Description
CROCODILE TEARS
Book Summary
In Crocodile Tears, Mercedes Rosende returns to the universe of her unmistakable protagonist, Úrsula López, to offer a noir novel imbued with irony and humor as sharp as it is sordid. Germán, a small-time criminal, is released from prison with the mission of robbing an armored truck. Fate pushes him back toward Úrsula, a woman obsessed with cleanliness, Japanese figurines, and a revenge plot she has been hatching from her apartment. With a plot that entangles a lawyer, a crook, and a police commissioner, the Uruguayan author builds a chorus of imperfect characters who traverse the space between sin and the search for redemption. This is a delightful and murky story that has captivated readers across half of Europe.
What is it about?
The story kicks off with Germán, an eternal sidekick in the criminal underworld, who has just gotten out of jail. His freedom comes at a price: he must organize the heist of an armored truck. Fate, however, has an unexpected reunion in store for him with Úrsula López, the woman with whom he shared the kidnapping that led him to prison. Far from being a selfless helper, Úrsula has scores of her own to settle. From the window of her apartment in the Old City, she spies on her neighbors, meticulously organizes her collection of Japanese figurines, and, while feeling a perpetual hunger, schemes the details of a personal vendetta. Surrounding her, a cast of singular characters—the lawyer Antinucci, the criminal Ricardo "the Broken," and Commissioner Leonilda Lima—cross paths in a dance of interests, sins, and a strange search for forgiveness that culminates in a heist where nothing is as it seems.
Main Themes
- Revenge and redemption in a criminal setting.
- Fate and chance as the driving force of the plot.
- The duality between the sordid and the everyday in the characters' lives.
- Irony and black humor as a lens to observe violence and morality.
- Loneliness and obsession (with cleanliness, food, surveillance).
Who is it recommended for?
This novel is aimed at readers of contemporary fiction and detective novels who appreciate plots with high levels of irony and black humor. It is ideal for those looking for complex and morally ambiguous female characters who break away from traditional archetypes. It will also connect with those who enjoyed Woman Wronged and wish to follow the adventures of Úrsula López, as well as fans of Latin American noir who value agile prose and an immersive urban atmosphere.
What this book offers
- An unforgettable, eccentric protagonist who defies the conventions of the noir genre.
- A heist and revenge plot told with a breakneck pace and a sharp literary style.
- A unique perspective that blends the delightful and the sordid, offering a read that is as intelligent as it is entertaining.
- An immersion into the literary universe of an author who has become a publishing phenomenon in Europe.
Technical Details
- Author: ROSENDE, MERCEDES
- Publisher: ED.ALREVES,S.L
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY FICTION, DETECTIVE AND MYSTERY GENRE
- Collection: NARRATIVE
- Edition Date: January 2024
- Number of pages: 248
- Weight: 519 g
Editorial Review
Crocodile Tears consolidates Mercedes Rosende as a singular voice within the contemporary noir novel. The author manages to maintain the tension typical of the genre while constructing a narrative where humor and sordidness coexist naturally. The strength of the novel lies in its protagonist, Úrsula, a magnetic character who is deeply human in her imperfections. For readers looking for a noir story with personality, sharp dialogue, and an atmosphere that grabs you from the first page, this work is a safe and rewarding bet.