Death On A Galician Shore

by Domingo Villar

Overview

One misty autumn dawn in a quiet fishing port in northwest Spain, the body of a sailor washes up in the harbour. Detective Inspector Leo Caldas is called in from police headquarters in the nearby city of Vigo to sign off on what appears to be a suicide. But details soon come to light that turn this routine matter into a complex murder investigation. Finding out the truth is not easy when the villagers are so suspicious of outsiders. As Caldas delves into the maritime life of the village, he uncovers a disturbing decade-old case of a shipwreck and two mysterious disappearances. Death on a Galician Shore is a chilling story of violence, blackmail and revenge that has enthralled readers across Europe...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780349123424
Publisher:	Little, Brown Book Group
Publication date:	11/06/2012
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	4.90(w) x 7.70(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Domingo Villar grew up in Vigo, Galicia and now lives in Madrid. His two novels, both featuring Inspector Leo Caldas, have been highly acclaimed top-ten bestsellers in Spain, and he is the winner of a Brigada 21 Prize for best crime novel. Death on a Galician Shore is his second novel.

Editorial Reviews

In Spanish author Villar’s enthralling sequel to 2009’s Water-blue Eyes, the apparent drowning of a fisherman, Justo Castelo, under suspicious circumstances develops into a complex inquiry for Det. Insp. Leo Caldas. The dead man was found floating off the coastal town of Panxón in Galicia, but the pathologist questions whether the death was either self-inflicted or accidental. An interview with Castelo’s sister reveals that he was traumatized in 1996 by the sinking of a fishing vessel one night during a storm. Castelo and his two crewmates swam ashore, but the captain drowned. That someone wrote “murderers” on the side of Castelo’s boat on the anniversary of the sinking, just before his death, suggests that the truth behind his demise is rooted in the past. The amusing byplay between the likable Caldas and his acerbic assistant, Rafael Estevez, lightens what might otherwise be an unrelentingly grim tale. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

A precise portrait of a misty, insular environment, of peaceful people caught up in violence. And a very clever plot.—La Vanguardia

A satisfying read ... a traditional procedural laced with gothic menace—The Guardian

The rugged coastline of Galicia makes a suitably unsettling setting ... Caldas is an engaging copper—The Times

Villar seduced us with his first novel, and now confirms himself as an excellent writer with Death on a Galician Shore. The plotting is as good as his descriptions of maritime life.—El Pais

From the Publisher