El asesino hipocondríaco / The Hypocondriac Hitman
Novel , 2012
Plaza & Janés
Pages: 224
Mister Y. just has to finish one last job as a hitman but to do this he must overcome a huge obstacle: it’s the last day of his life. This professional assassin has been dying from the moment he was born. He has overcame so many diseases that you’d think he were a medical miracle. Currently working for an unknown client, his orders are to kill the slick Eduardo Blaisten before he dies from a stroke, gangrene or the worsening of Professional Spasm Syndrome. However, his bad luck frustrates all his attempts to kill his victim. The book establishes a magical connection between Mr. Y’s own struggles and the great physical, psychological and imaginary suffering which tortured Poe, Proust, Voltaire, Tolstoy, Molière, and all the other famous hypochondriacs in the history of literature.
"The Hypochondriac Hitman is much more than just a simple crime novel, it’s a true lesson in philosophy." El Mundo
"Hilarious. Irresistible." Paris Watch
"With his novel Muñoz Rengel gives us a murderer whose killing is possible to enjoy." Corriere Della Sera
"Rengel builds an enjoyable novel that's primarily a tribute to literature." Télam
"The great surprise of the year. A evocative novel as chilling as that can produce laughter, giggle attacks and cerebral congestion." Félix J. Palma, author of The Map of Time
"The talent of Juan Jacinto Muñoz Rengel is his rich imagination." L'Humanité
"Death, and also life, are unavoidable. But the courage and skills of this author will fool you and make you believe otherwise." La Vanguardia
"Muñoz Rengel signs a delightful black comedy." Livres-Hebdo
"A highly original, hilarious and disturbing novel whose key asset is its unforgettable main character: a hypochondriac protagonist who emerges as larger than life." Rosa Montero
"Crossing police surrealism, literary biography, medical anecdotes and philosophy. An anthology of the most famous imaginary patients of the past." La Stampa