A Dead Man in Trieste

Seymour of Special Branch #1

by Michael Pearce

The churning politics of Trieste in 1906 provide the perfect backdrop for murder in the first in a series set in British embassies and consulates in the early 1900s featuring Special Branch officer Seymour. When the British consul goes missing, who’s responsible: the secret police, revolutionaries, or a mysterious lover?

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Fiction, Italy, Audiobook, Murder Mystery

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Michael Pearce grew up in the (then) Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. He returned there later to teach, and retains a human rights interest in the area. He retired from his academic post to write full time.

Reviews

[Dillwynia Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an odd book, but quite apt now, with the centenary of WW1. Set a few years before, it highlights the tensions between the Balkan States and Austrio-Hungarian (Hapsburg) Empire. Trieste was an important Mediterranean port for the Hapsburgs and so it is not surprising it would be a bed of intrigue.

As Pearce rightfully comments on thru his character Seymour: Britain didn't take much notice of what was going on in the Balkans, unless you were part of the Foreign Office. Which was a shame because Eastern Europe was, and was aware of the unstable political situation. It is important to remember that the Ottoman Empire was collapsing & the Hapsburgs were moving in, with a VERY heavy hand.

This book is not a great classic, and is slow at times, but it does bring to life a world that was important immediately prior to WW1 - the violent and anti-establishment art movements, introduction of new technology such as cinema, and the movement from small freighters to larger ships, political movements and ideas such as socialism, and at the heart, political intrigue between states that have been suppressed, and desire independence at any cost. We have forgotten the amazing change of the political atlas between 1914 & 1918 as small nation states proliferated.

I did like how Pearce incorporated Joyce into the narrative. I didn't realise how important Trieste is to Joyce & his works.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not quite what I though. The idea sounded good though: investigating a murder in various locations in the Mediterranean... this one in Trieste, in Northern Italy, was the #1 in the series, so this felt like the logical place to start.
The characters seemed quite flat; hopefully they'll develop some character or grow in the next books. There wasn't enough background for them, other than Seymour's actual name having been Sandor Pelczynski before he added Seymour as his last name. I want characters that have a background, that are driven by something, that can pull the whole story together without relying on dialogs. I don't even want to like all the characters, but it'd be nice if they had more depth than a paper doll.
The Italian in the book would have benefited from proof-reading. 'Passeggiatta' was a typo present several times. I doubt it's the Triestan way of saying passeggiata, since it's usually the Southern dialects that double the consonants, not the Northern ones. 'Puglia' is the right word in Italian for Apulia, but this book was in English, so it should have used Apulia. 'Piazza Delli Cappucine' is a creation of the author; I'd imagine if there was a piazza like that, and it wasn't just an invention for 'Padania', it'd be Piazza Dei Cappuccini. Small little hiccups like that, all across the book.
There was an awful lot of characters from different places - Brits, Serbs, all sort of Slavs, Croats, Irish, Austrians. The result of which was a language porridge. The dialogs seemed fine in English, but I'd have trouble imagining those dialogs e.g. in Italian. It's not how you say something, it's just what is said and what isn't. But perhaps the fact that the story was supposed to happen in 1906 would give some benefit of doubt for the oddities of what was or wasn't being said, but I would still have wanted to know what language something was being said when the discussers could have picked any of multiple ones...

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

The concept is very intriguing. It just did not pan out. The author got too caught up in the “artistry” of the idea and forgot to develop characters or tell a story. Sorry, but a half-way decent editor would have been invaluable for this endeavor.

No need for me to read any others in the series, I’ve thumbed through a couple at the store and found myself to still be hungry for a well written book.

[Wilde Sky · Rating 3 out of 5]

A detective investigates the disappearance of a diplomat.

The basic plot was reasonable but the writing style / characters (which were all a bit flat) left me a bit cold.

[SoulSurvivor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea , or strong Turkish coffee .

[Viv · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It was a relatively quick read, the plot moved along at a good tempo. It's a mystery. Someone has disappeared and later turns up dead.


A quote from A Dead Man in Trieste by Michael Pearce
(This book was written in 2004 but the story takes place in 1906.)

You’ve got to think of these things when it comes to a wife. Kinder, Küche, Kirche, remember. Children, kitchen, church. Now you can go easy on the church bit. Religion`s all very well but some women go crazy about it. Children are important, they keep a woman out of mischief. But in the end the kitchen is the thing. What`s she like at cooking?

Interesting paragraph, especially when the gist of it appears to be that children are what keep women out of mischief. Made me chuckle.

Rating this book 4 stars out of 5 (for it's historical content and plot)

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Dead Man in Trieste by Michael Pearce is the first book of the Seymour of Special Branch mystery series set in port cities around the Mediterranean in the decade before World War I. The series begins in 1906 Trieste. Seymour is an English policeman in London's East End, remarkable only for his fluency in multiple European languages. British Consul Lomax has disappeared from Trieste; the Foreign Office doesn't have anyone skilled with languages, so sends Seymour to investigate the circumstances in Trieste. Seymour learns Lomax's regular routines, and meets his friends. Lomax seemingly loafed about each day drinking in the Piazza with a ragtag band of self-proclaimed artists. Lomax's clerk Koshkash diligently continues his work, even with Lomax missing. But what is the work? Preparing identity documents for seamen...

As Seymour works with police inspector Kornbluth to solve the case, he comes to realize the powder keg nature of the city. Many refugees from the Balkan provinces add to the existing tension from the fiercely resented annexation of Bosnia by Austria. Lifelong residents want Trieste to be part of Italy. Seymour realizes he's being followed everywhere, and starts to notice all the uniforms in Trieste. He learns of the "other police" (secret police) that hold power over the regular police force.

By meeting all of Lomax's acquaintances, persistently questioning all who had contact with Lomax, Seymour senses a pattern: Lomax and Koshkash were secretly aiding a particular ethnic group. Seymour probes how and why, and confronts the group leader with his hypothesis. Just in time, Seymour forestalls an international incident.

[simon powell · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first in Michael Pearce's 'Seymour of the Yard' series is a boys own tale of death and intrigue set in the multi-cultural melting pot (or salad bowl if you prefer) of Trieste. Seymour, our hero, has been dispatched by a couple of Foreign Office chinless wonders to investigate the disappearance of the British Consul. The year, 1910(?), the background the tinderbox of nationalistic tensions that are threatening to explode throughout the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Conveniently, Seymour's narration of the tale is retrospective allowing him the luxury of historical hindsight and giving him the opportunity to draw parallels between this story and the events at Sarajevo four years later.

And therein lies the problem.

The entirety feels like something that Pearce has read about in a book. There is no sense of local colour, the characters are two dimensional cardboard cut-outs at best, and the understanding of the vast variety of competing ideologies, beliefs and circumstances is negligible. Labels are attached; immigrant, socialist, futurist, Austrian, Italian, Serb, Bosnian, political police, etcetera etcetera; but none of it really means anything. It is almost as if it was written by some English bloke in the C21st, sitting in his study and gazing out the window at grey and drizzling skies whilst whiling away the hours until the pub opens once again.

Apart from that, it's poorly written, Seymour and his endless self reflections/musings is dull and uninteresting as the central character, the dialogue stinks, and the plot limps along to its damp squib of an ending without much ever happening ... more Maigret than James Bond unfortunately.

And who knows what the inclusion of Marinetti and the birth of the Futurist Manifesto was all about. Local colour I guess.

[Eugene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Entirely possible this may be the best book I read this year. It’s slotted into the mystery genre, but it is a lot more than that. It’s a historical novel and a very good one at that, it’s an essay on culture, ethnicity, and nationality and a superb one of that, it’s then a murder mystery and a rip-roaringly exceptional example of that; it is a tour de force. Michael Pearce has crammed more book into 192 pages than is contained in many of twice the length.
It is 1910, and the British Consul in Trieste has gone missing. Given the fermenting hotbed of nationalist politics that the region now is, Her Majesty’s government wants to see this taken care of quickly and quietly, and someone must be sent to do this. But not someone directly connected to the British government, which might get Britain embroiled in what it does not care to be; and so, a mere British policeman and one of a recent immigrant family from just this area and having the desired multi-lingual skills to engage all factions personally is dispatched. Some in the Foreign Office are not convinced that Officer Seymour from the Special Branch of the London Police is going to be suitable, but Sandor Pelczynski (now) Seymour proves to be just the right man.
This is a rollickingly good read from every standpoint, and cannot be recommended highly enough.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seymour of Special Branch is sent to Trieste to investigate the disappearance of Lomax, the Consul there. This is 1911, and Trieste is part of the Hapsburg Empire but filled with Nationalists from Italy, Serbia, and Bosnia, and the secret police are watching everybody for signs of rebellion. Seymour is a gifted linguist and the ideal man to carry out discreet enquiries in these difficult conditions.

Pleasant mystery - its real strength is in the historical setting. The author does a great job of capturing the volatile and repressive atmosphere of Trieste, with the Futurist art movement led by the flamboyant Marinetti adding extra colour to the scene. The plot is sound, if a little predictable in the end, and there is very little character development- even Seymour remains a shadowy and nondescript character.

I will definitely read more from this series as I really enjoy historical fiction, and the pre-WWI settings are excellent, but probably need to resign myself to being less than satisfied with plot and characters.

[Linda Amos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first in the series. The British Consul in Trieste has disappeared so someone is requested to go and find out what has happened. Seymour is chosen due to his facility with languages: he grew up in the East End of London among immigrants from many parts of Europe, his parents also being immigrants. He goes to Trieste with the cover story of being a King's Messenger - he has no jurisdiction as a policemen and no reason to investigate a Consul's disappearance there. Anarchists and artists abound.
It can be a bit confusing at times but it's good fun. I want to visit now but would probably be disappointed as Seymour's Trieste is probably not so visible.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series that focuses on murdered consuls in the early twentieth century? Clearly, a must-read for me. I'm interested to continue reading to see how the series develops. I very much like Seymour so far, especially that he is from an immigrant family with roots in Poland and Hungary and has an ear for languages; it's refreshing to see a British official reveling in that diversity, rather than questioning it.

The writing style takes some getting used to. I'm reading more slowly than I think I should have to; the author is very, very fond of commas.

[Jc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead Man…Trieste is a wonderful little spy thriller/murder mystery set in pre-WWI Trieste, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This was Pearce’s 17th novel, but the first in his “Dead Man In…” series. The main character, Seymour, is wonderful – his background story makes his skills and abilities make sense. Unlike many Special Branch-type characters in fiction, Seymour is not over the top, rather he seems like a real person, albeit in an odd and dangerous world. I really enjoyed the read and was often surprised at the directions the story took.

[Mary Warnement · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a satisfying, quick mystery to read. I chose it to take on the subway the morning after a late flight. It's set in Trieste, in 1910, a place that interests me. Some may cringe at the depiction of James "Juice" but that didn't put me off. Interesting characters and setting, without being too obvious.

[Keith Currie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An English diplomat goes missing in Trieste, the major port of the Austro Hungarian Empire. Was his disappearance connected to his relations with Italian revolutionaries? Was it because of his trade in illegal British travel documents? And who are these pesky Bosnian Serb assassins anyway? Seymour of the Yard investigates and discovers the truth. But he cannot stop the First World War.

[Cameron McLachlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My actual rating is 3.5 to 4 stars.

An enjoyable, if light read. The author definitely did his research into the politics and culture of the time. I generally found the tone to be quick and witty, although others may find it to be affected or "quirky" in the style that several English mystery writers adopt.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I really liked this mystery, especially the reflections of how WWI was brewing in many places at the same time. I enjoyed the setting and the characters as well, and will certainly move along in this series.

[Bonnie Ridley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in a series, with a pre-World War I setting. The not-so-British, British detective Seymour cuts a rollicking swath through the political and criminal scenes of European cities, beginning with Trieste, Italy.

[H B CALDER · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dead boring in Trieste...

Firstly - this is a very short novel but as nothing much happens it seems like a long read. Yes full of historical detail but lacking in anything very interesting in the way of storyline or characters. Not for me, sorry.

[Mary Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick, light mystery. I was hoping for a more complete sense of the locale, Trieste, but the story only scratched the surface. All the characters could also use more development. Still, it was a nice bit of entertaining fluff.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this character - Seymour - the child of Eastern European immigrants investigating Eastern Europeans.

[Jocelyn Newmarch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gotta say, this one was a disappointment after the fabulous Mamur Zapt series by the same author. Rather thin characters and plot, and not enough atmosphere.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

delightful

The 1st in a series; and just a delightful read. The writer captured the times. I look forward to reading More of them.

[Bev · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Dead Man in Trieste is the first novel in Michael Pearce's series featuring Seymour of Special Branch. Growing up in the East End with exposure to the languages of many immigrants , Seymour has a special flair for languages that makes him invaluable to the Service and just the man to send to the Trieste when Lomax, the British Consul, goes missing. Of course, the older members of Special Branch aren't too sure--after all, he's "a member of one of those East End immigrant families from somewhere in Europe. He's all right, but with these blokes you never can tell. You can never rely on them. A bit dubious really."

But with the mix of nationalities in Trieste--Austrians, Hungarians, Italians, Slavs, an Irishman or two, and a Bosnian/Croatian mix known as Herzegovinians [Seymour isn't even sure what that means]--Seymour feels more at home than some of those upperclass Foreign Office chappies might. He still has to feel his way carefully through the nationalist movements that are threatening to upset life in the port city. His real job, however, is to figure out exactly what Lomax had been up to and who he was involved with--no easy task, especially when he is acting in an unofficial capacity and keeping his position as a policeman hidden.

On the surface, it looks like the Consul spent his days lolling at the tables at the Cafe of Mirrors in Piazza Grande, hobnobbing with the artistic crowd. Seymour knows there must be more to Lomax than that and the longer the man is missing the more sinister his absence seems. When Lomax's body is found by one of the fishing boats, it becomes apparent that the man was mixed up in something more than artistic endeavors and Seymour must work through the man's friends and the local police to discover what that something was.

Having read the second novel (A Dead Man in Istanbul), I decided to hunt up the debut of this series before reading any others. I have to say--if I had read this one first, I might not have gone on. Trieste, is a very slow-moving book. Very little action--until the end--and very little clue-gathering. For someone who likes their mysteries from the Golden Age where clues are strewn about, fair play is in force and an effort is made to distract the reader from the culprit, this is a disappointment. Not that I didn't guess who did it--I did. But not because there were clues to follow--simply because there really aren't that many people with motives to choose from.

The book does give us an interesting look at Trieste before World War I broke out. Good period detail and historic descriptions of the tensions building in that area of the world. The cast of characters are quite colorful--although they could use a bit of depth. It was an okay read at ★★. Since #2 garnered three stars, we shall hope that the third novel (which I have sitting on the TBR pile) will be an improvement as well.

First posted on my blog . Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Particularly apt at this time.

[Chris Lytle · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading a couple of the later books in this series, I thought it was time to get back to the beginning. As an introduction to Detective Seymour and his methodical investigation tactics, his first adventure in Trieste is perhaps more placid than usual but still a tasty treat.

True to style, there was a colourful cast of characters who all manage to gradually give Seymour the full picture, especially through their recanting of previous conversations...."he said". The humour is subtle and poignant during his chats with locals of every stripe.

The city of Trieste is perhaps this novels most important character. Perhaps not for its scenery and architecture but more for its pivotal Balkan address and being a hotbed of political tension in the early 20th century, a tension that clearly foreshadows the events that trigger WWI.

While getting to the who-dunit becomes less of a priority with Seymour, it is the people along the way, who within their ordinary lives have potential to change history, make these Mediterranean jaunts an easy pleasure.

[Rogue Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anything Trieste - that out of the way part of Italy - catches my attention, so I couldn't wait to enjoy Michael Pearce's A Dead Man in Trieste. It's set in the period before the world exploded into the first World War, Seymour of England's Special Branch methodically and persistently investigates the murder of Britain's ambassador. The work seethes with politics, revolution, language and mystery in this contested European crossroads.

The pace is somewhat slow at first, somewhat hypnotic as Seymour patiently observes and talks and insinuates himself into the maelstrom that is Trieste. It's conclusion though is magnificent, with an explosion of chaos that was Italy's Futurists Movement. I listened to that disc several times, just to catch all the nuances and sort out the splendid chaotic performance.

I'm glad that I happened on the audiobook of A Dead Man in Trieste. It is the perfect medium to enjoy narrator Clive Mantle's gift for character, accent and pacing.

--Ashland Mystery

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trieste in 1906 is an interesting place. One of the most important seaports in the Austrian Empire, it's a battleground for nationalists of every stripe: Bosnian, Austrian, Italian, etc. In this international hotbed, the British Consul goes missing, and Britain needs someone to investigate in order to keep this from becoming a scandal that interferes with national interest. So they send Seymour from Special Branch, a man with immigrant parents who grew up on the East End, and thus a facility with foreign languages.

This is a bit boiler-plate spy novel, and the characters, particularly the women, seem like they are straight from central casting. It's fun, though, to encounter the Futurists, and the setting in Trieste is fascinating. I really liked Seymour as he struggled with his immigrant identity and capitalized on his outsider upbringing.
I'll definitely read more in this series.

[Susy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novel is set in Trieste a few years before WW First. The Austrian Empire rules this port with a heavy hand, there is unrest in the Balkans, and then the English consul disappears. To investigate from London a policeman is sent, whose main asset is talking a few European languages. He untangles the mystery of the consul, later found murdered. The investigation is boring, there are more conversations about Futurism in the arts than clues, the result is dull.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, a man is sent from England to Trieste to discover what happened to the British counsel there. He is there just a few years before the assisination which started the whole world war. It is an interesting book, as I love to read books which use the setting as an integral part of the book.