"The Sentinel" by Mark Oldfield. It a historical crime novel set in the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War. The book follows forensic investigator Ana Maria Galindez as she delves into a decades-old case involving multiple murders.
The novel intertwines two timelines, shifting between 2010 and the early 1950s, with occasional glimpses into the 1930s. In 2010, Ana Maria Galindez and her team discover the bodies of fifteen individuals buried in an old mineshaft. The victims, who were killed during the Spanish Civil War, exhibit signs of a mass shooting. Fourteen of them were shot in the back of the head, while the fifteenth victim was garroted, presenting a mysterious deviation from the others.
As Ana Maria and her partner investigate the case, they uncover a web of secrets and intrigue surrounding the crimes. The narrative explores the sadistic nature of Leopoldo Guzman, the head of the secret police force known as the Brigada Especial during the Spanish Civil War. It delves into Guzman's life and his role in the events leading up to the murders.
"The Sentinel" examines the historical context of the Spanish Civil War and the lingering impact of the conflict on the present-day investigation. Through Ana Maria's perspective, the book sheds light on the political and social complexities of that period in Spanish history.
As the story unfolds, the reader is taken on a journey through the past, as Ana Maria and her team piece together the events surrounding the murders and their connection to the larger historical narrative.
0