Book Review: The Summer Snow

Reviewed By: Woodstock - RAM

The Summer Snow     Amazon US TPB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada TPB Amazon Canada HC
Rebecca Pawel
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Soho Press, 2006

Pawel's protagonist, Carlos Tejada, is an officer in the Spanish Guardia, a kind of national police force which during the 1940's was assigned the duty of ferreting out internal political enemies of Spain's government headed by Generalissimo Francisco Franco. In the opening entries in the series, Tejada fell in love with a young woman who gave heartfelt support to those enemies. In this fourth book Carlos and Elena have married, had a son and found a satisfactory way of life stationed in a remote outpost in the northern mountains of Spain. Not all tensions between them have been resolved, but they are happy together and support each other.

When an irascible aunt of Tejada's is found poisoned in her spacious home, he is called back to his childhood home of Grenada to investigate. He finds himself back where his family does not understand his choice of career, his choice of marriage partner, his satisfaction with his duties in the remote North.

The political tension of mid twentieth century Spain infiltrates almost every page of Pawel's latest book. The author dedicates this volume to readers who love her character, and those who hate him - and makes it clear that in her hands Tejada is his own man.

Woodstock - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Woodstock - RAM