“The plot that carries Melchor from the jailhouse to his first laurels as a cop is irresistible, a wonderful commingling of scrupulous realism and scandalous invention . . . It’s hard not to want to see where life, and Terra Alta, will take him next.”
—Garth Risk Hallberg, New York Times Book Review
“Asks big questions about justice, revenge and whether literature can change lives.”
—Los Angeles Times
“Javier Cercas has created an almost unique character in the history of contemporary western crime writing . . . One hell of a back story . . . Part-investigative procedural, part-contemporary noir, Even the Darkest Night is at heart a revenge tragedy, a story of multiple betrayals and loyalties with a Cercas-trademark meditation on redemption.”
—CrimeReads
“Cercas delivers masterful storytelling here, weaving a compelling drama . . . Moving . . . A winning choice for both literary—and crime-fiction book groups.”
—Booklist (starred)
“Engrossing . . . Suspenseful . . . Fans of literary detective novels ought to take a look.”
—Publishers Weekly
U.K.
“Even the Darkest Night is the first in what promises to be an excellent series . . . History casts a long shadow over this tale of political and personal loyalties.”
—Guardian
“It stays in the memory . . . Cercas perfectly captures the fearful mood of a town in rural Catalonia after the crime.”
—The Sunday Times
“Striking.”
—Financial Times
“A wonderful novel. I look forward to many more Melchor stories.”
—The Tablet
Spain
“Cercas has spun an agile story whose mystery plot grips the reader right from the start and keeps the tension high until the end-game.”
—El Cultural
“Impeccable . . . Cercas is unafraid to explore his characters’ emotions, which, instead of toning down the narrative, deepens its impact.”
—El Periódico
“From beginning to end, this is a tense whodunit.”
—La Vanguardia
France
“Could it be that this series is as wide-ranging and addictive as Les Misérables?”
—Le Monde
“A novel that impresses with its power.”
—Le Figaro
“Leaves you breathless until the last page.”
—Télérama
“A resounding success . . . Cercas once again proves himself a remarkable storyteller.”
—Les Echos
“Cercas weaves a formidable story, admirably served by his unparalleled ability to embrace the world through the most intimate details . . . He wonderfully explores and dissects the psychology of each of his characters, from the purest feelings to the deepest darkness.”
—Page des Libraires
“A fabulous novel . . . Such powerful and luminous writing.”
—Le Point
“Exquisite, perfectly successful.”
—Sudouest
Ireland
“Beautifully written, this is an immersive examination of the moral and emotional strains brought about by a heinous crime.”
—Irish Independent
Italy
“Once again, a masterful lesson on what the novel is and what the novel could be in the course of this troubled century.”
—TTL, La Stampa
