PRISONER OF HEAVEN

A rich, labyrinthine tale of love, literature, passion, and revenge, the novel returns to the world of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books and the Sempere & Sons bookshop. It begins just before Christmas in Barcelona in 1957, one year after Daniel and Bea from the author's bestselling 'The Shadow of the Wind' have married. They now have a son Julian and are living with Daniel's father at the bookshop. Their partner in crime Fermín has been busy preparing for his wedding to Bernarda in the new year. However, something appears to be bothering him. Just when it seems as if luck is finally smiling on them, a mysterious figure with a pronounced limp enters the shop. He insists on buying the most expensive volume on display, a beautifully illustrated edition of 'The Count of Monte Christo', and then proceeds to inscribe the book with the words 'To Fermín Romero de Torres, who came back from the dead and who holds the key to the future'. This visit leads back to a story of imprisonment, betrayal and return of a deadly rival. Who is this man and what does he want of Fermín? The answer lies in a terrible secret that has lain hidden for two decades, an epic tale of imprisonment, betrayal, murder and love that leads back into the very heart of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books. A wonderfully atmospheric historical mystery, this is a book about books for bibliophiles. 286pp in paperback with reading group notes. Illus.