Paperback: 347 pages
Publisher: Independently published (13 April 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-1091135468
Genre – Murder Mystery
The BookViral Review: With just the right combination of vivid characters, mordant wit and avaricious mystery Bradley’s Andalusian Mystery Series continues to thrill. There are still secrets to be revealed with DI Leon Prado doggedly pursuing clues from the Crown case and with Phillip and Amanda drawn into the orbit of an old friend there’s plenty in Darkness in Velez-Malaga to keep the pages turning.
Bradley has proven himself strikingly good at building an emotional legacy and once again he is on top form with plenty of cultural and historical information to create a sense of authenticity. This time around he explores Spanish antiquities and the folkloric traditions of Flamenco but the Andalusian Mystery Series has always been about how everything adds up, and it all points toward the conclusion of the series, when all secrets will be revealed.
On this level, like the previous releases in Bradley’s series, Darkness in Velez-Malaga is dependent upon reversals of expectation and point-of-view. As soon as we get a handle on what it is, it becomes something else, then something else again. In some novels, this means a plot that’s light on substance and heavy on nuance but Bradley continues to strike a satisfying balance between the two whilst always staying one step ahead of his readers.
Sure to keep your attention riveted to the very last page Darkness in Velez-Malaga proves a tense and convincing read with a terrific sense of place and deft characterization. A five star read it is unreservedly recommended.