Al inspector Moisés Corvo, bebedor y pistolero, le gusta la calle y la escucha. Y en la calle comienza a hablarse de niños que desaparecen, hijos de prostitutas que callan por miedo. Corvo decide preguntar, incrustarse en esa Barcelona de 1912 que tan bien conoce. Por deber y por afición: las tabernas, los prostibulos... Pregunta a quien debe y a quien no, en el Chalet del Moro y el casino de la Arrabassada, hasta que los superiores le ordenan que abandone.
Sin embargo, a Corvo y a su inseparable Juan Malsano no los frena cualquiera, y menos ahora que comienzan a vislumbrar a una "mala mujer", fría y calculadora, cuyos crímenes resultan ser mucho más crueles y depravados de lo que Corvo era capaz de imaginar. Basada en un caso real que sacudió a la Barcelona de principios del siglo XX, "La mala mujer" es una novela original y sorprendente que confirma el talento literario de Marc Pastor. Obtuvo el Primer Premio Crímenes de Tinta.

Barcelona 1917 and the city is in the grip of fear. Amongst the poverty and need, the people are scared as children are disappearing off the streets. A body is found, twisted and drained of blood, and the rumours of a vampire at large in the city grow. The local police are of two minds, Corvo wants to track down the killer at any cost but his superiors are less keen. Could it be because they are aware of the vice that lurks in the darkest parts of the city where anyone is for sale, regardless of age?

This is short book and a beautifully crafted one, the story is based on true events and is horrific. Barcelona a hundred years ago was a rough place with huge distinctions between poor and rich which meant that the vices and depravity were not always investigated. Using 'Death' as a narrative voice is novel and lends a different perspective. The translation is generally good but sometimes adds a discordant note by the use of certain vernacular which doesn't seem right, eg. 'bum'. That is the only niggle though, this is a gripping gothic tale. ( )

Un noir a tinte forti che scivola un po' nell'horror. La storia mi è piaciuta molto ed è ispirata a una storia vera. Lo consiglio agli amanti dell'horror ( )

A strange, gruesome novel based on an actual serial child murderer in Barcelona the early 1900s. The conceit of having Death as the narrator works well especially at the end. Although it's very readable, it lacks tension partly because we know who the murderer is from the start. The police investigation is also not that gripping until near the end. However, there's an interesting cast of characters and a well described general atmosphere of evil. The lead detective is a somewhat stereotyped middle aged man with a messed up private life but still held my interest. ( )

A different sort of mystery. Very dark, gothic, and manages to work up the suspense well. Had me guessing as to the time the novel takes place. Not a children's book. ( )