Description
The Tibidabo Harem
Book Summary
Andreu Martín returns with a fast-paced noir novel set in the most exclusive and dark corners of Barcelona. At the Harem, a luxurious brothel on Tibidabo Avenue, the discovery of the matriarch's corpse triggers an investigation full of twists. The reader will delve into a plot where luxury and violence coexist, featuring characters marked by their pasts, secret passageways, and a truth that hides a box of surprises. A tough, ironic, and relentless story that hooks you from the very first page.
What is it about?
On Tibidabo Avenue, where the old Tramvia Blau winds through modernist mansions, stands the Harem, the city's most luxurious brothel. With golden doors, stained-glass windows, and secret passageways, this club has been a refuge of pleasure since the Franco era. Mili Santamarta, its eccentric heir and manager, receives the news of his mother's murder, executed with two shots to the back of the neck. Together with Sancha, his adoptive mother and the brothel's right-hand woman—still traumatized by the death of her son years ago—he embarks on a desperate search for answers. What seems like an isolated crime becomes a web of disappearances, human trafficking, satanic cults, voodoo rituals, and sadomasochistic clubs. Every clue reveals a new secret, and every detail counts in a plot where the truth is a box of surprises.
Main Themes
- Criminal investigation and mystery in the heart of hidden Barcelona.
- Family legacy and the inheritance of an underground business.
- Violence and corruption in the underbelly of high society.
- The struggle for truth in an environment of luxury, secrets, and betrayals.
- Irony and dark humor as a counterpoint to a harsh and visceral story.
Who is it recommended for?
For readers of noir and detective fiction who seek complex plots, ambivalent characters, and a breakneck pace. Ideal for those who enjoy stories with a social backdrop, urban settings, and constant twists, with no concessions to easy moralizing. Also for fans of Andreu Martín and contemporary Spanish crime fiction.
What this book offers
- A labyrinthine plot with unexpected twists that maintain tension until the finale.
- An immersion into the Barcelona underworld, with a setting rich in historical and visual detail.
- Complex characters with dark motivations and a past that haunts them.
- A balance between explicit violence and acidic humor that humanizes the rawness.
- An addictive read that turns the reader into another character in the investigation.
Technical Specifications
- Author: Martín, Andreu
- Publisher: Editorial Alrevés
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: Modern and contemporary fiction, crime and mystery genre, mystery and suspense work
- Collection: Novela Negra
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: December 2017
- Number of pages: 306
- Weight: 453 g
Editorial Review
The Tibidabo Harem is a solid entry in the noir genre, combining a polished setting with a well-constructed suspense plot. Andreu Martín demonstrates his craft by weaving a story that offers no respite, with characters who evoke both rejection and fascination. The novel is especially interesting for those seeking an intense read with layers of meaning and a lucid portrait of the hidden side of a city. A title that justifies its place in the Alrevés "Novela Negra" collection.