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Off Side
Off Side | Manuel Vazquez Montalban
3 posts | 2 read | 1 to read
Barcelonas new soccer star is receiving death threats and Pepe Carvalho, gourmet gumshoe and former political prisoner under Franco, is hired to find out whos behind it. Pepe Carvalho is set to retire. Content to live out the rest of his days enjoying the best food and wine Catalonia has to offer, his plans are put on hold when an executive from Barcelona's world-famous soccer team pays him a visit. The center forward will be killed at dusk, reads the note the executive gives to Carvalho. With that, the detective, former communist, and one-time employee of the CIA, must find out where this note is from. Is the threat real? Is it the work of one person? Or is it one of the real estate moguls tearing Barcelona apart in their battle over the most important properties of Catalonia? Here Montalbn does for the game of soccer what he has done for food. In an exquisite portrait of Spains most beloved sport, soccer and politics mix in a gripping mystery about the reckless excessesand limitsof power. From the Trade Paperback edition.
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review
Marco66
Off Side | Manuel Vazquez Montalban
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Mehso-so

The center forward of the Barcelona football club gets strange philosophical death threats. The private detective Pepe Carvalho is called to clear who is behind these messages. Set at the end of the 80's, when real estate speculation was thriving due to the big works trigerred by the 1992 Olympics, it becomes clear that something is wrong as well with what happens to another small football club in the city and its own centre forward.

review
Abailliekaras
Off Side | Manuel Vazquez Montalban
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Pickpick

Loved this literary crime novel. Pepe Carvalho is a PI with colourful friends & contacts, authenticity & a love of good food. Great sense of place as he sees Barcelona changing but still has a grudging affection for the city. Poetic murder cites the gods & heroes of football, overtaking past war heroes. Cynical business interests are at play & Carvalho questions his relevance in new Barcelona. Not pacy but a great read. #readaroundtheworld #Spain

JenP I'm far behind this month but hoping to read my book this weekend. This sounds good! 7y
CoffeeAndABook Great review! Thx 👌 7y
Louise Added to my Reading Around The World stack! 7y
rockpools You're storming through these Spanish books this month! Hope you're having a great holiday. 7y
Abailliekaras Thanks @CoffeeAndABook ! @Louise I hope you like it! I think it's more literary than crime, will be interested to hear your thoughts. @RachelO I have a huge stack to get through! But it's a great way to get to know the country while I'm here. 😊 7y
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blurb
Abailliekaras
Off Side | Manuel Vazquez Montalban
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Off Side poolside. Really enjoying this so far - great Barcelona setting and characters. #currentread ☀️💦⚽️

BarbaraBB Great picture. Making me jealous! 7y
Cinfhen Gorgeous photo 😍 7y
emilyhaldi Soooo jealous 🙌🏻 7y
40 likes3 comments