The Beggar's Opera

Apr 14, 2012 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Quote prior to prologue:

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." - George Orwell.

It only took me to page 5 to get the first connection to this!

I first heard of this book (or paid attention, anyway) when I got a link to the 2012 CBC Bookies Awards http://www.cbc.ca/books/2012/03/the-s... from the blog of author Louise Penny, whose book 'A Trick of the Light' was also nominated (I voted for her book - the only one of the 5 Thriller, Mystery or Crime novels...more

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Aug 18, 2012 Pip rated it 4 of 5 stars

A new Canadian mystery writer has come on the scene to share some of the limelight with Louise Penny. Blair has. written a fast pace murder mystery about a Canadian abandoned by his wife in the middle of their Christmas vacation in Cuba. It seems the marriage has been crumbling for years culminating in the split. The Canadian turns out to also be an Ottawa policeman. Our hero gets blind drunk one night and wakes up on Christmas Day to a big headache and the death of a boy Cuban police want to qu...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Barbara Mitchell rated it 3 of 5 stars

I found it difficult to get into this story but stuck with it because it gives such a detailed view of the two Havana realities. There is the tourist Havana with its own money and luxuries. Then there is the residents' Havana with its poverty, horrible living conditions, and restrictions. This second Havana is only visible to tourists because of the ubiquitous beggars who want not just money but soap, pencils, and other small items they can't buy.

This story is about Detective Mike Ellis, a cop i...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Larraine rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a terrific new series with an unlikely setting and protagonist. The setting is modern Cuba. Fidel retired, but nothing has really changed. There are so many highly educated people that they are tripping over one another. Corruption runs rampant. (Did you really expect "socialism" to be any different?) In this debut novel, we meet Inspector Ramirez. Although not that old, he is suffering from hand tremors and delusions. He has been told his grandmother died from a rare form of dementia al...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Having just travelled to Cuba, this was a rich and fascinating story for me, written in dark crime fashion. Inspector Ramirez is investigating with scarce police resources the rape and murder of a Cuban boy and his prime person of interest, with a growing list of suspicions, is Mike Ellis, a Canadian tourist and police officer with secrets to hide. Blair's two main characters demonstrate the typical stereotypes we have come to learn of locals and foreigners. Inspector Ramirez moves with the cunn...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Jayne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

The Beggar’s Opera
By Peggy Blair
Published by Penguin Canada
344 pages.

The best mystery novels immerse the reader in a milieu completely, providing a cultural experience almost unnoticed beneath compelling characters and an absorbing plot. The Beggar’s Opera is one such, a fascinating concretion of physically malformed and the emotionally stunted, the Communist and the capitalist, beggars and the solidly middle class, into a single story at once rationalist and deeply spiritual. The prose paints s...more

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Feb 28, 2012 Luanne Ollivier rated it 4 of 5 stars

Peggy Blair worked as a Canadian lawyer for over thirty years, on both sides of the fence - defense and prosecution. A Christmas vacation in Havana, Cuba one year "where she watched the bored, young policemen on street corners along the Malecon, visited Hemingway's favourite bars, and learned to make a perfect mojito" provided some great inspiration for her debut fiction novel - The Beggar's Opera.

2006. Michael Ellis, a Canadian police detective from Ottawa and his wife Hillary head to Cuba for...more Peggy Blair worked as a Canadian lawyer for over thirty years, on both sides of the fence - defense and prosecution. A Christmas vacation in Havana, Cuba one year "where she watched the bored, young policemen on street corners along the Malecon, visited Hemingway's favourite bars, and learned to make a perfect mojito" provided some great inspiration for her debut fiction novel - The Beggar's Opera.

2006. Michael Ellis, a Canadian police detective from Ottawa and his wife Hillary head to Cuba for some warm weather over the Christmas vacation. Mike is also suffering some fallout from the death of his partner. There seems to be more to this story than we are intially led to believe. Their marriage suffers a blow when Hillary cuts her time short and heads back to Canada. Mike decides to drown his sorrows in one of Hemingway's favorite bars. But when he wakes up the next day, he can't find his wallet, has no idea what he did the night before.....and finds himself being arrested for the rape and murder of a young street boy. He remembers giving the begging child some pesos the day before - but murder....

Inspector Ricardo Ramirez of the Havana Major Crimes Unit has 72 hours to secure an indictment. He'll be moving fast on this horrific crime. And the possible sentence? The firing squad is still in use in Cuba. Mike's commander at home sends a female lawyer, Celia Jones, to Cuba to see if she can help Mike in any way.

The Beggar's Opera was such a great read on so many different levels. The setting itself was a major character. Blair brings to life a Cuba outside the confines of a tourist resort. A Cuba where "anything could be a crime if it served the government's objectives." Unauthorized internet access = a five year prison sentence. Renting a room to a tourist, insulting Castro, possessing tourist pesos and much, much more. Where bribery and corruption are rampant. A Cuba where the legal system is completely foreign to our Canadian sensibilities and weighs heavily in favour of the police. I think the most stunning example is the 'pre-dangerous' charge."The police could arrest almost anyone, even someone the merely considered 'likely' to be dangerous in the future." A Cuba where the poorest have access to a high degree of eduation, but children run hungry in the streets. Where soap and pencils are great treasures. I found myself running to the computer many times to follow up on a detail that Blair included. (Yes, Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Fidel Castro did open Terminal Three of the international airport in Cuba)

But the star of the show is Inspector Ramirez. He is a dedicated policeman and honest (but not above sampling the rum from the evidence locker) Ghosts of murder victims have recently begun following Ramirez. As a small boy, his dying grandmother promised that "The dead will come. My gift to you, as the eldest child." His friend and the local coroner, Dr. Hector Apiro says it may be a form of progressive dementia. Dr. Apiro actually runs a very close second for character I most enjoyed.

Blair has conceived an intricate, multi layered plot that kept me guessing until the very end. I was captivated by both the main story, and the players and their lives. I'm eager to read the second in this series. It looks like Ramirez may be coming to Canada to assist on a case.

The title? The Beggar's Opera is a ballad opera and Ramirez's favourite.

"An opera about political corruption, with a lively case that included well-bred whores with impeccable manners, men disguised as women, beggars, even prisoners. It was a story of poisoned chalices, violence, and revenge; false charges, even a threatened execution. But it was also about love and loyalty and above all, friendship."

And it's also a pretty apt description of Blair's book. Definitely recommended.(less)

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Feb 23, 2012 Evie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-arcs, arc, blog-tour, creepy-as-hell, debut-author, murder-mystery, penguin-canada, pure-awesomeness

*** Originally posted to: Bookish Book Blog

Real, captivating and ultimately moving, The Beggar's Opera by Peggy Blair is a significant addition to the murder mystery genre. It's a poignant and brutally honest story that paints a truly harrowing picture of poverty, abuse, corruption and abominable living conditions in Hemingway's Havana. It's dark, disturbing, thought-provoking, and heart-poundingly thrilling. Not by any means an easy-to-digest book, but one absolutely worth reading nevertheles...more *** Originally posted to: Bookish Book Blog

Real, captivating and ultimately moving, The Beggar's Opera by Peggy Blair is a significant addition to the murder mystery genre. It's a poignant and brutally honest story that paints a truly harrowing picture of poverty, abuse, corruption and abominable living conditions in Hemingway's Havana. It's dark, disturbing, thought-provoking, and heart-poundingly thrilling. Not by any means an easy-to-digest book, but one absolutely worth reading nevertheless.

Inspector Ricardo Ramirez is called in to investigate when the body of a little Cuban boy is discovered floating in the ocean in the Caleta de San Lazaro. Drugged, brutally raped and killed with a blow to the head, the boy had last been seen accepting money from a Canadian tourist, Mike Ellis. Witnesses saw Ellis giving the child money, and later on someone made an anonymous phone call to the police station stating that they witnessed a man with his description approaching young boys for sex in Parque Ciudad. A pair of men's briefs had been found in his room - the underwear had the boy's blood on it. Not to mention the polaroid photographs recovered from under the mattress in his hotel room - they were pictures documenting every step of the brutal rape. Mike Ellis has no memory of the previous evening - after the fight with his wife, he spent the night getting drunk at a local bar. It seems Inspector Ramirez has all the evidence he needs to convict the murderer and close the case, but is the case really as obvious as it appears? Or is there more to the story? Is Mike Ellis a cold blooded, vicious murderer, or is someone trying to frame him? With only seventy-two hours to solve the murder case, the race against time begins. Will justice be served?

The first book in the Inspector Ramirez Series is a taut and atmospheric thrill ride that keeps you guessing until the very last page. It's an exceptionally well-written murder mystery, set against a vividly depicted political and cultural background of Cuba. Blair writes with real understanding of Cuban harsh reality, compelling the reader with insights into the troubled society. Her knowledge about forensics, police procedures and related protocols is apparent on every page. The amount of detail is simply mind blowing. Disturbing at times, but mostly very impressive and fascinating. It's a gorgeously suspenseful mindbender, a great example of how the right approach to storytelling - scattering pieces of information throughout the novel, beautifully braiding together the convoluted threads, and diabolically building the tension and mystery - can elevate the book and turn it into a heart-stopping literary puzzle.

Blair did a remarkable job fleshing out the main character, Inspector Ramirez, making him one of the most unique and unforgettable narrative voices in recent fiction. I found him different from all the other detectives/inspectors in popular murder mysteries. Haunted by the ghosts of victims of his unsolved murder cases, dying of a rare (and incurable) type of dementia, struggling to keep his life from falling apart, he was a very convincing and easy-to-connect-with character. And as much as I loved the intelligent and provocative plot line, I think the whole thing wouldn't turn out nearly as good without the well-drawn, complex MC. His presence in the book added a lot of character and flavor, creating a memorable, eerie atmosphere, and turning a solid whodunit story into an absolute masterpiece.

The Beggar's Opera by Peggy Blair is a stunning debut novel and a very promising beginning to a great new mystery series. I'm looking forward to seeing what the author has in store for Inspector Ramirez in the next book.

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Dec 18, 2011 Lou Allin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Inspector Ricardo Ramirez can’t shake the ghosts which tormented his dead grandmother. They follow him everywhere, sending mute messages from beyond the grave. How can he tell his wife and children that he suffers from the same rising dementia?
“That policeman should be more careful where he stands,” Ramirez said to the dead woman sitting at the medical examiner Apiro’s desk….She wore a frilly southern-belle dress and a wide white bandana….The several strands of beads around her neck revealed wh...more Inspector Ricardo Ramirez can’t shake the ghosts which tormented his dead grandmother. They follow him everywhere, sending mute messages from beyond the grave. How can he tell his wife and children that he suffers from the same rising dementia?
“That policeman should be more careful where he stands,” Ramirez said to the dead woman sitting at the medical examiner Apiro’s desk….She wore a frilly southern-belle dress and a wide white bandana….The several strands of beads around her neck revealed who she was –or rather had been—a follower of Santeria.”
As a nation waits for a new era at the end of the punishing embargo, citizens walk a narrow line on ten pesos a month. The tourist hotels and destinations are off limits to Cubans unless they work there. Soap is impossible to buy, and coffee comes with sugar only. To manage to find a chicken for the Christmas holidays is a triumph.
Suddenly Ramirez’s holiday goes on hold. Major Crimes has just picked up a vacationing Canadian lawman for the rape and murder of a young Cuban boy. Mike Ellis gave the kid spare change earlier. But he has no memory of the evening. His quarreling wife left him to return to Canada, and he was alone in a bar, drowning his sorrows in too much rum, wandering from the safe tourist paths into the dangerous back alleys of a raw but tempting world. Forensics from his hotel room look bleak for his case. Unless he can find an advocate, he’ll soon be in jail at the mercy of hardened criminals who would welcome the chance to teach a lesson to someone on the other side of the law.
Canadians find Cuba a popular winter destination, but the pleasures of mojitos and white sands mask danger for thrill-seekers. The price is high for Cubans who would break the rules for a few US dollars: the forbidden Internet, closed doors, and a brush with the netherworld. To bribe or not to bribe? It may be the only chance, especially for an innocent.
Under the Cuban system, an indictment must come before seventy-two hours have elapsed. So everyone’s under the gun. Help from Canada may be too little too late. Ellis has a high profile, but the beleaguered country is out to show the world that it isn’t a mecca for sex tourism. Justice will be swift, but will it punish the right man? Does Ellis, disfigured and wounded from a previous tragic case, have an additional secret or does a monster walk unchallenged through the dark streets of the once exotic city? The horror may twist far into the past.
Talented lawyer turned author Peggy Blair places herself in the forefront of crime fiction with this stellar entry, which came close to snagging the Debut Dagger in Harrowgate. Her characters move with the surety of canny locals or the naiveté of a visitor. The plot advances with the ticking of the clock and the scenes shift seamlessly while maintaining maximum suspense. Whether strolling the crumbling streets of one of the world’s most enigmatical cities or moving into the dangerous countryside, the way is smooth and sure. Grabbing life by the throat, the characters are as full-bodied as Cuban coffee and as beguiling as confiscated anejo rum. In the background, along with the ancient African gods that still colour the imagination of this cultural melting pot, is the shadowy figure of Fidel Castro, amid a thousand jokes, orchestrating for the eventual re-entry of his fabled country into the challenges of the 21st century.
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Dec 07, 2011 Anne Cobham rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review of The Beggar's Opera, the debut novel by Canadian author, Peggy Blair.

The Beggar's Opera, like its namesake (an 18th century English satirical opera), tackles the themes of politics, poverty and injustice. The Cuban setting is atmospheric and haunting, and although I have never personally been to Cuba, I found the descriptions of Havana had an authentic feel, and were at once alluring and disturbing. Peggy Blair's taut, brisk prose moves the story along quickly, and the twists and turns...more

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Mar 18, 2013 J.R. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mysteries

Michael Ellis, a Canadian police officer on vacation in Havana, seeks solace in Hemingway’s favorite bar after his wife abandons him and flies home. His night on the town turns into a nightmare when he awakes to find himself accused of the rape and murder of a Cuban beggar boy.

Inspector Ricardo Ramirez, head of the Havana Major Crimes Unit, has only 72 hours to secure an indictment. But he and his team are convinced all the forensic evidence points to Ellis, who suffered a blackout and is unable...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Jodi rated it 5 of 5 stars

With her debut novel ‘The Beggar’s Opera’ Peggy Blair has woven an almost haunting novel of lives changed, and futures taken, in the setting of Havana, Cuba. Short-listed for the prestigious Crime Writer’s Association Debut Dagger Award in 2009, Peggy has been thrust into the limelight and has her fans impatiently waiting for the next instalment in the Inspector Ramirez Series.

The novel centres on the brutal rape and murder of a young street boy. The crime has caught the eye of the Minister of...more With her debut novel ‘The Beggar’s Opera’ Peggy Blair has woven an almost haunting novel of lives changed, and futures taken, in the setting of Havana, Cuba. Short-listed for the prestigious Crime Writer’s Association Debut Dagger Award in 2009, Peggy has been thrust into the limelight and has her fans impatiently waiting for the next instalment in the Inspector Ramirez Series.

The novel centres on the brutal rape and murder of a young street boy. The crime has caught the eye of the Minister of the Interior as Fidel Castro is set on deterring sex tourists from coming to Havana, especially those into child pornography and perpetrating sex crimes against them. Castro wants the suspect to be made an example to the world by making sure he is executed immediately after conviction.

Inspector Ricardo Ramirez of the Major Crimes Unit, Havana Division, and his newly appointed subordinate Detective Rodriguez Sanchez are tasked with the investigation to prove the suspect guilty. A task that will be challenged by a Canadian attorney hell bent of finding the real perpetrator of the crime.

While Ramirez goes about his policing he is followed by ghosts of deceased victims looking for him to solve their murders. The ghosts often try to give Ramirez clues with waving gestures and cryptic symbols that he sometimes misses, making his investigation stall, while he scrambles to piece together evidence and convict the Canadian policeman; Mike Ellis, suspected of the rape and murder. As you learn more about Ellis you want to believe he is innocent. He’s had a bad run of luck lately with the horrible scarring to his face he received during an arrest leading to the death of his partner, and the impending divorce from his wife. Either he’s a cop gone bad, or he’s being framed. It’s up to Ramirez and his lawyer Celia Jones to prove which one.

Throw into the mix a prostitute, a nefarious foreigner, an achondroplasiac pathologist and you end up with a sometimes funny, sometimes heart wrenching, and downright cruel cast of characters that will have you turning the pages as quickly as you can. Smart readers can pick up on the clues Peggy leaves throughout the novel connecting the dots between the sub-stories getting a better glimpse inside the characters.

The conclusion has a surprise in store for Peggy’s readers that will keep them wondering what will happen the next time they meet Inspector Ramirez. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long.

Once I picked this book up I didn't want to put it down. I was riveted from the opening line until the final sentence. Grab a Mojito and find a comfy place in the sun. This is an absolute 5 star must read on everyone’s list this summer!

Disclaimer: 'The Beggar's Opera' was generously given to me by Penguin Group Canada at the request of the author Peggy Blair for an honest review. Thank you Peggy.(less)

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Sep 15, 2012 Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: police-procedural

The Beggar's Opera is an impressive debut by Canadian author Peggy Blair. Set in Cuba, we are introduced to one of the more interesting police detectives to come along in a while, Inspector Ricardo Ramirez. Ramirez is investigating the murder of a young street urchin. An anonymous tip leads him to vacationing Canadian police officer Mike Ellis. Before long, Ellis is caught in a spiral of corruption and politicial interference.

This is a dark and gritty book that moves us quickly through the stre...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Lee-ann Sleegers rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Beggar's Opera by Peggy Blair from Penguin Canada 2012

I was completely drawn into this book, a phenomenal piece of Canadian fiction. Mrs Blair does a fantastic job of developing the setting both in Havana Cuba and the secondary location of Ottawa. As you read the description you can visualize all aspects of Old Havana and almost taste the Christmas dinner at Inspector Ramirez home.

Mrs. Blair doesn't stop with the setting, but develops all of her characters whether major or minor. I was able...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Carole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-read-in-2012

Not only does Peggy Blair exploit the murder mystery genre very effectively in this novel, her use of Havana, Cuba as the setting also adds a lot of interest to the story. The body is discovered on the Malecon, Havana's seaside promenade, the main suspect drinks in the bar that Hemingway frequented, and there are many references to Cuban culture and Castro's repressive regime. The cliffhanger chapter endings are hokey but fun. She includes enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing righ...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Marie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

The description of The Beggar's Opera was intriguing so I entered the giveaway and was happy to hear that I won a copy! A Canadian police Officer goes to Cuba on vacation and ends up a murder suspect and the police officer in charge of his case has a unique talent. I REALLY enjoyed this book! It was very captivating, keeping you wondering what was going to happen next and who did it.

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Feb 06, 2013 Betty rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: rated-reviewed

Book Description: In beautiful, crumbling Old Havana, detective Mike Ellis hopes the sun and sand will save his troubled marriage. He doesn't yet know that it's dead in the water, much like the little Cuban boy last seen begging the couple for a few pesos on the world-famous Malecon.
For Inspector Ricardo Ramirez, head of the Havana Major Crimes Unit, arresting Ellis isn't the problem - the law is. He has only seventy-two hours to secure an indictment and prevent a vicious killer from leaving th...more Book Description: In beautiful, crumbling Old Havana, detective Mike Ellis hopes the sun and sand will save his troubled marriage. He doesn't yet know that it's dead in the water, much like the little Cuban boy last seen begging the couple for a few pesos on the world-famous Malecon.
For Inspector Ricardo Ramirez, head of the Havana Major Crimes Unit, arresting Ellis isn't the problem - the law is. He has only seventy-two hours to secure an indictment and prevent a vicious killer from leaving the island. And Ramirez has his own troubles. He's dying of the same dementia that killed his grandmother, an incurable disease that makes him see the ghosts of victims of his unsolved cases. As he races against time, the dead haunt his every step...

Mike and Hillary Ellis are on Christmas vacation from Ottawa, Canada, a last-ditch effort to save their marriage that is crumbling under the stresses of his work and their childlessness. Mike is still on disability leave following a line-of-duty altercation that left Mike horribly disfigured and his partner Steve Sloan dead. Too many things are left unsaid between the couple, too many secrets hidden. They argue. She goes back to Canada early. The next day, a young boy's body is found, and Mike is set up for the murder.

Havana is artfully portrayed, the bright and shining beauty of the tourist areas against the crumbled neglect of the local peoples' neighborhoods, standing side by side on the Caribbean island. The reader runs head-long into the harsh realities of life in a dictatorship - shortages of medicines and fuel, banned currencies, restrictions on movement, forbidden activities. The bright colorings of the tropical paradise are in sharp contrast to the challenges of everyday life faced by native Cubans.

Inspector Ricardo Ramirez is a richly drawn character - cynical, experience-hardened, wearied, yet trusting and loyal, a loving father and husband committed to family traditions. But not a saint. His closest friend is Dr. Hector Apiro, the reclusive coroner, a sharp, quick mind whose ability to see connections between seemingly disparate facts complements Inspector Ramirez's impressive deductive skills and skillful interview techniques.

The actual mystery is very well developed, with the hints dropped along the way hidden openly in plain site. "The culprit has to be X" is soon replaced by "Wow, I didn't see that coming," followed by "So it was Y all along," then "No, wait...it's Z?" Or is it? The final ending is truly a surprise.

Although the author tries to solve too many mysteries in this one story, it is a well-written, very enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more Inspector Ricardo Ramirez mysteries in the future.(less)

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Oct 26, 2011 Angie Hardy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I was excited to read this book. I had a very busy schedule when I picked up this book and thought maybe I could just fit in a chapter or two whenever I got the chance. But I couldn't put it down. I actually stayed up late on the second night because I just wanted to know "Who done it".

I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

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Jan 04, 2013 Deon Stonehouse rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: great-writing-mystery, books-set-in-cuba

The Beggar’s Opera by Peggy Blair 9780143186427
Did Ricardo Ramirez’ grandmother give him a curse or a blessing from her deathbed when she told him the dead would be in contact? It seems she may have died from a rare disease she passed on to her grandson. Ramirez heads Havana’s major Crimes Unit; he has just seventy two hours to build a case when a tourist is involved. Cop Mike Ellis from Ottawa Canada is in Havana on vacation; trying to save his marriage and recover from the traumatic death of h...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Matt Rohweder rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was hesitant to even give this book 2 stars, but the propulsive story behind the mystery deserved it. However, the mystery was jus about the only thing I did enjoy about this book. Beyond that, I found it to be a book that was confused as to exactly what it wanted to be: a murder mystery, a love letter to Cuba, a book about the political (and sexual) culture of Cuba, an examination of individual sexuality, or a ghost story.

The dialogue often felt forced and unrealistic - I had a hard time rea...more

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May 04, 2013 Patricia rated it 3 of 5 stars

I almost gave up on this novel. Not until well into it’s second half does the pacing and suspense improve. This is where the author uses some very clever plot twists and manipulates her unique characters into a thrill-packed conclusion. I found the first half of the story saturated with political commentary. It whined and dragged through the shortfalls of Castro’s Cuba. The crime couldn't be solved due to a lack of resources. How could the police make any progress while lacking pencils, batterie...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Cathy Cole rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First Line: Ricky Ramirez's parents stood on the other side of the door, speaking in hushed tones with the doctors.

Canadian police detective Mike Ellis has brought his wife to Havana, Cuba, in an attempt to heal his marriage and to heal from the lingering aftereffects of being wounded in a situation in which his partner was killed. Feeling compassion for one of the little boys begging for money along the shore, he gives the youngster a few pesos. When the boy's body is pulled from the sea the ne...more First Line: Ricky Ramirez's parents stood on the other side of the door, speaking in hushed tones with the doctors.

Canadian police detective Mike Ellis has brought his wife to Havana, Cuba, in an attempt to heal his marriage and to heal from the lingering aftereffects of being wounded in a situation in which his partner was killed. Feeling compassion for one of the little boys begging for money along the shore, he gives the youngster a few pesos. When the boy's body is pulled from the sea the next day, witnesses remember Ellis, and he finds himself charged with murder and thrown in jail.

It is up to Inspector Ricardo Ramirez to investigate the murder and find the proof that will put Ellis in front of the firing squad. According to Cuban law, he has only 72 hours to secure the indictment that will prevent a vicious killer from leaving the country. However, Ramirez has other things on his mind-- like the fact that he's dying from the same incurable dementia that killed his grandmother. As Ramirez races against the clock, he is haunted by the ghosts of the victims of his unsolved cases... ghosts that only he can see.

I found this book to be fascinating for its look at present-day Cuba and of Old Havana, a city that used to be one of the world's hubs of prurient delight. Blair incorporates Cuban life under decades of Fidel Castro's rule into her story: the laws, the multitudes of highly educated people who are forced to work menial jobs because there's nothing else available, and-- most of all-- the humor with which so many Cubans leaven their daily lives. For this look at Cuba alone, The Beggar's Opera is a very worthwhile read.

The mystery is also an absorbing one. Although I deduced one of the plot twists, Blair blindsided me with another, and for a mystery reader that's always a happy moment. However, I had a major problem with the book's main character. Inspector Ricardo Ramirez did not set well with me at all. If not for a Canadian lawyer sent down to help Ellis (and who wound up doing most of Ramirez's work for him), Ramirez would've been content to hand in his circumstantial evidence, get his indictment, and send Ellis to the tender ministrations of the firing squad. Did I just give away a major plot point? For crime fiction aficionados, not really. As I said, there are some surprising twists and turns in this plot. What intrigues me is how much of Ramirez's attitude can be attributed to his dementia, and since I really do want to know, I'll be looking forward to the next book in this series. I wouldn't mind a return trip to Havana.
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Nov 17, 2012 Sooz rated it 3 of 5 stars

i don't read a lot of crime novels. i think if i had more appreciation for the genre i might be tempted to give it four stars. of 55 books or so a year 2 or 3 might be crime novels. i get why people get hooked on this genre .... all that intrigue and mystery and dark twisty surprises. i get why people get hooked on that ... and i can't even say for certain why i'm not.

what i liked the most about this book was the Cuban setting. it is fiction and i don't know how acurrate the descriptions are, b...more

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Sep 17, 2012 Nancy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Beggar’s Opera introduces us to a once beautiful but crumbling Havana and a cast of wonderful characters, including the sensitive and cunning Inspector Ricardo Ramirez, and medical investigator Hector Apiro. The stark picture of life in modern day Cuba adds atmosphere and interest to the complex criminal investigation of the mystery – the rape and death of an 8 year old boy. It is a totally captivating debut to a mystery series with unforgettable setting and characters.

One of the best new s...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Ruth Seeley rated it 4 of 5 stars

A compelling debut from Ottawa author (and lawyer, and real estate agent) Peggy Blair. It's obvious how hard she's worked on her craft - this is a tightly woven tale of life and crime in Havana, the inevitable tensions between not only good and evil but also between communism and capitalism, both flawed systems. Just enough elements of the supernatural to make Blair's detective Ramirez endearingly flawed. The trail leads back to Canada at the end of The Beggar's Opera, so hopefully we'll get to...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

Thoroughly enjoyable. Interesting setting - Havana. I especially liked learning about the justice system in Cuba. The three day turn around for filing murder charges sets the pace of the story up nicely and it becomes a real page turner really quick. Lots of twists in the plot too which was really fun. My only complaint would be that the writing seemed a little clunky at times. There were many occasions where the author had the characters explaining things a little too much, almost assuming that...more

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Dec 05, 2011 Penny rated it 3 of 5 stars

Sure makes a person think twice about going to Cuba. Enjoyed reading it.

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May 01, 2013 Trisha rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, murder-mystery, crime-fiction, series

At first while I was reading this I was a bit 'meh' about it, but then when Jones started to crack the mystery and there was a chance of her getting Ellis off his charges, I started to get more interested in the story. I am not really sure what it was at first, but it was almost too depressing or something. And it's not even that depressing a story, even if it has a couple of very sad aspects to it. The humour in the book is kind of a bit old school detective, I guess, or maybe just old school i...more

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Feb 29, 2012 Michele rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: format-arc, own, genre-fiction, 2012-50bookpledge

This, and other reviews can be found on my blog Just a Lil Lost

Set in Old Havana,The Beggar's Opera follows several main characters as they race against time to solve a brutal assault & murder of a young boy. It's Christmas morning when the boy is found in the water, and Inspector Ramirez is heading up the investigation. Ramirez races against the clock to secure an indictment, all while he believes himself to be suffering from the same disease that his grandmother had - seeing the ghosts of...more This, and other reviews can be found on my blog Just a Lil Lost

Set in Old Havana, The Beggar's Opera follows several main characters as they race against time to solve a brutal assault & murder of a young boy. It's Christmas morning when the boy is found in the water, and Inspector Ramirez is heading up the investigation. Ramirez races against the clock to secure an indictment, all while he believes himself to be suffering from the same disease that his grandmother had - seeing the ghosts of unsolved crimes.

What a whirlwind of a crime novel! I was immediately caught up in the story from the beginning, with Blair's depictions of the Havana city and way of life absolutely engaging. The writing is full of detail and research, but not over-done as to make the reader feel lost or overwhelmed with law jargon or Cuban slang. The descriptions of Havana hotspots and landmarks paint a vivid picture of the setting to this mystery.

One thing that I picked up on throughout the book, which really had no relevance to the story, was the constant mention of things being Chinese. Chinese tape recorders, Chinese table tennis, Chinese bicycles... I didn't understand why, and it really started to bug me. I think I ended up noting at least 6 instances of this, thinking that China was somehow going to make its way into this story about Canada/Cuba but to no avail. [Edit: Peggy explained that it was interesting to see how reliant Cuba was on China for so many things because of the embargo. However, maybe a small precursor would be helpful for those who don't know much about Cuba or the embargo. Learn something new every day! :)]

That factor aside, I loved Blair's storytelling and story-weaving in this debut novel. The Beggar's Opera keeps you wondering and guessing right to the end with the twists and revelations. As it's narrated by the several main characters, you get to learn new evidence and information as they learn it. The pacing is fantastic and all the breadcrumb clues that are laid out in strategic detail along the way make for a satisfying payoff.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ (4/5 stars)(less)

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Dec 02, 2012 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: canadian-authors, light-mystery

A fast-paced crime novel set in Old Havana with a large cast of characters making up the list of witnesses, suspects and investigators. There are multiple mysteries and many secrets woven into the story. This is an ambitious novel that for the most part hits the mark. At its core the crime is a brutal rape (of a child) and his murder. In the process we meet a dwarf (and a tip of the hat to Russian literature and its connections to Cuba) gay men, transgendered, prostitutes, a scarred-faced canadi...more

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