Așa începe răul

Young Juan de Vere starts a job in Madrid in 1980. His boss, Eduardo Muriel, makes films, but his career is fading. Franco has been dead for five years. Juan falls under his strange but charming boss’s spell. Muriel asks Juan to look into claims against a friend. They concern wrongs he may have done under dictatorial rule. Juan also wants to know more about Muriel’s troubled marriage. Muriel’s wife, Beatriz, is beautiful. As secrets come out, Juan must weigh right and wrong.

Javier Marias wrote this novel of suspense. It explores love, broken trust, and blame. It suits readers drawn to questions of right and wrong. It also suits those drawn to political strife and sexual tension. Society stays silent about crimes by the state. Yet people seek harsh revenge for hurts in their own lives. The story sets these two responses side by side. It asks how public events shape people’s private lives. It also asks when those who watch start taking part.

Lavinia Similaru translated the text from Spanish. This edition forms part of the Mari clasici ai literaturii series.