Description
I Don't Want to Kill Anyone Today
Book Summary
This noir novel introduces Santiago Quiñones, a police officer who, on a cold Tuesday morning, has no desire to kill anyone, just as he must face a gang of inexperienced thugs. What begins as a routine shootout turns into a series of misadventures through the streets of downtown Santiago, Chile, where a seductive woman entangles him in a dark scam. Boris Quercia constructs a crime story that delves into the city's underworld, combining an attraction to women and sex with a tragicomic tone and a sensitive look at violence and survival.
What is it about?
The story kicks off with Santiago Quiñones, a police officer too sensitive for the dirty work he must perform, who faces a band of dangerous but clumsy criminals. The initial shootout gives way to an investigation that leads him across downtown Santiago in pursuit of a fascinating woman, who introduces him to a scam that pulls him ever deeper into the city's underworld. Throughout the plot, Quiñones moves through an ambiguous territory, sometimes closer to the criminals than his own colleagues, while his girlfriend Marina tries to hold onto a constantly foundering relationship. The narrative unfolds along unexpected paths, where the force of events dismantles any possible dream, and the protagonist, rushed by cocaine, makes more mistakes than he hits the mark, but he always ends up siding with the weakest, even if it means breaking the law.
Main themes
- The moral ambiguity of the sensitive cop in a violent environment.
- The urban underworld of Santiago, Chile as a setting for corruption and survival.
- Attraction and sex as forces that divert the course of the investigation.
- The tragicomic tone in the portrayal of violence and crime.
- The internal struggle between police duty and empathy for the most vulnerable.
Who is it recommended for?
This work is aimed at readers of noir and crime novels who are looking for plots with complex and morally ambiguous characters, far from the traditional hero. It will also interest those who enjoy urban stories with a strong sense of place, in this case, downtown Santiago, Chile, and those who appreciate a tone that combines suspense with touches of bitter humor and social realism.
What this book offers
- An atypical, sensitive, and self-destructive police protagonist who humanizes the noir genre.
- An immersion into the underworld of Santiago, Chile with an authentic and raw atmosphere.
- A plot that mixes the police thriller with tragicomedy, offering an original reading experience.
- A reflection on the blurred line between law and justice, and on the fragility of dreams in a hostile environment.
Technical specifications
- Author: Quercia, Boris
- Publisher: EDITORIAL ALREVES, S.L
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: CRIME AND MYSTERY GENRE, MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE WORK
- Collection: NOIR NOVEL
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: January 2021
- Number of pages: 160
- Weight: 335 g
Editorial review
This short novel by Boris Quercia offers a fresh take within the noir genre, with a protagonist who moves away from the hard-boiled detective archetype to show vulnerability and a tormented conscience. The setting in the real Santiago, with its streets and underworld, provides verisimilitude, while the tragicomic tone avoids falling into excessive melodrama. It is an agile read, at only 160 pages, which may interest both regular noir fans and those looking for a story with human characters and a critical look at violence and marginalization.