THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Magnificent: a dizzying tale of drama, intrigue and passion' MAIL ON SUNDAY As a child, Daniel Sempere discovered among the passageways of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books an extraordinary novel that would change the course of his life. Now a young man in the Barcelona of the late 1950s, Daniel runs the Sempere & Sons bookshop and enjoys a seemingly fulfilling life with his loving wife and son. Yet the mystery surrounding the death of his mother continues to plague his soul. Just when Daniel believes he is close to solving this enigma, a conspiracy more sinister than he could have imagined spreads its tentacles from the hellish Franco regime. That is when Alicia Gris appears, a soul born out of the nightmare of the war. She is the one who will lead Daniel to the edge of the abyss and reveal the secret history of his family, although at a terrifying price. 'This is a novel to lose oneself in, and it promotes the sort of reading experience we remember from childhood - of complete absorption into a fantasy world' IRISH TIMES

"Gabriel Garcia Marquez meets Umberto Eco meets Jorge Luis Borges for a sprawling magic show." --"The New York Times Book Review"
A "New York Times" Bestseller
Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer's son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julian Carax. But when he sets out to find the author's other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. In fact, Daniel may have the last of Carax's books in existence. Soon Daniel's seemingly innocent quest opens a door into one of Barcelona's darkest secrets--an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love.
" Anyone who enjoys novels that are scary, erotic, touching, tragic and thrilling should rush right out to the nearest bookstore and pick up "The Shadow of the Wind. "Really, you should." --Michael Dirda, "The Washington Post"
"Wonderous... masterful... "The Shadow of the Wind" is ultimately a love letter to literature, intended for readers as passionate about storytelling as its young hero." --"Entertainment Weekly "(Editor's Choice)
"One gorgeous read." --Stephen King

Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer’s son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled "The Shadow of the Wind", by one Julián Carax.

But when he sets out to find the author’s other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. In fact, Daniel may have the last of Carax’s books in existence.

Soon Daniel’s seemingly innocent quest opens a door into one of Barcelona’s darkest secrets - an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love.

Lucia Graves grew up near the beautiful mountain village of Deja on the island of Mallorca. The adored daughter of Robert and Beryl Graves, Lucia was always surrounded by the love and warmth of her immediate family. This memoir recalls her childhood against a background of the island's history, and is a meditation on the three cultures - Spanish, English, and Catalan - that have shaped Lucia Graves's life and thoughts. It is also a complex portrait of Spain under Franco. The author explores the patterns of love, sacrifice, and forbearance that mark not only her own life but those of many other Spainish women she has known.