A slow-burn crime thriller with a suspenseful finale
Darkness in Malaga, the first book in the Andalusian Mystery Series, by Paul S. Bradley, is worthy of five stars for two reasons. First, it is well-written. And secondly, the suspense builds, step by step, until the final episode when the anxiety to know what happens, is suddenly unleashed. While it is a crime thriller, the author takes the time to detail the Spanish culture and country, in such a way that the reader is captured by its scenic views, history and ambience, all the while, following the footsteps of the investigators who are searching for two young women who have disappeared. It’s both rich and enlightening in terms of presenting the dynamics of Spain, and the author also does an excellent job of spotlighting the underworld of sex trafficking, where young women are taken and forced into sexual servitude. It’s a disgusting and vile industry, but one that the author presents in acceptable spoon-size quantities, enough to satiate the readers desire to see the traffickers get their due justice. No spoilers. This is a story well-worth reading and one that you will need to see through to the very end to find out what happens.
About Paul S. Bradley
Paul Bradley, originally from London, has lived in Nerja, Spain since 1992 where he established a marketing agency to help Spanish businesses sharpen their communications to foreigners. He published lifestyle and property magazines, guide books and travelogues, has escorted discerning Alumni groups of Americans and Canadians around the Iberian Peninsula, lectured about bullfighting and living in Spain, has appeared on local Radio and TV and worked as a voluntary translator in hospitals and police stations. Darkness in Malaga is his debut novel.
