The Anarchist Detective
by Jason Webster
After writing “Or the Bulls kill you” and “A
death in Valencia”, both of them set in Valencia, Jason Webster carries on
telling us crime stories with “The Anarchist Detective”, his third detective book. In this captivating
book, Jason Webster tells us an intriguing story which is set in Albacete.
Being on leave after his last case, Max Cámara,
a police inspector and the main character of the book, decides to go to his
home town, Albacete, where he was brought up by his grandfather, Hilario, a
very intelligent person whose main features are to be extremely frank and do
things by gut feelings. Arriving Max in Albacete two events, which strike his
chord, are happening. One of them is the exhuming of his grand-grandfather’s
corps, dead after the Spanish Civil War, from a mass grave and the other one is
the murder of a fifteen-year old girl, Mirella Faro, murdered in the same way
that his older sister, Concha, was thirty years ago. This is something Max has not
been able to get out of his head and carries
heavily with him from then on. Decided to find out more about Mirella’s murder,
Max is involved in a saffron scam, which is taken place in Pozoblanco, a nearby
village, famous for being ruled as a small Republic by its Mayor.
I must confess that the way the author
describes the way Pozoblanco is ruled is
a bit implausible for me. Maybe the aim of the author is to show the reader
that, even in left-wing parties, there are people suitable to be bribed.
While reading the book, what has surprised to
me the most, is the extraordinary knowledge about the Spanish culture and
customs that the author shows in its pages, what makes its reading very
familiar to the Spanish readers. The book tackles current Spanish issues, as
the Law of Historical Memory, which still remains on the news, and points out
the reader how deeply rooted is Jason Webster to the Spanish society.
Vicent
After writing “Or the Bulls Kill You” and “A Death in Valencia”, both of them set in Valencia, Jason Webster carries on telling us crime stories with “The Anarchist Detective”, his third detective book. In this captivating book, [] Webster tells us an intriguing story which is set in Albacete.
ReplyDeleteBeing on leave after his last case, Max Cámara, a police inspector and the main character of the book, decides to go to his home town, Albacete, where he was brought up by his grandfather, Hilario, a very intelligent person whose main features are to be extremely frank and TO do things by gut feelings. UPON MAX'S ARRIVAL in Albacete, two events, which strike A chord WITH HIM, are happening. One of them is the exhuming of THE CORPSE OF his GREAT-grandfather (dead SINCE the Spanish Civil War) from a mass grave and the other one is the murder of a fifteen-year old girl, Mirella Faro, KILLed in the same way that his older sister, Concha, was thirty years ago. This is something Max has not been able to get out of his head and HAS carrieD heavily EVER SINCE. AFTER decidING to find out more about Mirella’s murder, Max is involved in a saffron scam, which takES place in Pozoblanco, a nearby village, famous for being ruled as a small republic by its mayor.
I must confess that the way the author describes HOW Pozoblanco is ruled is a bit implausible for me. Maybe the aim of the author is to show the reader that, even in left-wing parties*, there are people suitable to be bribed.
While reading the book, what has surprised [] me the most is the extraordinary knowledge about the Spanish culture and customs that the author shows in its pages, WHICH makes IT [] very familiar to the Spanish readers. The book tackles current Spanish issues, SUCH as the Law of Historical Memory, which still remains IN the news, and points out TO the reader how deeply rooted Jason Webster IS to the Spanish society.
Very good. Most of the above are stylistic suggestions, not grammatical corrections.
*I think corruption is an "equal opportunity employer" (anyone in power is vulnerable to it).
Thank you Matt. I think the same as you about corruption.
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