The Ignorance of Blood

April 20, 2009
In Wilson's insightful fourth and final Javier Falcón novel (after The Hidden Assassins
), the intrepid Spanish homicide detective finds himself overwhelmed with the pressures of personal and professional entanglements. After a suitcase is recovered from a car accident containing several million euros and discs showing video footage of local council people in compromising positions, Falcón begins piecing together a vast international conspiracy that involves not only the Russian mafia and Islamic extremist groups but also implicates his best friend, Yacoub Diouri, a spy for the Spanish government. When the young son of his lover, Consuelo Jiménez, is abducted, Falcón comes to some startling revelations about his career, his relationships and his future. While convoluted plot lines initially slow the pace, patient readers will find the action-packed—and bombshell-laden—conclusion well worth the wait. As always, the richly described Seville backdrop is a plus.