Customer Reviews

Death of a Nationalist (Soho Crime)

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Set in Madrid of 1939, just after the end of the Spanish Civil War, this intriguing crime book hinges on the politics of the place and time. Franco and his nationalist/fascist army and place are in power and busy hunting down remnants of the republican and communist resistance. Spain's cities are scarred by bullet and shell holes, food is exceedingly scarce, and reprisals and disappearances are the order of the day. To the greatly feared Guardia Civil falls the task of maintaining law and order, so when one of their own is shot in the street, a ruthless investigation led by the slain officer's former partner moves swiftly to identify the communist responsible for the assassination.

The investigator is Sgt. Tejada, a respected grizzled veteran who increasingly questions the official party line as he gets accustomed to life after the Civil War. A compelling character, he soon finds himself tangled in a complicated case involving the black market which may or may not be linked to his friend's murder. (French crime writer Didier Daeninckx employed a somewhat similar plot in his 1995 book, A Very Profitable War, set in Paris just after WWII). Meanwhile, a wounded republican must evade capture by the Guardia and mete out his own revenge. The two men's stories both revolve around vengeance, redemption, and hope-seen from opposite ends of the spectrum. Pawel manages to do this without creating a hero and villain dynamic-both are sympathetic, and both are flawed.

Ultimately, the book is rather grim and unsparing, and thus true to the nature of civil war. It's a very good debut, although readers without some previous knowledge of the Spanish Civil War may not get as much from it. If the setting is of interest, check out Alan Furst's spy novel, Night Soldiers, which is set partly in the middle of the Spanish Civil War, and Vittorio Giardino's graphic spy novel No Parasan!, which vividly captures battle-scared Barcelona of the era.

When Tejada sees a woman standing by his friend's dead body, he assumes she must be the killer and shoots her in return.

This is post-Civil War Madrid and Tejada is part of the winning side's armed force helping to establish the new Francoite regime and clear out any "Reds" or supporters of the losing Republican side.

I was nervous initially on reading the blurb for this book as I wondered if I would enjoy a novel which appeared to be sympathetic to Franco's supporters. I need not have worried. In fact, the story is told from more than one point of view. Tejada is a major character but so is the dead woman's lover, her young niece and her niece's teacher.

The dead woman was trying to retrieve her niece's school notebook with her homework. It's not long before Tejada realises that his assumption may have been wrong and finds the notebook, prompting him to investigate further. While he's searching for his friend's killer, the dead woman's lover is looking for her killer, ie Tejada.

This turns out to be less a mystery about good and evil than one of shades of grey, though I do think Pawel's sympathies are ultimately with the republicans. It's a complicated and absorbing story, but the real strength of the book which stood out for me was skill in characterisation, and I found the portrayal of thoughts and feelings in reaction to historical situations a different and very convincing approach to writing a historical novel.

I hope I get a chance to read more books by this author.

The time is 1939 . The place is Madrid. A member of the guardia civil is murdered in the streets. Sergeant Carlos Tejada Alonso y Leon is assigned to look into the case. A woman is found at the scene kneeling at the body. It is assumed she is the killer. Her anger and verbal abuse leveled at the Nationalist guards confirming her staunch Republican views appears to seal the case. However, as Tejada looks into the past of the murder victim who was a friend of his, doubts begin to emerge.
Rebecca Pawel wonderfully evokes the setting of Spain just after its bloody civil war that put Franco into power. Much research went into this extremely well written debut. In fact, the immediacy of the setting brings to mind the war torn novels of J. Robert Janes. There is much poverty and misery on the streets where a simple bar of chocolate would be almost impossibly expensive to obtain. Tejada is a complex character. He evokes mixed feelings in the reader. In spite of summarily executing a prisoner, he reveals a great deal of depth in his views and aspirations. He honestly believes in the Nationalist cause and his strong convictions that he is right make him a sympathetic figure to the readers. The plot is relatively simplistic and not lengthy. A worthwhile and recommended read.

In 1939 Madrid shows the impact of the deadly civil war with few willing to walk the streets unless necessity forces them to do so. The two sides loathe one another encouraging and participating in inhuman abuses. While the Nationalists and the Republicans sporadically fight, the Guardia Civil tries to keep law and order. In a world gone loony, there is only one way to keep the peace and that is commit even nastier atrocities then the fighting factions. Thus the Nationalists, the Republicans and Guardia Civil share in common terrorizing the citizenry

Sergeant Tejada Alonzo y Leon of the Guardia Civil sees a woman in red standing over the murdered body of his heroic best friend Paco Lopez. He assumes she is a communist killer. He asks no questions as he murders the woman, but quickly realizes his mistake. Driven by guilt he searches for the real culprit. Meanwhile when Gonzalo Llorente learns that a Guardia murdered his beloved Viviana; he vows vengeance

Though a crime story at its heart, DEATH OF A NATIONALIST is much more as Rebecca Pawel showcases the impact on various people from the Spanish Civil War. The story line is graphic as it describes the horrors of war on the armies and the atrocities fostered by both sides on the civilian populace. The lead duo and the support cast seem genuine representing various factions with the key players enabling the audience to see the impact of violence on everyday people as well as on fascist and communist zealots.

Harriet Klausner

Having recently read three books that took place in communist countries and described the difficult living conditions in each, I was completely taken aback by life in Post-War Spain, as depicted in the fascinating crime novel Death of a Nationalist set in Madrid circa 1939. Out of all the places I would NOT want to live at any time in history this ranks high up there, the irony being that my grandmother and father grew up in the heart of this trouble. I have always been proud of the fact that I am half-Spanish but now I am truly humbled by that fact, completely respectful of the circumstances that shaped my family's experience there.

This is not your typical crime fiction novel, it is definitely more of an historical mystery; however, the sordid characters throughout and questionable ethics of the two protagonists plant it firmly in the genre for me. The story revolves around two individuals, one a fascist Guardia Civil named Carlos Tejada Alonso y Leon searching for the person who killed his best friend and the other a communist miliciano in hiding, Gonzalo Llorente, searching for the person who murdered his fiancée, Viviana. Viviana was actually killed by Tejada who assumed she murdered his friend when he found her hovering over his body. If he had asked her the right questions before shooting her he would have discovered that she was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. So Tejada spends the length of the novel unraveling the identity of his friend's true killer while piecing together the fact that he killed an innocent woman and greatly disturbed the lives of those who loved her. The central plot is a wonderful study of two men who are inadvertently searching for each other, and by political loyalties hate each other, yet ultimately two men who are able to put allegiances aside to atone for their own mistakes.

The book expertly weaves their stories together, alternating chapters to focus on one or the other's viewpoint while simultaneously moving the story forward. Ms. Pawel did a great job in developing these overlapping stories, so good that I finished it in a few sittings. She also uncovers what a nightmare post-war Spanish life was like: hardly anything to eat, the constant scrutiny and suspicion everyone is under, the mere fact that walking down the street is dangerous, and the simple desire most people have to just survive the day or even a few more hours; I was enthralled. I can't wait to read her follow-up novel Law Of Return.

You almost forget immediately that this book has been categorized into the mystery genre and has even won the Edgar Award for best mystery novel of the year. It could just as easily been categorized as a period piece, set during the Spanish Revolution, and focusing on a Republican family and a Nationalist investigating the death of a comrade.

The book does several things quite well. First, it increases ones interest in this mostly forgotten war (at least for Americans). It is understandable that American history generally ignores this war, since it occurred immediately before WWII began and during the rise of Hitler. However, there is still a lot to learn from this period of history and Pawel's objective view of both sides gives an interesting first glance at the historical significance.

Second, Pawel does a very good job showing the humanity of all of her characters in the midst of great tragedy. In my favorite section of the book, Inspector Tejada struggles with his feelings of distrust/suspicion and attraction/intrigue toward Elena Fernandez, a Republican (and therefore enemy) who is also a central figure in the family containing the accused killer. Tejada goes so far as to follow Elena home, his thoughts transcending those of an inspector simply following a suspect. The friction between the two is mostly one sided (coming from Tejada). However, it is a relationship with many facets including the obvious inspector/suspect, male/female. It also gives insight on the relationship between the powerful and the oppressed as well as the enemy who is also ones countryman.

Finally, I appreciate Ms. Pawel's ability to write a story directed at a smaller audience. She does not find it necessary to fill in all readers regarding the background of the story. She jumps right into the storyline and does not look back. I found this tact to sow interest in the historical backdrop of the story as discussed previously.

Overall, I would recommend this book, not just to fans of mystery novels, but also to those interested in historical novels, well written books and stories with rich characters.

Rebecca Pawel has a good thing going with the Carlos Tejada series of mystery books. First and foremost, she has placed her series in a great time and place. Fascist Spain just after Franco's victory over the Republicans has the right feel for devotees of the World War Two spy/detective novel. The oppresive atmosphere feels just right for any Eric Ambler or Alan Furst reader.

Secondly, Carlos Tejada is also a unique and memorable character in that he is a humane and decent man who also happens to be an officer of Franco's dreaded Guardia Civil. The paradox of a decent man who is not afraid to give a prisoner the third degree or serve the interests of a fascist police state make Tejada a unique character. I cannot imagine a sympathetic Gestapo officer. Pawel does a commendable job of creating a complex and believable character.

Interestingly, where Pawel falls short is in the actual mystery component of the story. She has produced a novel with great atmostphere and characters and the story even has a romantic angle. Where she is weak, is in the crime or the unsolved mystery which is at the very heart of any crime novel. It is difficult to produce a truly great genre work, when such an important element is weak. Rebecca Pawel is a young writer with a lot of talent. Hopefully, she will improve in this area.

Author Rebecca C. Pawel presents the reader with a very interesting dilemma from the first page of her most original whodunit, the Edgar Award-winning "Death Of A Nationalist." How does the reader empathize with a protagonist who is a member of the Fascist cause, one of the victors in Spain's bitter, bloody Civil War? How does one embrace, in a literary fashion, someone who works to enforce Fascist policies, especially when we meet him in the act of killing an innocent civilian?

The novel is set in Madrid, 1939, in the terrible aftermath of a war which ravaged Spain from 1936 to 1939. Generalissimo Francisco Franco and the Nationalists have prevailed over the Republicans, who backed the democratically elected and progressive Popular Front government. Large numbers of American volunteers went to Spain during this period, under the auspices of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, to defend the Spanish Republic against the military rebellion led by General Franco, who was aided by Hitler and Mussolini. The men and women, who fought from 1937 through 1939, represented the last hope of stopping the spread of international fascism. The Lincolns fought alongside the Spanish and approximately 35,000 anti-fascists from fifty-two countries who, like themselves, sought to "make Madrid the tomb of fascism."

Ms. Pawel accurately paints a grim portrait of post-war Madrid, a city settling into the "normality" of an uneasy peace. Atrocities have devastated both sides. The populace's "us" versus "them" attitude will continue for many years, and at this early stage, battle scars are still fresh, as are memories of dead loved ones, and festering political wounds. Many areas of the city are in ruins, and food shortages leave much of the population hungry - some are literally starving. Carlos Tejada Alonso y Léon is an officer, (sergeant), of the Guardia Civil, a rank rarely obtained by a young man not yet thirty years-old. Tejada is the second son of a wealthy landowner, a conservative and a staunch Nationalist. A Falangist, who backed Franco from the beginning, he studied law in Salamanca before joining the Guardia. Now he enforces the laws and policies of the Generalissimo's authoritarian government, and searches for "enemies of the state," usually Republicans, who are jailed, sometimes tortured, and frequently killed. Tejada is basically a decent man, a hero of the siege of Toledo - and while I am certainly not an apologist for Fascism, (on the contrary), there must have been some good people who fought and believed in the Nationalist cause, even if they were on the wrong side of history. One has to read the book to determine if it is possible to accept Sergeant Carlos Tejada Alonso y Léon for the man he is.

The story opens with the sergeant and one of his subordinates investigating the death of a fellow Guardia member. Reports have it that the man was shot by a sniper. Unfortunately, when Tejada arrives at the murder scene, he discovers the corpse of his best friend, who shared with him the long hardships of Toledo. He also finds a young woman near the body, clutching a notebook in her hands. After some words with her, he decides she is a "red," (she is wearing a red scarf, after all), and probably the murderer. He shoots her in cold blood. This brutal act will change him forever. Later, as he investigates further and begins to have doubts, he becomes driven to seek justice. During the investigation process, he comes into contact with various "rebels," and a lovely Socialist schoolteacher, Elena Fernandez. As he meets more politically diverse people, and converses with those who would have been adversaries a short time before, the more human their faces become to him. Tejado also begins to discover flaws in his own personal and professional attitude.

This novel is just plain fascinating. Its originality is refreshing and the taut, intelligent, well written narrative is far different from the formulaic crime novels usually found on the market. Ms. Pawel's anti-hero Tejada is a complex character, struggling with his personal political beliefs, his firmly entrenched dedication to justice and the law, and the grim post-war situation he finds himself in. He begins to understand that in the tonal scale of life, the differences between right and wrong are more subtle and variegated than black and white. The author's descriptions of the wounded streets of Madrid are eerie and unsettling - as is the overall ambiance.

"Death of a Nationalist" is the first of a series of novels featuring Sergeant Tejada. I have already ordered book 2. Highly recommended!
JANA

The setting is Madrid, 1939, shortly after the end of the Spanish Civil War. The city is in ruins, Franco and his Nationalist army are in power, Revolutionaries are being executed, and the Guardia Civil maintains peace, as often as not with violence. An officer has been found dead in the street, and Carlos Tejada Alonso y Leon, Sergeant in the Guardia Civil, is called upon to investigate the murder, only to discover the officer had been a close friend. Almost immediately, Tejada jumps to conclusions about the murderer and deals out punishment, only realizing much later that he has been mistaken.

The book is graphic in its descriptions of a city torn by war. Poverty and misery abound, and brutality is a way of life. Pawel does an incredible job of depicting both the Nationalist and Revolutionary viewpoints through characters all too human, and only the ending keeps this book from being completely dark.

Pawel paints a vivid picture of 1940 Madrid, just after the Spanish Civil War. She gets inside all her characters, republicans and her Fascist main character, who is basically a good man, although he thinks nothing of beating up suspects. I know. Sounds strange, but Pawel is truly able to place herself in the time and understand what made those Spaniards do what they did.