Crime fiction set in Barcelona and Catalonia region of Spain (Terra Alta)

28th May 2022

Even the Darkest Night by Javier Cercas, crime fiction set in Barcelona and Catalonia region of Spain (Terra Alta).

Even the Darkest Night is the first novel in a crime series set in Terra Alta, a regional area to the southwest of Barcelona, the location of the famous Battle of Ebro, the longest and largest battle in the Spanish Civil War. Cercas mentions this battle several times throughout the book, helping to contextualise this setting. He also brings the setting to life in the present with deft descriptions of scenery.

This is a gritty crime novel led by Sergeant Melchor Marín, a tenacious and damaged young man with a deeply troubled past – he’s the son of a prostitute, father unknown – a maverick who refuses to countenance failure. He’s also an ex-con who joins the police force to find who murdered his mother. After shooting and killing four Islamist terrorists in Barcelona, and deemed a hero, he is sent to Terra Alta for his own safety.

The main plot hinges on the brutal killing of an elderly businessman and his wife, known as the Adells. The investigation falters, the killers are not found, and the case is closed. But Melchor won’t be satisfied until he’s solved the case.

Meanwhile, his own past comes back to haunt him. Chapters of his past are interwoven throughout the novel bringing the reader all the way from Melchor’s childhood to the present. I found towards the end of the novel that these backstory elements were, although beautifully told, a bit of a drag on the narrative. Due to this approach, the story reaches its peak a little early, there were not many twists and turns in the plot, and I knew from very early on who was involved in commiting the crime. What proved unexpected and interesting was the explanation of motive given at the end of the novel, and who was really behind it all. I also enjoyed the literary references peppered throughout. I imagine, too, that Cercas has used this first in his series to establish the character of Melchor Marín, and this he does with aplomb.

Even the Darkest Night is an exceptionally well-written novel with a satisfyingly noir feel and a protagonist to match Wallander.

Isobel Blackthorn for the TripFiction Team

Isobel is a prolific Australian novelist. She writes both contemporary/literary, thrillers and dark fiction. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and via her website. 

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