Antonio HillCritiques

enjoyed this. for an inexperienced writer, this book is quite an achievement. Character's somwhat complex and appealing, several story lines neatly intersecting and all getting their fair chare of attention. I always find books where children are victims very difficult to take, and this one was certainly no exception, that's what lowered it down to a 3 star, but will give more of the series a try

El suicidio de una joven inmigrante altera las vidas de cinco mujeres y sus familias en un idílico y acomodado barrio residencial.

Una novela intrigante y turbadora sobre la hipocresía, la amistad, la inmigración y los privilegios, escrita con pulso brillante por uno de los autores más renovadores del género negro en España.

Parece un viernes de invierno cualquiera uno de tantos. Lourdes Ros, la carismática editora de una prestigiosa editorial, se prepara para recibir a sus mejores amigas, a las que ha invitado a cenar: cuatro mujeres triunfadoras que intentan conjugar su reconocida vida profesional con las preocupaciones derivadas de la edad, la pareja, los hijos o la pérdida del estatus social.

Pero el encuentro no será tan divertido como esperaban ya que sobre ellas empieza a planear el recuerdo de una joven a quien todas conocían, una inmigrante que estuvo trabajando en sus casas y que se suicidó, inesperadamente, un año atrás. Poco a poco, las cinco van intuyendo que la trágica muerte de Teresa podría convertirse en una amenaza que destape sus secretos más ocultos, sus prejuicios y sus flaquezas.

Y, cuando un nuevo crimen sacude sus vidas, ya no podrán negar que detrás de las vallas de sus hermosas propiedades se esconde alguien que es capaz de matar para que la verdad nunca salga a la luz. Para que la muerte de Teresa Lanza continúe siendo un misterio insondable.

La muerte no es siempre el final de una historia a veces no es más que un nuevo e inquietante principio.

Aunque parezca imposible, un asesino en serie está ajusticiando a sus víctimas con un garrote vil, el mismo instrumento usado por los verdugos siglos atrás y considerado la máquina de matar más cruel jamás construida.

¿Por qué recurre a un método tan macabro? ¿Qué tienen en común los muertos? ¿Por qué elige lugares especiales de Barcelona para abandonar los cuerpos como si la ciudad fuera una parte importante de su mensaje?

Cuando la doctora Lena Mayoral, una prestigiosa criminalista con un pasado turbulento, recibe el encargo urgente de bucear en la mente del psicópata, no puede imaginar hasta qué punto se complicará la investigación ni los peligros que a los que tendrá que enfrentarse. Mientras aumenta el número de cadáveres, y bajo una creciente presiónmediática, Lena se irá obsesionando con un asesino que, cada vez más, parece estar jugando con ella una partida a vida o muerte.

Aunque parezca imposible, un asesino en serie está ajusticiando a sus víctimas con un garrote vil, el mismo instrumento usado por los verdugos siglos atrás y considerado la máquina de matar más cruel jamás construida.
¿Por qué recurre a un método tan macabro? ¿Qué tienen en común los muertos? ¿Por qué elige lugares especiales de Barcelona para abandonar los cuerpos como si la ciudad fuera una parte importante de su mensaje?
Cuando la doctora Lena Mayoral, una prestigiosa criminalista con un pasado turbulento, recibe el encargo urgente de bucear en la mente del psicópata, no puede imaginar hasta qué punto se complicará la investigación ni los peligros que a los que tendrá que enfrentarse. Mientras aumenta el número de cadáveres, y bajo una creciente presiónmediática, Lena se irá obsesionando con un asesino que, cada vez más, parece estar jugando con ella una partida a vida o muerte.

Aunque parezca imposible, un asesino en serie está ajusticiando a sus víctimas con un garrote vil, el mismo instrumento usado por los verdugos siglos atrás y considerado la máquina de matar más cruel jamás construida.

¿Por qué recurre a un método tan macabro? ¿Qué tienen en común los muertos? ¿Por qué elige lugares especiales de Barcelona para abandonar los cuerpos como si la ciudad fuera una parte importante de su mensaje?

Cuando la doctora Lena Mayoral, una prestigiosa criminalista con un pasado turbulento, recibe el encargo urgente de bucear en la mente del psicópata, no puede imaginar hasta qué punto se complicará la investigación ni los peligros que a los que tendrá que enfrentarse. Mientras aumenta el número de cadáveres, y bajo una creciente presiónmediática, Lena se irá obsesionando con un asesino que, cada vez más, parece estar jugando con ella una partida a vida o muerte.

Hola amig@s con adicción a la lectura por aquí traigo la última y, como no aprendo, es otro inicio de trilogía, que lo tenía pendiente desde hace años, ahí, esperando en la estantería.

Este es el primer libro de la trilogía “Salgado” del autor @ToniHill, desarrollada en Barcelona y en la que se nos narra varios casos complejos e independientes desarrollados a lo largo de una semana. Por un lado tenemos un caso de trata de blancas y la otra investigación es un supuesto suicidio con indicios extraños.

Obra con una narración muy fluida y envolvente, que párrafo a párrafo te hunde en el misterio. El libro está dividido en días de la semana y a su vez en capítulos de numeración continuada.

En la historia tenemos como protagonista al Inspector Salgado, de origen argentino, con ciertos problemas familiares y un pasado turbio que vuelve cuando menos lo necesita, algo típico en las novelas del género. Salgado es el encargado de las investigaciones junto a Martina y Leire, ocupando un papel muy importante. No puedo olvidar el trio de jóvenes que dan volumen a la historia, compuesto por Marc el misterioso, Aleix el odioso y Gina la triste. Por otro lado está Iris, de esta no digo "na de na" , tendréis que leerlo.

La trama se cierra con un final sorprendente, cerrando los casos pero dejando un hilo para su continuación en la historia de Salgado, para eso es una trilogía. He de resaltar de esta novela unas buenas historias, muy buenos personajes y un buen final. Por lo que me toca seguir leyendo los siguientes. Obviamente con lo comentario anteriormente la recomiendo al 100%.

2.25

347-1

Primera novel.la que llegeixo d’en Toni Hill i la veritat és que no m’ha decebut. Tampoc és que en tingués moltes expectatives però la veritat és que ha estat una lectura agradable. L’argument està ben construit des del punt de vista de mantenir-te sempre alerta. Ens trobem davant d’una obra a mig camí entre el terror psicològic i el drama històric, passant pel suspens fantasmagòric, el que la converteix en una novel.la prou singular per donar-li una oportunitat per passar una molt bona estona.

Una absorbent història de suspens psicològic que explora els límits entre la culpa i l'expiació.

A finals dels setanta, en Víctor Yagüe i en Juanpe Zamora van ser alguna cosa més que companys de classe. La seva amistat, plena de confidències i jocs, d'alegries i pors, va traspassar les parets de l'aula i es va estendre pels conflictius carrers de la Ciutat Satèl·lit. Fins al 15 de desembre de 1978. Fins al dia en què un tràgic succés va sacsejar la consciència dels veïns. Fins al moment en què els nois es van veure obligats a triar entre lleialtat o salvació.

Trenta-set anys després, tots dos es retroben en aquest mateix escenari. La sort de cadascun ha agafat rumbs oposats. En Juanpe és un home a la deriva, sense futur i amb un present tèrbol; en Víctor, en canvi, pot considerar-se un triomfador. Potser per això se sent estranyament en deute amb el seu vell amic i decideix enfrontar-se als clarobscurs d'un cas tancat que, tot i així, continua envoltat d'inquietants preguntes que ningú no vol respondre.
Amb una trama intensa i plena de secrets, Toni Hill ens transporta a un barri mític del cinturó roig de Barcelona, tant en els convulsos anys setanta com en l'actualitat, on uns personatges profundament humans es troben atrapats en un conflicte marcat per la lleialtat, el silenci i la venjança.

Desde que lo empecé, en agosto, he vuelto al principio como tres veces más, para ver si lograba engancharme y va a ser que no. El primero me lo leí de un tirón pero este me ha parecido lento, pesado, sin chicha,... No sé si habrá sido el libro o yo, que llevo una sequía de lectura muy mala.
Esperemos remontar con el tercero.

A finales de los setenta, Víctor Yagüe y Juanpe Zamora fueron algo más que simples compañeros de clase. Su amistad, llena de confidencias y juegos, de alegrías y miedos, rebasó las paredes del aula y se extendió por las conflictivas calles de la Ciudad Satélite. Hasta el 15 de diciembre de 1978. Hasta el día en que un suceso trágico sacudió la conciencia de los vecinos. Hasta el momento en que los chicos se vieron obligados a escoger entre la lealtad y la salvación.

Treinta y siete años después, ambos vuelven a encontrarse en ese mismo escenario. Sus vidas han corrido suertes opuestas. Juanpe es un hombre a la deriva, sin futuro y con un presente turbio; Víctor, en cambio, puede considerarse un triunfador. Quizá por eso se siente extrañamente en deuda con su viejo amigo...

Una absorbente historia de suspense psicológico que explora los límites entre la culpa y la expiación. Con una trama intensa y llena de secretos, Toni Hill nos transporta a un barrio mítico del Cinturón Rojo de Barcelona, tanto en los convulsos años setenta como en la actualidad, donde unos personajes profundamente humanos se ven atrapados en un conflicto marcado por la lealtad, el silencio y la venganza.

Los ángeles de hielo narra como Frederic Mayol, hijo de padre español y madre vienesa, se alista voluntario en el ejército austriaco al comienzo de la Gran Guerra que enfrenta a las potencias centrales contra la Alianza franco-británica.
La novela se inicia en 1916, cuando el militar, una vez repuesto de las graves heridas recibidas en combate, se refugia en la casa familiar de Barcelona, horrorizado por la barbarie de un conflicto que le parece, sea cual fuere el resultado, un desastre para Europa. Doctorado en la escuela psicoanalítica dirigida por Sigmund Freud, se incorpora a un sanatorio de enfermos mentales, próximo a la Ciudad Condal, instalado en el edificio que fue en tiempos internado de señoritas de la alta sociedad. En el ejercicio de sus funciones, Frederic recibe confidencias inquietantes sobre los trágicos sucesos que obligaron a la clausura del prestigioso centro educativo para niñas y jóvenes. Un devastador incendio de origen desconocido provocó la muerte de una profesora y de una alumna de corta edad, mientras ensayaban la obra de teatro de final de curso. La directora abrumada por el siniestro y carente de medios económicos para remontar sus consecuencias, decidió abandonar el proyecto al que había dedicado la mayor parte de su vida. Saltan las alarmas cuando se producen una serie de crímenes cuyas víctimas son antiguas alumnas que se libraron de la muerte en el incendio del internado. Las jóvenes presentan todas las mismas heridas en el cuello y sobre su cadáver aparece la figurilla de un pájaro tallado con tosquedad. La prometida de Frederic, la rica heredera Blanca Raventós, alumna del desaparecido centro, aparece muerta en las mismas circunstancias que sus compañeras. El joven psiquiatra, sumido en el dolor, se dispone a descubrir al asesino que, según todos los indicios, parece dispuesto a continuar su acción criminal. El relato adquiere a partir de ese momento una deriva truculenta, que pone de manifiesto deformaciones de personalidad en las que no faltan los complejos edípicos, incestos, venganzas y odios que se desarrollan siguiendo los esquemas del psicoanálisis freudiano, que acaban por adueñarse del protagonista y le llevan hasta el límite de la locura. Toni Hill (Barcelona, 1966) psicólogo y traductor editorial, muestra una notable calidad literaria que le permite narrar de modo coherente un argumento inverosímil de gran complejidad que se adentra en el difícil terreno de los trastornos mentales expuestos como en una sesión de psicoterapia. Las referencias a las conductas desviadas moral y sexualmente evitan en general los detalles escabrosos, aunque pueden afectar de forma negativa la sensibilidad del lector.

Inspector Hector returns from time off because of beating up a perpetrator, and is asked as a favor to investigate the circumstances surrounding a young man's apparent suicide. Three wealthy families are intertwined in the situation, with many secrets and betrayals. Hector's own family is also in a state of flux, and he has reason to fear for their safety.

This is the second book about Inspector Hector Salgado and I think it was better than the first. You do need to read the first book or this one won't make any sense as the happenings in the first book are mentioned often in this book. I think I had a better understanding of Inspector Salgado as well.

Inspector Salgado is called in when a young woman commits suicide. Coincidentally another man in the company has also committed suicide just a few months before. A picture with these two people along with several others is found and the only thing they have in common is that they work for the same company. The Inspector does not believe these two deaths are coincides and begins an investigation into both. Parallel to this story is the continuing investigation of Inspector Salgado's ex-wife. There is a cliffhanger in this story, a big one. Normally I hate cliffhangers but in this case I think it fits since the one storyline is so neatly tied up. However I really hope Mr. Hill does not make us wait too long for the next book.

This is the second book about Inspector Hector Salgado and I think it was better than the first. You do need to read the first book or this one won't make any sense as the happenings in the first book are mentioned often in this book. I think I had a better understanding of Inspector Salgado as well.

Inspector Salgado is called in when a young woman commits suicide. Coincidentally another man in the company has also committed suicide just a few months before. A picture with these two people along with several others is found and the only thing they have in common is that they work for the same company. The Inspector does not believe these two deaths are coincides and begins an investigation into both. Parallel to this story is the continuing investigation of Inspector Salgado's ex-wife. There is a cliffhanger in this story, a big one. Normally I hate cliffhangers but in this case I think it fits since the one storyline is so neatly tied up. However I really hope Mr. Hill does not make us wait too long for the next book.

This is the second book about Inspector Hector Salgado and I think it was better than the first. You do need to read the first book or this one won't make any sense as the happenings in the first book are mentioned often in this book. I think I had a better understanding of Inspector Salgado as well.

Inspector Salgado is called in when a young woman commits suicide. Coincidentally another man in the company has also committed suicide just a few months before. A picture with these two people along with several others is found and the only thing they have in common is that they work for the same company. The Inspector does not believe these two deaths are coincides and begins an investigation into both. Parallel to this story is the continuing investigation of Inspector Salgado's ex-wife. There is a cliffhanger in this story, a big one. Normally I hate cliffhangers but in this case I think it fits since the one storyline is so neatly tied up. However I really hope Mr. Hill does not make us wait too long for the next book.

This is the second book about Inspector Hector Salgado and I think it was better than the first. You do need to read the first book or this one won't make any sense as the happenings in the first book are mentioned often in this book. I think I had a better understanding of Inspector Salgado as well.

Inspector Salgado is called in when a young woman commits suicide. Coincidentally another man in the company has also committed suicide just a few months before. A picture with these two people along with several others is found and the only thing they have in common is that they work for the same company. The Inspector does not believe these two deaths are coincides and begins an investigation into both. Parallel to this story is the continuing investigation of Inspector Salgado's ex-wife. There is a cliffhanger in this story, a big one. Normally I hate cliffhangers but in this case I think it fits since the one storyline is so neatly tied up. However I really hope Mr. Hill does not make us wait too long for the next book.

This is the second book about Inspector Hector Salgado and I think it was better than the first. You do need to read the first book or this one won't make any sense as the happenings in the first book are mentioned often in this book. I think I had a better understanding of Inspector Salgado as well.

Inspector Salgado is called in when a young woman commits suicide. Coincidentally another man in the company has also committed suicide just a few months before. A picture with these two people along with several others is found and the only thing they have in common is that they work for the same company. The Inspector does not believe these two deaths are coincides and begins an investigation into both. Parallel to this story is the continuing investigation of Inspector Salgado's ex-wife. There is a cliffhanger in this story, a big one. Normally I hate cliffhangers but in this case I think it fits since the one storyline is so neatly tied up. However I really hope Mr. Hill does not make us wait too long for the next book.

I received this uncorrected galley from librarything.

For the most of this novel I was set on a 4 Star rating. The pacing seemed to taper off in the middle and I didn't feel like I was getting invested in the characters. As I got toward the end the pacing picked up, which was making me reconsider the rating a little. What really changed the rating was the fact that I started investing emotions in some of the characters and I saw the significance of the overwhelming number of perspectives. The kicker was that he stumped me on the mystery. I did not see that coming at all. That's a rarity for me. I usually know halfway in and I was still confused until it was revealed. If I could give this more than 5 Stars I would. All of my complaints melted away, and I was genuinely excited about finishing it.

This was my first experience with the author. I have not read the first in the series as they can be read as stand alone novels. Once I finished I immediately got on my library webpage and put The Summer of Dead Toys on hold. I look forward to reading it. I will absolutely recommend this novel.

This book is an Advanced Readers Copy sent to me by Random House. It explicitly states that it is an uncorrected proof so I hope my one big problem with the book was corrected in the final version. More about that later.Inspector Hector Salgado is employed by the Barcelona police force or, possibly, he is not going to be employed much longer. While investigating a people smuggling ring that was bringing young girls from Nigeria into Spain for prostitution Salgado brutally beat an elderly man who called himself a doctor although he had no formal training. Salgado was given a months’ holiday while the investigation of his conduct took place. He returned to his birthplace of Argentina for the month but now is back in Spain. The doctor that he beat disappeared and blood, as well as a boar’s head, was found in his office. Salgado has been instructed to leave the investigation of the disappearance to his colleague Martina Andreu. Salgado has been given a case of Marc Castells, a young man from a good family who fell to his death from his attic window. His boss knows the family and wants to assure them that all efforts have been made to determine how the fall took place but he is sure that it was an accident. However as Salgado and a new detective, Leire Castro, look into the case it seems that nothing is clear-cut. Everything seems to lead back to an accident that occurred at a summer camp when Marc was 6 years old. Meanwhile Salgado is dealing with his personal problems. His wife Ruth left him a year before to pursue a relationship with a woman. His son Guillermo is growing up and Salgado worries that he hasn’t been a good father. His colleague Leire has problems of her own; she has discovered she is pregnant from a tempestuous, short-lived relationship.Parent and child relationships crop up a lot in this book. The mother of Marc Castells abandoned him and his father when he was 6 months old but she has returned for the funeral and to exert pressure to discover how the fall happened. Marc’s father has remarried and they have adopted a Chinese girl. Marc’s stepmother dotes on her but the father seems ambivalent. The book is fairly well-written although there is a tendency to use English sayings that are rather dated. Methinks the author, who is described as fluent in English, reads more books from England than from the North American continent. I liked the character of Inspector Salgado and his colleague Leire. However, there was a twist at the end that just doesn’t seem possible in the time line. Salgado’s ex-wife Ruth left Barcelona on Friday and was never heard from again. Salgado thinks that the doctor that he beat arranged the disappearance. However, we know from Sargeant Andreu’s investigation that the doctor was taken prisoner on Monday and died some time before Saturday of injuries that occurred on Monday. To me it just doesn’t seem possible that the doctor could have caused Ruth’s disappearance. That really caused me to lower the rating I gave to this book.½

Suicides are not uncommon. Suicide by throwing yourself in front of a train is not that uncommon either. But this time something is off - there is no reason for that particular young woman to do that; there had been no indications. And when Selgado is called to the scene, he does not understand why he is there - a suicide is a suicide after all. Except when it is not.

This is how this novel starts - and if you had not read the first book in the series (as I had not) you need to play catch up fast - the backstory is mentioned but in a way that hints of expectation of knowing it. The seemingly easy crime turns into a big mess very fast and things take off.

As much as I enjoyed the mystery part of the story (for it is done in the old fashioned way that only European authors seem to risk anymore and I love), it is the setting of Barcelona and Spain that makes the book a pleasure to read. In some series even if they are set in a new place, the place remains generic. Here Spain shines.

I suspect I will pick up some more of the series - I enjoyed it enough for that.½

L'inspector Salgado i la seva subordinada han de resoldre si en Marc, un adolescent, s'ha suïcidat, ha tingut un accident o si l'han matat. Aquesta és la trama principal, però el llibre planteja la història personal dels dos protagonistes i aquesta és la riquesa de la novel·la.
He disfrutat d'una banda, tot i que el sofriment d'adolescents m'ha fet patir una mica, m'ha donat més "mal rotllo". El desenllaç l'he trobat una mica forçat, com si tot d'una s'hagués tret molts asos de la màniga. L'última pàgina val la novel·la, se't tira el misteri a sobre.

I love love loved this book. I didn't have high hope after getting two books from Blogging For Books that I wasn't so thrilled with but this one didn't disappoint. From the very first page every motion was well crafted and thought out. I can usually figure out who ultimately was responsible for things but this book totally kept me guessing, even during the final unraveling and reveal I found that I was off the mark.

Salgado is a broken man, his wife left him for another woman, and he is on probation from work for assaulting a voodoo doctor who was involved in a human trafficking. Upon returning he is given the assignment to unofficially look into what seems to be an accidental death or suicide of a young boy of privilege. The further they investigate the more they uncover and this death is anything but routine. In the meantime the man who Salgado assaulted has gone missing.

There are many different story lines in this book but they all converge in the end to a mostly satisfying conclusion. I found the characters to be realistic with all their flaws and insecurities, it left me wanting to know more about each of the main characters. Even the descriptions of those involved in the cases were sympathetic in their own way. Even when they were a bit despicable you could feel some type of compassion for them. If you like a well written thrill pick up something by Antonio Hill.