The Whispering City
Barcelona in 1952. When glamorous widow, Mariona Sobrerroca, is found murdered in her mansion, Inspector Isidro Castro is assigned to the investigation. Young newspaper journalist, Ana Marti Noguer, is chosen to assist him because of her insider knowledge of the elite circles in which Mariona moved.
This was the era when Spain was ruled by the oppressive fascist government under General Franco; the media was subject to tight controls and police investigations liable to be twisted or corrupted by sinister forces in high places. Ana walks a dangerous tightrope as she sees the murder from a different viewpoint and privately questions Castro’s conclusions that it was just a burglary gone wrong.
When Ana discovers florid love letters hidden among Mariona’s belongings, she consults her scholarly Aunt Beatriz as to their hidden meaning. Being members of a family that has already suffered for its clashes with authority, both women know the price that could be paid for their interference. As they slowly uncover an intriguing conspiracy, their lives are at risk.
As well as being a thriller, the novel also gives insight into life during this dark period in Spanish history when everyone had to step carefully, always looking over their shoulder. Those readers who already have knowledge of Spanish society, culture and literature will have an advantage. The narrative is dense and convoluted in places, and without a list of who’s-who to refer to as a guide, the male characters are difficult to distinguish one from the other, although the two principal female protagonists are memorable, as they dare to challenge this infamously macho society. Being a work in translation, there are also odd awkward passages where the grammar simply doesn’t sound right. Recommended, although it may require some perseverance.
