Even the Darkest Night: A Terra Alta Novel (Hardcover)

Description

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INTERNATIONAL BEST SELLER • WINNER OF SPAIN’S BIGGEST LITERARY PRIZE • The first book in the acclaimed series: Barcelona detective Melchor Marín is sent to the countryside to investigate a horrific double murder. Before long, it becomes clear that nothing about the case is quite as it seems.

Melchor, the son of a prostitute, went to prison as a teenager, convicted of working for a Colombian drug cartel. Behind bars, he read a book that changed his life: Les Misérables. Then his mother was murdered. He decided to become a cop.
 
This new case, in Terra Alta, a remote region of rural Catalonia—the murder of a wealthy local man and his wife—will turn Melchor’s life upside down yet again.
 
Even the Darkest Night is a thought-provoking, elegantly constructed thriller about justice, revenge, and, above all, the struggles of a righteous man trying to find his place in a corrupt world. 

About the Author

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JAVIER CERCAS was born in Spain in 1962. He is a novelist and columnist, and he has received numerous international awards. His books include Soldiers of Salamis (which has sold more than a million copies worldwide), The Anatomy of a Moment, The Tenant and The Motive, The Speed of Light, and The Impostor. His books have been translated into more than thirty languages. He lives in Barcelona.
 
Translated from the Spanish by Anne McLean

Praise For…

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“Cercas delivers masterful storytelling here, weaving a compelling drama . . . Moving . . . A winning choice for both literary—and crime-fiction book groups.”
—Christine Tran, Booklist (starred)
 
U.K.
“Even the Darkest Night is the first in what promises to be an excellent series . . . History casts a long shadow over this tale of political and personal loyalties.” 
—Laura Wilson, Guardian
 
“It stays in the memory . . . Cercas perfectly captures the fearful mood of a town in rural Catalonia after the crime.” 
—Joan Smith, The Sunday Times
 
“Striking.” 
—Barry Forshaw, Financial Times
 
“A wonderful novel. I look forward to many more Melchor stories.” 
—A.N. Wilson, The Tablet

Spain
“Cercas has spun an agile story whose mystery plot grips the reader right from the start and keeps the tension high until the end-game.” 
—Santos Sanz Villanueva, El Cultural
 
“Impeccable . . . Cercas is unafraid to explore his characters’ emotions, which, instead of toning down the narrative, deepens its impact.” 
—Dómingo Ródenas de Moya, El Periódico
 
“From beginning to end, this is a tense whodunit.” 
—Lilian Neuman, La Vanguardia

France
“Could it be that this series is as wide-ranging and addictive as Les Misérables?”
—Ariane Singer, Le Monde
 
“A novel that impresses with its power.” 
—Christian Authier, Le Figaro
 
“Leaves you breathless until the last page.” 
—Gilles Heuré, Télérama

“A resounding success . . . Cercas once again proves himself a remarkable storyteller.” 
—Alexandre Fillon, Les Echos

“Cercas weaves a formidable story, admirably served by his unparalleled ability to embrace the world through the most intimate details . . . He wonderfully explores and dissects the psychology of each of his characters, from the purest feelings to the deepest darkness.”
—Page des Libraires

“A fabulous novel . . . Such powerful and luminous writing.”
—René Frégni, Le Point
 
“Exquisite, perfectly successful.”
—Olivier Mony, Sudouest

Italy
“Once again, a masterful lesson on what the novel is and what the novel could be in the course of this troubled century.”
—TTL, La Stampa