A Death in Valencia
A Mystery
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4.6 • 5 Ratings
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- $12.99
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
A Death in Valencia is the electrifying second Max Cámara Valencian crime novel from Jason Webster, author of Or the Bull Kills You.
Max Cámara is feeling low. Ominous cracks have appeared in the walls of his flat; the body of a well-known paella chef has been washed up on the beach; there are rows and threats about abortion clinics in anticipation of the Pope's visit to Valencia; and Town Hall officials are set on demolishing El Cabanyal, the colorful fisherman's quarter on Valencia's seafront. As Cámara untangles these threads, he stumbles into a web of corruption and violence, uncovering deep animosities and hidden secrets, and forcing him to question his own doubts and desires.
This is the second novel in Webster's dark and witty series, following his widely praised debut, Or the Bull Kills You. The plot is fast and twisting, the scene-setting vivid, and the atmosphere powerfully authentic. Starring the determined Cámara, with his love of flamenco and brandy, and occasional doped-out high, A Death in Valencia delves into issues that rouse unruly passions and divide the Spanish people today.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Tight plotting, rich atmospherics, and an engagingly flawed lead distinguish Webster's second contemporary mystery set in Valencia, Spain (after 2011's Or the Bull Kills You). A week after popular paella chef Pep Roures disappears, Chief Insp. Max C mara, of the National Police, helps fish the chef's body out of the water off the port city. The autopsy reveals that Roures drowned after being stabbed in the kidney from behind. Roures was generally admired for his culinary artistry, but he was a vocal opponent of the local government's plan for redevelopment of the area where his restaurant was located. As C mara's inquiries are just getting underway, he suffers a disruptive personal tragedy that forces him to shift his focus. He soon has an abduction to factor in as well as security precautions for the impending visit of the pope. The undercurrent of melancholy, as C mara finds himself in conflict with the powers-that-be, sets this apart from the usual southern European procedural/whodunit.
Customer Reviews
Smart, gripping and worth a read
Once again, Webster has me chomping at the bit to read the next book in his Max Cámara series. As a five-year resident of Spain, I remain in awe of his ability to reveal so many layers of Spanish culture – from food to fascism. He brings Valencia to life as the co-star of the novel -- a city with grit and sex appeal, just like Cámara himself. And through Webster's tales, he manages to educate readers on real issues that continue to divide the nation, all while allowing people to form their own opinions as they go. A Death in Valencia is smart, gripping and definitely worth a read.