Death Rites
3 journalers for this copy...
Death Rites (Petra Delicado Mysteries #1)
by Alicia Gimenez-Bartlett (Spain)
translated by Jonathan Dunne
Inspector Petra Delicado has been chained to a tiresome desk job in the documentation department of the Barcelona police force for months. But things are about to change. The department is short-handed and there's a serial rapist on the loose. Delicado is partnered with the portly and impossibly compliant Sergeant Fermin Garzon with orders to solve the case before it succeeds in ruining the good name of the Barcelona police force. However, the only lead they have is the rapist's mysterious signature; a circular mark of unknown origins he leaves on his victims' forearms. No witnesses, no other leads, and no help from the victims themselves. To further complicate her life, Inspector Delicado is trying to shake off two ex-husbands, Hugo, who persists in shamelessly belittling her, and Pepe, as helpless and hapless as a little boy in her absence.
(from the back cover)
+++++++++
The murder mystery plot is pretty standard, a serial rapist on the loose in Barcelona. Narrated in the first person from the point of view of an inexperienced female police investigator, the action and suspense takes second place to character development.
Petra Delicado is given her first chance as a crime investigator, when she is taken away from her usual duties of her undemanding position in the Documentation department of the police, and given the position of Inspector.
Twice-divorced, just recently moved into a new house, and still not fully secure after a major career change from lawyer to policewoman, she still can't believe her opportunity to use her intelligence and skills has finally arrived.
This is Petra's big break, her chance to make her mark. So the investigation into the crime is overshadowed by her self-consciousness and inner conflict: should she follow her female instinct, her experience as a former lawyer, or her as-yet untested police training? On top of all of that, she is given a role as superior to sergeant Fermín Garzón, a policeman who's older and more experienced than her (he's nearing retirement), and she is left guessing as to how to best approach him and make their partnership work in this unlikely pairing.
Petra and Fermin's interaction is well-written, with witty dialogue and plenty of humanity as well as humor. They learn by adapting to each other's personality, as well as from the combining of their individual approaches in dealing with the players of the crime drama - the victims, the relatives, the suspects, as well as the journalists covering the investigation.
I enjoyed reading this, and will be looking for the next books in the series.
Lastly, a comment on the edition, which is very nicely designed. The cover has a smooth surface and a firmness to it so it doesn't feel at all like a cheap printing. The page layout, font size as well as the typeface seem "just right" to me.
by Alicia Gimenez-Bartlett (Spain)
translated by Jonathan Dunne
Inspector Petra Delicado has been chained to a tiresome desk job in the documentation department of the Barcelona police force for months. But things are about to change. The department is short-handed and there's a serial rapist on the loose. Delicado is partnered with the portly and impossibly compliant Sergeant Fermin Garzon with orders to solve the case before it succeeds in ruining the good name of the Barcelona police force. However, the only lead they have is the rapist's mysterious signature; a circular mark of unknown origins he leaves on his victims' forearms. No witnesses, no other leads, and no help from the victims themselves. To further complicate her life, Inspector Delicado is trying to shake off two ex-husbands, Hugo, who persists in shamelessly belittling her, and Pepe, as helpless and hapless as a little boy in her absence.
(from the back cover)
+++++++++
The murder mystery plot is pretty standard, a serial rapist on the loose in Barcelona. Narrated in the first person from the point of view of an inexperienced female police investigator, the action and suspense takes second place to character development.
Petra Delicado is given her first chance as a crime investigator, when she is taken away from her usual duties of her undemanding position in the Documentation department of the police, and given the position of Inspector.
Twice-divorced, just recently moved into a new house, and still not fully secure after a major career change from lawyer to policewoman, she still can't believe her opportunity to use her intelligence and skills has finally arrived.
This is Petra's big break, her chance to make her mark. So the investigation into the crime is overshadowed by her self-consciousness and inner conflict: should she follow her female instinct, her experience as a former lawyer, or her as-yet untested police training? On top of all of that, she is given a role as superior to sergeant Fermín Garzón, a policeman who's older and more experienced than her (he's nearing retirement), and she is left guessing as to how to best approach him and make their partnership work in this unlikely pairing.
Petra and Fermin's interaction is well-written, with witty dialogue and plenty of humanity as well as humor. They learn by adapting to each other's personality, as well as from the combining of their individual approaches in dealing with the players of the crime drama - the victims, the relatives, the suspects, as well as the journalists covering the investigation.
I enjoyed reading this, and will be looking for the next books in the series.
Lastly, a comment on the edition, which is very nicely designed. The cover has a smooth surface and a firmness to it so it doesn't feel at all like a cheap printing. The page layout, font size as well as the typeface seem "just right" to me.
Reserved for the Murder in Translation VBB organized by eicuthbertson.
Edited March 21 - selected by eponine38 !
Edited March 21 - selected by eponine38 !
Journal Entry 3 by okyrhoe at Virtual Book Box, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Released 12 yrs ago (4/3/2012 UTC) at Virtual Book Box, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On its way by post to eponine38. Enjoy!
Thank you so much for this book from the Murder in Translation VBB! It looks really good and I look forward to reading it.
Ευχαριστώ (just starting to learn a little Greek ;-)
Ευχαριστώ (just starting to learn a little Greek ;-)
I enjoyed this first-in-series, and am pretty much in agreement with okyrhoe (though I can't state it as eloquently ;-): the story is interesting, but it's the characters that really make it special. Petra is a complicated person and I often found myself not liking her that much...but the development of the relationship of mutual understanding between her and Garzon was very well written.
The Barcelona setting was a plus, as I fell in love with the city when I visited in (gulp!) 1979.
I'll be looking out for the next book in the series (Dog Days - Dia de perros)
Thank you again, okyrhoe, for introducing me to this author!
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I'm going to offer this in bookstogive's US/Canada Mystery/Thriller VBB.
The Barcelona setting was a plus, as I fell in love with the city when I visited in (gulp!) 1979.
I'll be looking out for the next book in the series (Dog Days - Dia de perros)
Thank you again, okyrhoe, for introducing me to this author!
-------------------------
I'm going to offer this in bookstogive's US/Canada Mystery/Thriller VBB.
Traveling to loriped via the US/Canada Mystery/Thriller VBB. Hope you enjoy it, loriped!
Received in the mail today along with two bookmarks. The Camille Monet in Japanese costume is lovely. Thanks.
