SUMMARY: Public opinion is swelling against bullfighting considering it barbaric and archaic in a more caring world. Diego Romero is the youthful star of Spain’s premier league of toreros—bullfighters and he’s desperately worried about his future prospects.
The BookViral Review: The Andalusian Mystery Series continues and this time Bradley has truly excelled himself as DI Prado, Phillip Armitage and the gorgeous Amanda find themselves in another maelstrom of murder and misdirection. As with book one in his series Bradley is quick to immerse us in his Spanish settings whilst effortlessly capturing the cultural nuances of a country he has clearly come to love. Writing in lean evocative prose his narrative is filled with organic action that creates a compelling picture of the characters around which his story revolves. It’s easy to wax lyrical on a book that’s well written and Darkness in Ronda is unquestionably so but where Bradley truly distinguishes himself this time around is in his superb exploration of Spanish-style bullfighting, known as a corrida de toros. From the Tercio de Varas to the Tercio de Banderillas and the Tercio de Muerte, he gives us powerful visceral images where Matadors dance with their deadly prey and the outcome is all but certain. These pages alone are reason enough to pick up a copy but Bradley has also mastered the art of crafting tension filled multi-layered plots where the ultimate name of the game is murder. And with Prado doggedly trying to resolve the mystery surrounding Malcolm Crown along with the shocking copycat murder of a much loved Romero, armchair sleuths will find their appetites well and truly sated.
There’s an old adage that authors should write what they know about and few are better qualified to write novels based upon their own field of expertise than Paul S Bradley. In his debut release Darkness In Malaga, he delivered a corker of a read and set high expectations for future releases. A Darkness In Ronda has decidedly exceeded those expectations and is unreservedly recommended.
