The Exhumation
With the Spanish Civil War dragging on in Europe, two world-adventurers with a knack for unsavory deeds embark on a rescue mission. This, however, is not a typical rescue, as it takes place in war-torn Spain and the person being rescued happens to be six feet under. The deceased is one Robert Jordan, an American heir who joined the fight out of well-meaning ideals but met an unfortunate demise. The well-endowed grieving family is willing to pay dividends to be able to give Robert a proper stateside burial. Enter two men with flexible morals and the skills to extricate the desired corpse. Navigating treachery, a touch of romance, and all the requisite danger of an active warzone, can the heroes even find the corpse of Mr. Jordan? If they do, will they escape an increasingly unstable country unscathed? Padron keeps readers guessing as Spain continues to unravel.
The Exhumation is action-packed with a multilayered protagonist. Although readers with only a rudimentary understanding of the Spanish Civil War may be a little buried in the details, the novel holds true to historical events and has the potential to educate readers about this conflict. The greatest feat of this novel is the extensive character development and the gradual unearthing of not only a corpse, but the deeper story behind the antihero driving the story. Padron’s novel is a unique war-time adventure with a conflicted lead and an affair against all odds.
