Ángeles Gil

A superb noir thriller set in the Barcelona of the 1930s.

1938. Lola, the recent widow of a policeman killed in one of the aerial bombings that unleash chaos and destruction in Barcelona, decides to investigate the mysterious disappearance of an acquaintance, kidnapped at gunpoint by two thugs. The trail of the missing man leads Lola to Mika, a Polish woman who is being forced to prostitute herself in the brothels of the city's underworld. Mika arrived in Barcelona on the arm of a splendid new husband, unaware that he is a pimp who ensnares foreign women and turns them into sex slaves.

The fate of these two very different women from such diverse backgrounds brings them together in a common cause, in a search against time in which their lives, their dreams and their freedom are endangered.

An exciting, sensual story of overcoming adversity, in the wake of successful novels by authors such as Kate Morton and Anne Jacobs.

1936: Three days before war breaks out, Manuela tries to hide bundles of a valuable sugar shipment in the cellar. Behind a sealed door that hasn’t been opened in decades, she discovers the old Harley Davidson that belonged to Javier, her first and greatest love.

1907: Manuela, an illiterate 15-year-old girl, goes to work as a servant in the home of the town’s most powerful family. For any girl in her position, this is an honour, a unique opportunity, and the chance to escape much harder work in the fields. Her mother and grandmother have both served in the house, and offer her valuable advice: “See, hear, and keep quiet.” But Manuela can’t disobey her instincts or her heart when she meets Javier, the youngest of three sons and black sheep of the family, who loves freedom and his Harley Davidson.

This first novel by Ángeles Gil is a vibrant story of forbidden loves and family feuds in the early 20^th century, at a time when the animosities and alliances that will lead the country into a fratricidal war are just forming.

“Angeles Gil has written a historical novel with a perfect setting, with a storyline that keeps us in suspense until the last page, and with an amazing woman as the main character.” @PetitaLlibreria

“Angeles Gil is the possessor of a special, distinguished writing style and we hope she will soon delight us with another memorable story.” Babelio