June 2010 book read for the Urban Coffee Company Book club

This was a lovely translation of an enjoyable book but for some reason still took me a month to read and I hadnt finished it by the time the book club met (the horror!).

Set in early 20th Century Barcelona, this is the story of David Martin, a writer who gets started in the local newspaper, and through some strange happenings, gets commissioned to write a book for a new religion. He also moves into a strange house that's been sitting empty for years, and his life becomes a nightmare. His publishers die in a fire; his new publisher keeps disappearing and seems to be involved in the disappearance of both the previous owners of the house and the wife of his best friend and mentor; the previous owner also seems to have written a book very similar to the one he's writing - and he found a copy in the mysterious labyrinth of lost books; the police are constantly following him as they believe he is involved in murders of people close to him.......in the end noone knows (including him) if he's dead, mad, hallucinating, dreaming.....

This is the prequel to "Shadow of the Wind" which I read back in 2005 for another book group, and gave the disappointing review of "enjoyable". I did enjoy *this* book and perhaps would have read it quicker if my health had been better and I was able to spend more time reading without getting tired. I'm not sure I'd go back and reread The Shadow of the Wind, as some of the others in the group were thinking of doing, more from a time perspective on my part than anything

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passed to me today, thanks :)

A compelling Gothic story set in Barcelona. Having been in the city since reading this and Shadow of The Wind, both evoke the feel of a city drenched in history.

on Bookcrossing stall at Moseley Festival