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Wilson, Robert - 'The Ignorance of Blood'
Paperback: 400 pages (Aug. 2009) Publisher: Harper ISBN: 0007202954

THE IGNORANCE OF BLOOD is the final book in Robert Wilson's quartet of thrillers set in Seville.

Javier Falcon, Inspector Jefe del Grupo Homicides, has publicly promised the citizens of Seville he will catch the real perpetrators responsible for the bombing that occurred in the opening pages of the previous book in the series, THE HIDDEN ASSASSINS, and destroyed an apartment block containing a pre-school centre.

A spectacular car crash that kills a Russian Mafia gangster leaves a very small clue and a great deal of money: 8 million euros stashed in the boot of the car. Javier whose investigation has stalled knows he has stepped into real trouble. The Russian Mafia has, with their profits from people trafficking and prostitution, bought into much of the Costa del Sol, and so now Javier has Mafia, Islamic terrorists, and corrupted politicians to combat whilst keeping his promise to the people of Seville.

There have been a series of violent acts around the time of the bombing, each with an apparent motive except for Esteban Calderon, the investigating judge in the Seville bombing who has murdered Ines his wife, who also happens to be the ex-wife of Javier Falcon. Javier forms a theory that Calderon did not murder Ines, but was set up by his beautiful Cuban mistress Marisa Moreno at the instigation of the Russian Mafia, whose motive was to derail the investigation. Javier and Detective Cristina Ferrera, question Marisa with terrifying consequences for her, and also for Javier's girlfriend Consuelo Jimenez.

Meanwhile Yacoub, Javier's Moroccan friend who is spying for Spanish Intelligence is faced with a terrible dilemma and calls Javier for assistance.

Robert Wilson, who won a CWA Gold Dagger for A SMALL DEATH IN LISBON, has written another satisfying, exciting thriller. Obviously it would be better to start reading with the first book THE BLIND MAN OF SEVILLE but this one does work as a standalone because the story of what happened in the earlier book, THE HIDDEN ASSASSINS, is explained.

Robert Wilson's top quality writing concentrates on characters, human relationships and the special stresses and strains that affect the police and intelligence services in their struggles against ruthless organizations. He brilliantly creates the feel and atmosphere of Seville and Andalucia, with its unique history. And while his plots have many twists and turns, they are believable and unfortunately probably very close to reality.

In this final book in a great series he ties up the loose ends in a tale of violence, betrayal, and kidnap.

Norman Price, England
October 2009

Norman blogs at
Crime Scraps.

More European crime fiction reviews can be found on the Reviews page.



last updated 25/10/2009 13:20