Overview

Barcelona, 1952. General Franco's fascist government is at the height of its oppressive powers, casting a black shadow across the city. When wealthy socialite Mariona Sobrerroca is found dead in her mansion in the exclusive Tibidabo district, the police scramble to seize control of the investigation. Ana Marti Noguer, an eager young journalist, is surprised to be assigned this important story, shadowing Inspector Isidro Castro. But Ana soon realizes that a bundle of strange letters unearthed at the scene point to a sequence of events dramatically different from the official version. She enlists the help of her cousin Beatriz, a scholar, and what begins as an intriguing puzzle opens up a series of revelations that implicate the regime's most influential figures. As the conspiracy unfolds, Ana's courage and Beatriz's wits will be their only weapons against the city's corrupt and murderous elite.

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9781504641586

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Reviews

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 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 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 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) 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 One of the most original, dynamic, convincing and addictive crime novels around today. -- El Mundo (Spain) 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)

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

Author Information

Sara Moliner is the pseudonym for the writing duo Rosa Ribas and Sabine Hofmann. Rosa Ribas was born in Barcelona and now teaches at Frankfurt University. She is the celebrated author of six previous novels published in Spain. Sabine Hofmann is a former lecturer in philology at Frankfurt University. The Whispering City is their first novel together. Mara Faye Lethem is a Brooklyn-born, Barcelona-based writer and literary translator from Catalan and Spanish. Her translations have appeared in The Best American Non-Required Reading 2010, Granta, the Paris Review, and McSweeney's. Roxanne Hernandez is an audio narrator and a top narrator choice for young adult, adult drama, and Latin American/Chicano literature. She was a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for best narration in 2011.

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