The novel is set in the Pantanal, the vast untamed Brazilian lowlands bordering Bolivia. One bright Sunday, alone on the banks of the Paraguay River, the narrator witnesses the fatal crash of a small ‘plane. He finds a kilo of cocaine in the dead pilot’s backpack. After but a moment’s hesitation he pockets the coke and the pilot’s expensive watch. Thus begins the protagonist’s long slide into corruption.
When the crash site is located several days later, the pilot’s body is missing and remains unfound for months despite a large-scale police search. Our hero gets involved in a busted cocaine deal and ends up owing a Bolivian drug gang so much money that blackmailing the wealthy family of the dead pilot seems to be the only way out. The family secretly agrees to pay serious money to recover the body of their son. Our hero doesn’t have the pilot’s body so someone else’s will do. Or so he thinks.
My Thoughts:
The story is about a guy that witnesses a small plane crash and after running over to help, finds the pilot is dead, but upon arrival he also finds a stash of drugs, he doesn’t even hesitate to take it. But the problem is will the drug gang now be after him? Will he confess to anyone what he did? It is a well thought out story with a certain grittiness to it. I didn’t particularly like the main character but I did admire him for what he does. There is lots of action to keep you entertained and it is a short read.
I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.
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Echoes In An Empty Room 