Death of a Nationalist - Tejada, Bk 1 Author:Rebecca Pawel The first in the series featuring Carlos Tejada of the Spanish Guardia. — Madrid 1939. Carlos Tejada Alonso y Leon is a Sergeant in the Guardia Civil, a rank rare for a man not yet thirty, but Tejada is an unusual recruit. The bitter civil war between the Nationalists and the Republicans has interrupted his legal studies in Salamanca. Second son ... more »of a conservative Southern family of landowners, he is an enthusiast for the Catholic Franquista cause, a dedicated, and now triumphant, Nationalist.
This war has drawn international attention. In a dress rehearsal for World War II, fascists support the Nationalists, while communists have come to the aid of the Republicans. Atrocities have devastated both sides. It is at this moment, when the Republicans have surrendered, and the Guardia Civil has begun to impose order in the ruins of Madrid, that Tejada finds the body of his best friend, a hero of the siege of Toledo, shot to death on a street named Amor de Dios. Naturally, a Red is suspected. And it is easy for Tejada to assume that the woman caught kneeling over the body is the killer. But when his doubts are aroused, he cannot help seeking justice.« less
Marci S. (MarciNYC) reviewed Death of a Nationalist (Tejada, Bk 1) on
Helpful Score: 1
Set in Spain after Franco comes to power, the story is captivating, the history intriguing and all in all, it's well written. I look forward to reading additional books in this series.
I really enjoyed this mystery and its background, the end of the Civil War in Spain. The characters were well developed and the mystery wasn't easy to solve. I've already ordered books #3 and #4 in this series and am on the WL for #2.
The main character isn't squeaky clean and will kill at the drop of a hat, sometimes to his regret. Plus he has no problem beating prisoners during questioning. All this is a reflection of the time he lived in. Yet deep inside resides a real human being. Despite the turmoil in the lives of all the characters of this novel, even at the finish, the ending was satisfying.
The novel is an Edgar Award Winner and was selected by Publishers Weekly as the Best Mystery of 2003.
mystery set during the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War; the mystery part of the book is interesting, but the book's greatest strength is its characterization. Pawel captures the experience of ordinary Spanish citizens-- of both sides of the political divide -- during this difficult time very well.