A Million Drops

Book excerpt: International Bestseller: A family’s dark past is inextricably tied to the interlocked histories of European fascism and communism . . . A “darkly engrossing” crime thriller blending “the best elements of historical fiction, psychological thrillers, and literary character studies” (Washington Post) Spain, present day: Gonzalo Gil is a disaffected lawyer stuck in a failed career and a strained marriage, dodging the never-ending manipulation of his powerful father-in-law. The fragile balance of Gonzalo’s life as a father and husband is pushed to the limit when he learns, after years without news of his estranged sister, Laura, that she has committed suicide under suspicious circumstances. Resolutely investigating the steps that led to her death, Gonzalo discovers that Laura is believed to have murdered a Russian gangster who kidnapped and killed her young son. What seems to be revenge is just the beginning of a tortuous path that will take Gonzalo through the untold annals of his family’s past. He discovers the fascinating story of his father, Elías Gil, the great hero of the antifascist resistance. As a young engineer Elías traveled to the USSR committed to the ideals of the revolution, but was betrayed, arrested, and confined on the infamous Nazino Island, ultimately becoming a key figure, admired and feared, during Spain’s darkest years. A suspenseful and utterly absorbing literary thriller, A Million Drops is a visceral story of enduring love and revenge postponed from a master of international crime fiction.