Book 33 of the 50 Book Challenge

Murder in the Central Committee by Manuel Vasquez Montalban, 203 pages

 

Started May 14th, finished May 19th.

 

Quite a while ago I'd read a couple of this author's books and really enjoyed them.  So I decided to get through the rest.

 

The books tell the tale of Pepe Carvahlo, a food loving, loose living private detective in Barcelona.  Not long after Franco's death.  The books are interesting for their descriptions of Barcelona, it's foods and wines and a look at the politics of the time.  Usually without getting too deep.

This book was my least favourite of the ones I've read so far.  It is the one most heavily mired in politics.  the politics of the Communist Party. Carvahlo is asked by the Communist Party to discover who murdered their Secretary Genral, in a closed room with a small amount of suspects.  Carvahlo himself is an ex-communist and is therefore reviled by many of those he is investigating.  The politics are not uninteresting it's just that there is too much that over everything else.

 

It is an interesting tale but I got bogged down by all the political discussion.  Also the book is set in Madrid and doesn't have the same vibe.  There is less discussion of food on a regular basis.  Though there are the typical seductions.

 

I think if I had a better knowledge of Spanish history under Franco's rule I may have found it an easier read.  That is definitely a knowledge void I need to work on.

2.5 out of 5 pawprints

Total so far, Books - 33, Pages -10,161

Next - The Overlook by Michael Connelly