The Neruda Case

The Neruda Case is the first novel by Roberto Ampuero that was translated into English. This book is about the last days of the Chilean poet, diplomat and Nobel Prize winner, Pablo Neruda. Neruda, who was friend with Chilean President Salvador Allende, was battling terminal cancer in 1973. At the same time there was a lot of turbulence in Chile with riots and attempts to overthrow Allende. Neruda approaches Cayetano Brule, an unemployed Cuban-American who moved to Chile with his wife, daughter of a wealthy aristocrat, to find a friend from Neruda’s past. The search takes Cayetano, who’s never done this type of work before, to several Latin America countries and East Germany. Will Cayetano be able to locate this person and get back before Neruda dies?

This book goes more into erotica than mystery at times with entire chapters of women that have been Neruda’s life and also with some of Cayetano’s sexual encounters. The story seems dry at times and not much action. When there is action the story is good.

If interested in reading this book, you can purchase it from the following sites in various formats:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Neruda-Case-Novel-Roberto-Ampuero-ebook/dp/B0074VTHHK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1522029507&sr=1-1&keywords=the+neruda+case

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-neruda-case-roberto-ampuero/1107386647?ean=9781594631474

World of Sleuths Rating: ***

(Three out of five stars)