Olen Steinhauer received a one-year Fulbright scholarship to visit Romania and write a novel set there. That effort failed, but the experience inspired The Bridge of Sighs, published in 2003, and which I just finished. It was nominated for the prestigious Edgar award, the Oscar of the mystery genre, for Best First Novel. While most of the mysteries I’ve sampled have a sameness about them, this one is distinguished by time and setting: 1948, an unnamed eastern block city under Soviet occupation. What’s remarkable is its authenticity, given that the author had not spent much time in that part of the world back then. The landscape has been ravaged by war, debris everywhere, the drip of leaks a constant. Recovery is proceeding at a snail’s pace. Commodities are scarce. Suspicion, despair is prevalent. A 22-year-old detective is assigned to a murder investigation. Along the way he is roughed up more than Phillip Marlowe, Sam Spade, Lew Archer or Mike Hammer ever were. The trail leads briefly to Berlin during the airlift, a fascinating backdrop wonderfully incorporated into the narrative. It does not lead to Venice, where The Bridge of Sighs is actually located, but the structure, which the protagonist has only read about, stands as a symbol for the tone of the book and the era. It is the last point of civilization criminals pass before entering prison. The story has nothing to do with the great Robin Trower blues song, although its music track would fit the narrative perfectly. The novel is the first of five in a series which culminates in the fall of communism. Steinhauer has also written a three-book espionage arc featuring a character named Milo Weaver, which has drawn Hollywood’s interest. George Clooney has been approached to star. My only criticism of The Bridge of Sighs is an occasional odd choice of words, i.e., describing a building as skinny rather than narrow. Otherwise the prose and dialogue are solid, the characters interesting, the plot sound and grounded in gritty realism. On a scale of five, 3.75. Steinhauer currently lives in Budapest, Hungary. (Facts culled from Wiki & the author’s website.)
Detroit, governed for ages by liberal Democrats, has become the largest American city to ever file for bankruptcy. Let the excuses begin.
The phrase "suffer for one's art" is a cliche, a way of artists patting themselves on the back for work that is a lot more fun than most jobs. Well, it was close to that at the floating book shop today. There was a lot of sighing. Most passersby looked at me as if I were nuts. A couple suggested I wear a hat even in the shade. That doesn't make sense to me. Maybe I missed it in all the tips about keeping cool that have appeared in the papers this week. At one PM I considered packing up, but decided to stay another half hour. At 1:30 I told myself "15 more minutes." At two a woman spotted January Valentine's books and began negotiating. She talked me into a two-for-eleven deal, which I'm pretty sure my literary angel won't mind, as she's told me to give a book away to anyone who shows a real interest. That I will not do. Anyway, my thanks to the woman, and to the one who bought a dictionary, and the young man who bought the American Outlaws (2001) DVD. And happy 80th birthday to Mikhail, who has purchased so many books in Russian from me. We should all look as good at that age - if we make it.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
Vic’s Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
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