Thriller set in Brazil. Author Dan Smith talks about setting
- Book: The Darkest Heart
- Location: Brazil, Minas Gerais
- Author: Dan Smith
A deep red and black cover that is indicative of content: blood, brooding encounters, a roiling river and the shadow of death. Ancient folklore and legend weave their way through the prose. A gripping thriller to take you to the heart of Brazil.
Zico is a young man who has escaped the favelas and settled in fictional Piratinga, situated on the Rio das Mortes in Minas Gerais. He is trying to build some kind of life with his girlfriend Daniella but before he can settle down he has one final ‘job’ to execute for Costa, the local war lord. He is to target and kill a nun, Sister Dolores Beckett who is heading to Mina dos Santos to in order to negotiate on behalf of the natives there… they are embattled over the land grab masterminded by the owners of the local mine.
Much of the story takes place along the river, in the company of Zico’s good older friend Raul, who owns the rust bucket of a boat, the Deus e o Diabo in which they find themselves. The author beautifully captures the tension amongst the passengers whose numbers are swelled by Leonardo, who has insinuated himself into the group. His cocaine habit makes him, however, very unpredictable. Guns abound, stand-offs and near misses all build the tension as Zico and Leonardo are intent on fulfilling their own individual missions.
The river in itself is a major player in this book, it is a dark awesome presence, so wide at parts, full of beasties that will attack you at the drop of a hat. Leonardo gets attacked by a jacaré and a boto gets snarled in the engine which bodes bad luck. The elements, the jungle, the sand, the insects all serve to foment the storyline. And with location being such a big part, we have an author Q & A with Dan here
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