Eduard Palomares

Jordi Viassolo, an unemployed apprentice private detective, is waiting to finally be hired by an agency while surviving on occasional shifts as a waiter. After working at a luxurious cocktail event in Barcelona’s uptown district, he receives news that one of the guests, Mike Comabella—an aspiring mayor—has died in a suspicious accident. Shortly afterward, he gets a small assignment as a detective: a mysterious client asks him to investigate a neighborhood association in the Raval. In this Barcelona district, he will discover that real estate speculation, social inequality, and drug trafficking are far more blatant than he ever imagined.

After the success of We Don’t Close in August, Eduard Palomares returns with a gripping crime novel that combines intrigue, social portraiture, and irony. Through the adventures of his endearing rookie detective and his quirky circle of friends, the author adapts noir fiction to the twenty-first century, portraying the evolution of the city over the last forty years and proving that, no matter how much time passes, some things never change.

“It’s a fast, smile-inducing read, with dialogue that flows and leaves you wanting more, because they feel like gunshots—sharp and instantaneous.” Javier Lahoz, El Periódico de Aragón

“Eduard Palomares’s prose skillfully blends the new ways of investigation (social media, access to databases) with dusty old icons like notebooks hidden like holy grails, almanacs of poisons, or detectives who’ve seen better days.” Octavio Gómez, 20Minutos

"Igual que ayer consolidates Eduard Palomares’s gaze on the city and on the genre.” Quim Aranda, Ara

“A fresh shake-up of Barcelona-made noir.” David Morán, ABC

“What the hell: don’t miss a single thing in this novel. Nor in the first installment of the series, because you’re going to get hooked on Viassolo.” Javier Menéndez Llamazares, El Diario Montañés

“Palomares uses crime fiction as an excuse to dissect the social reality of today’s Barcelona.” Germán González, El Mundo

“Viassolo resembles Andreu Martín’s Flanagan more than Chandler’s Marlowe; he’s a detective very much of our times.” Rosa Martí, Esquire

“Welcome is the gaze of this young man who hustles to get by, gets himself into trouble, and becomes a hero.” Lilian Neuman, La Vanguardia

“With well-aimed doses of irony, he portrays contemporary society—something Palomares shares (…) with his admired Manuel Vázquez Montalbán, Andrea Camilleri, and Petros Márkaris.” Anna Abella, El Periódico