The Silence Of The White City by Eva Garcia Sáenz

Author : Eva Garcia Sáenz
Title : The Silence Of The White City
Published : 2020
Publisher : Vintage Crime
Pages : 528
Genre : Crime Thriller

     A madman is holding Vitoria hostage, killing its citizens in brutal ways, and staging the bodies. The city's only hope is a brilliant detective struggling to battle his own demons. Inspector Unai López de Ayala, known as "Kraken," is charged with investigating a series of ritualistic murders. The killings are eerily similar to ones that terrorized the citizens of Vitoria twenty years earlier. But back then, police were sure they had discovered the killer, a prestigious archaeologist who is currently in jail. Now Kraken must race to determine whether the killer had an accomplice or if the wrong man has been incarcerated for two decades. This fast-paced, unrelenting thriller weaves in and out of the mythology and legends of the Basque country as it hurtles to its shocking conclusion.

     I have to confess to having a weakness for Spanish crime thrillers I find on Netflix. I devour each one as they appear. So a little while back I came across the film for The Silence Of The White City. I enjoyed it greatly as it ticked off all the things  I have come to enjoy about this genre. It was then whilst looking up more information about the film that I discovered it was based on a book. which at the time I discovered was not available in English, queue being slightly sad about the whole thing. 

     I realize its just a touch of arrogance to assume all books make there way int the English language, and yes it does still surprise me when one isn't. Maybe it's just a case of more people in England just prefer not to read translated books or that they just don't need to. Ether way as it turns out this one has now just made it into its English language debut.

     So having seen the film already I already had a great idea as to who these characters where. Usually, I prefer when I can read the book first as it allows me to form my own mental picture of each of the characters. For me, I think it is part of what makes books so unique, something created by someone else that we can in some small part make our own, but anyway. The author for me has created a core group that I could happily follow for many more adventures. Luckily for me, this is a trilogy so that's always a bonus. 

     Kraken has definitely become one of my favorite fictional detectives. He has been built around good bones and the author made him come to life as someone struggling not only to deal with their present situation but also all they have lived through up until we first meet him. As you would hope he is determined and has somewhat of that dogged approach to cases. But much like the greats, he is also fallible prone to human weaknesses as we all are. Especially when it comes to his love life. 

      I will say that when it comes to the plot the film does follow it fairly closely buy what they did do was play about with when certain events took place. But honestly, for me this didn't matter all that much the narrative is so intriguing that you regardless of if it's your first time or like me having watched the film it will pull you in. I love the way the author has created this amazing world. There is the level of crime fiction that gets swirled up with the myths and legends of this area of Spain. I experience something similar with The Invisible Guardian by Dolores Redondo author series of books I truly love. 

     Maybe it is just that part of the world lends its self to amazing crime fiction. Either way, this book delivers everything I was looking for. She takes her time to get her story out, over the course of five hundred and twenty-eight pages we fly back and forth between not only the cases history but those involved in it. 

     She keeps building with layer after layer, each time not only did I get new clues to play with but a few answers to previous ones just to keep it all moving along. She has this style of writing that means nothing is ever left to waste. The spider's web she has created here is intricate and beautiful. Every strand not only deserves but requires our attention. It is one of those books that would at first seem a little daunting because of its size but once you get going there is no holding you back. 

     This is a book that I held me tight and gave me one of the best reading experiences so far of the year. Personally, I would say by all means watch the film but I would start with the book. This is crime fiction that I feel will satisfy anyone whos into the genre just be prepared to go the long haul with this one because once its go you there is no letting go.