Quotes
“The plot…is embellished with ingenious twists and turns, and the concept of using linguistics as a detection tool is fascinating. Ana is given a crash course ‘in what she was allowed to think and what she should keep quiet’, and it is this evocation of an era when brutality and repression are the norm that gives real pause for thought.” Daily Mail (London)
“One of the most original, dynamic, convincing and addictive crime novels around today.” El Mundo (Spain)
“This is an exciting, original, and thoughtful thriller that paints a vivid picture of the awfulness of life in Barcelona, and indeed the whole of Spain, during the fascist years.” Literary Review
“The tension in this gritty debut lies in the detailed descriptions of Barcelonans in the grip of state control, which gains a more brutal edge played against the cozy-like presentation of the mystery. A fascinating angle on an ever-intriguing period.” Booklist (starred review)
“Spain’s Fascist regime gives the novel a ready-made atmosphere of fear and suspicion. But the real measure of that time is in the details rendered with the familiarity of something closely observed…This young reporter may prove to be a character readers are eager to follow.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“The murder of Barcelona socialite Mariona Sobrerroca propels this accomplished debut from the pseudonymous Moliner (the writing team of Rosa Ribas and Sabine Hofmann), set in 1952…The oppressive atmosphere of Franco’s Spain is palpable and frightening.” Publishers Weekly
“The Whispering City is not simply a magnificent thriller: it is a vivid and forensic dissection of an era cloaked in a tyranny of silence.” Marc Pastor, internationally bestselling author of Barcelona Shadows