappear? What does the voluptuous prostitute Fatima want? Who killed renowned surgeon Dr. Samuel Rafidjian? And what is the role of the hulking live-sex performer known as the Indian?

    To confront the puzzle of several sphinxes, most of them female, private detective Remo Bellini plunges into the underworld of São Paulo. Little by little, the mysteries unravel in a surprising fashion, until the solving of the final enigma leaves Bellini perplexed, with a bitter taste in his mouth.

    Translated from Brazilian Portuguese into English by Clifford E. Landers.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAkashic Books
    Release dateFeb 5, 2019
    ISBN9781617756900
    Author

    Tony Bellotto

    Tony Bellotto is the author of the best-selling Bellini mystery novels, which have been released as major feature films and translated widely, establishing him as the preeminent writer of Brazilian detective fiction. He is also a guitarist and songwriter for the famed Brazilian rock band Titãs (the Titans), which has released twenty albums and sold over six million copies. Bellotto writes for the newspaper O Globo and hosts a television show. He is the editor of Rio Noir and São Paulo Noir, both published by Akashic Books. Bellini and the Sphinx is his latest release with Akashic.

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    Reviews for Bellini and the Sphinx

    3/5

    21 ratings8 reviews

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    • 4/5
      There are two things that keep intrigued in a mystery; a flawed but alluring protagonist and a strong sense of place.In this jaunty tale I was taken by Remo Bellini, a private detective, who is plagued by the premature death of his twin Romulo, as being the one who lived but does not live up to the perceived expectations of his father, and being privy to an insider’s bird’s-eye journey through the captivating city of Sao Paulo.The arresting qualities of the secondary characters, the philosophical musings of the males, and the elusiveness of the females keeps the reader engaged.While the mystery itself is a little predictable, it is written with style, verve and taunting humor.Overall, I enjoyed how the author put his own spin on this noir mystery, and I am interested in reading more about Remo Bellini and his escapades.
    • 3/5
      I read a few chapters-to about page 60- and thought "ho-hum, a run of the mill mystery..." I set it aside and went to bed thinking I would abandon this one in the morning. However, I had trouble going to sleep for reasons having nothing to do with this book so I picked it up and gave it another try. It got more interesting with a number of plot twists so my curiosity made me stay with it. Some of the twists were implausible as were some of the characters . A couple of the "revelations" seemed pointless and out of place but even with its flaws it was a pleasant diversion. It borders on being a spoof of the Private Investigator mystery and maybe I'd have liked it better if it had gone more in that direction. I was going to give it two and a half stars but bumped it to three since I did read until 2am to finish it.
    • 3/5
      A novel that could have been composed by 4 men sitting around a bar drinking shots and talking about women, life and death in a good ole boy way. Not my idea of a good read but I did appreciate the fact that the woman detective solved the mystery even though it would have been impossible for the reader to do so based on the limited information about the killer until the last pages.
    • 2/5
      Tony Bellotto’s Bellini and the Sphinx fits right into publisher Akashic Books’ specialty list of the blackest of noir fiction. Set in a gritty São Paulo, the story features the requisite hard-boiled private eye surrounded by cops and low-lifes that come close to self-parody. For the most part, the author pulls it off and you keep turning the pages to see where he’s going. Unfortunately, that end is profoundly unsatisfying – whodunit turns out to be a name mentioned only in passing during the build-up. You end up feeling cheated that you weren’t given any information that would have allowed participation in solving the mystery. This was Bellotto’s first novel, originally published in Portuguese in 1994. Among other books, he’s published three more featuring this cast of characters. I’d hope he’s built on his talent for mood-setting and characterization and corrected the structural plot problems of this initial effort.
    • 1/5
      Having recently read Rio Noir and Sao Paulo Noir, I was curious to see what Tony Bellotto would do with his book, Bellini and the Sphinx. Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed. Thankfully, the chapters were short and the book didn't take long to read. There was nothing to like about Remo Bellini or Dora Lobo and I really didn't care if they solved the case. Akashic Books missed the boat on this one.
    • 4/5
      Tony Bellotto has written a hard boiled detective novel set in Sao Paolo, Brazil. How hard-boiled?1. PI with a cynical view of life and a unhappy past relationship with a woman? Also drinks way too much? Check2. Babes with bouncing, bodacious boobs and loose morals? Check3. A client who is not quite straightforward with the PI? Check4. PI has sex at an unlikely rate for someone so lonely? Check5. A brilliant detective who employs the PI to do the foot work, a la Nero Wolfe and Archie? CheckBut is the book any good? Yes!Bellotto plays fair with the reader. strewing clues about with a minimum of fuss. The book evokes the life of Sao Paolo, with late night meetings, distinctive local cuisine, and lots of alcohol. The detective agency is run by an eccentric woman whose moods are reflected in the music playing in her office. And in the end, the principal suspects are gathered in the office for a final confrontation.If you like distinctive detective stories set in an exotic city, something reminiscent of classic PI novels, this is the book for you! I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
    • 2/5
      Well, that was a disappointment. The story line and some of the characters were interesting, but the language, especially the descriptions of the numerous sexual activities, seemed very crude and sophomoric. Perhaps the fault lies with the translation. A lot of the action seemed very farfetched and at times confusing. This book was received as an early reviewer sample.
    • 3/5
      Author Bellotto has created a character, Remo Bellini, a novice private detective. The author himself is best known in Brazil as guitarist for the rock band, The Titans, and has been the editor for two books in the NOIR series. What to make of his attempt into the mystery genre? BELLINI AND THE SPHINX is a quick, light read with all the stereotypical tough cops, charming hookers, drug using cab drivers, nervous witnesses, seedy informers, and - most important of all - a self-conflicted private eye. The cast of characters in Bellotto's mystery novel drink early in the morning and late at night. They do drugs occasionally, have sex when the opportunity arises, and the males think OFTEN about women (or a lot about sex), even to the point of saying things that sound NOT quite politically correct in the year 2019. Some women will roll their eyes at the thoughts of Detective Remo Bellini while others will laugh. Some women (and perhaps some men) will toss the book in the trash. Reading BELLINI AND THE SPHINX can be a fun experience or it can be a disappointment. It will depend on what the reader's expectations are for the mystery genre. Tony Bellotto is no Henning Mankell. This man is not a master of his craft. If the book sells well, it may be more because of Bellotto's reputation as a rock musician rather than because of his writing talents.On balance, the characters are, for the most part, well drawn, and the book has a rather playful air if one's political sensibilities are not too sensitive. Reading BELLINI AND THE SPHINX is rather like watching a quick, one-hour TV show which, a few months from now, one may or may not remember. The plot is fairly predictable (well, there might be a few surprises, but not many), and one will close the last page thinking that Bellotto is a mystery writer of a genre we can call "mystery light." Despite the literary references and a little mythology thrown in here and there, don't expect anything too profound and deep. If one wants to explore the mystery genre through Brazilian writers, Luis Alfredo Garcia Rosa and his Inspector Espinosa series are recommended as far superior.