Darkness in Málaga, a novel
In September 2008, Cecilia Natalia Coria Olivares, a pretty
waitress from San Juan in Argentina was murdered by her
jilted lover outside a cafe near Nerja’s church. The whole town
was shocked. Nothing as violent or brutal had ever happened
in Nerja, and it’s not the sort of headline news
that a town relying heavily on tourism ever
wishes to read. Ten years on, most have
forgotten dear Cecilia, but the tragic event left
its mark on at least one citizen.
The result is the Andalusian Mystery Series of which Volume
One is Darkness in Málaga. It’s just been published in print on
Amazon (€11.27) and ebook on Kindle (€3.67). Three more
books are to follow.
The book starts with African Migrants being
captured mid-stream between Ceuta and
Algeciras. They are detained but manage to
abscond faster than water from a leaky bucket.
Meanwhile, a British girl disappears during
the Nerja San Isidro Festival.
Paul S Bradley, long-term British resident,
writer, and publisher of lifestyle magazines and
guidebooks was deeply touched by Cecilia’s
death. A young foreign girl, here on her own so
far from family, but one of a crowd of
Argentineans from Nerja’s twin town. Hard
workers, friendly and caring people. She’d had
to deal with being stalked and abused by her
killer for months, and then to die so horribly on
foreign soil, miles from home must have been
dreadful for all concerned. It touched a nerve.
Three unlikely characters come together to
solve the seemingly disparate incidents.
Inspector Leon Prado, a successful but tainted
detective, is responsible for crimes involving
foreigners in Málaga Province. Slight
problem; he only speaks Spanish. Phillip
Armitage, an emotionally confused but
extremely rare British linguist resident in
Nerja offers his services as a voluntary
translator. Amanda Salisbury, a formidable
American video-journalist filmed both events
and shows the clips to Prado.
A couple of years later, Paul was enjoying a
drink in Kronox cafe which is opposite where
she died, remembering the event with old
friend and local author Drew Launay. They agreed to write a
crime mystery set in and around Nerja that would relish the
beauty of their adopted country and dedicate it to Cecilia’s
memory. Sadly Drew passed before much progress had been
made, but Paul resolved to complete the job.
The threesome hunt frantically for the missing victims among
the ancient cities, charming white villages and breathtaking
landscapes of Málaga Province where they uncover a
malevolent darkness lurking under the dazzling Andalusian
light.
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