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Elisenda Domènech Investigations #2
City of Buried Ghosts
Be careful what you dig up…
Still recovering from the tragedy that hit her team, Elisenda takes on a new case. Except it’s not new. On an archaeological dig by the coast a body is uncovered, seemingly executed with a spike thrust through the base of the skull – an ancient tribal ritual. It soon becomes clear that this body is neither ancient nor modern, but a mysterious corpse from the 1980s.
Assigned to the case along with her team, Elisenda soon uncovers a complex world of star archaeologists, jealousy and missing persons. They find a dark trade in illicit antiquities, riddled with vicious professional rivalries. And even though she’s staying close to the crime scene, Elisenda is also never far from enemies of her own within the police force.
Just as the case seems to become clear it is blown wide-open by another horrific murder. Elisenda must fight her personal demons and office politics, whilst continuing to uncover plots and hatreds that were long buried. How far will she go to solve the crime? Is her place in the force secure? And can she rebuild her life?
The atmospheric second crime thriller featuring Catalan detective Elisenda Domènech, for readers of Val McDermid and Ann Cleeves
Still recovering from the tragedy that hit her team, Elisenda takes on a new case. Except it’s not new. On an archaeological dig by the coast a body is uncovered, seemingly executed with a spike thrust through the base of the skull – an ancient tribal ritual. It soon becomes clear that this body is neither ancient nor modern, but a mysterious corpse from the 1980s.
Assigned to the case along with her team, Elisenda soon uncovers a complex world of star archaeologists, jealousy and missing persons. They find a dark trade in illicit antiquities, riddled with vicious professional rivalries. And even though she’s staying close to the crime scene, Elisenda is also never far from enemies of her own within the police force.
Just as the case seems to become clear it is blown wide-open by another horrific murder. Elisenda must fight her personal demons and office politics, whilst continuing to uncover plots and hatreds that were long buried. How far will she go to solve the crime? Is her place in the force secure? And can she rebuild her life?
The atmospheric second crime thriller featuring Catalan detective Elisenda Domènech, for readers of Val McDermid and Ann Cleeves
382 pages, Paperback
Published October 10, 2019
24 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
Chris Lloyd
6 books43 followersAfter graduating in Spanish and French, I lived in Catalonia, where I worked in educational publishing and as a travel writer and translator. I’ve also lived in Grenoble, researching the French Resistance movement.
The result of my lifelong interest in World War 2 and resistance and collaboration in Occupied France, The Unwanted Dead (Orion) is my first novel set in Paris, featuring Detective Eddie Giral. I’m also the author of the Elisenda Domènech crime series (Canelo), featuring a police officer with the newly-devolved Catalan police force.
The result of my lifelong interest in World War 2 and resistance and collaboration in Occupied France, The Unwanted Dead (Orion) is my first novel set in Paris, featuring Detective Eddie Giral. I’m also the author of the Elisenda Domènech crime series (Canelo), featuring a police officer with the newly-devolved Catalan police force.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 10, 2016
I am partial to mysteries and also to stories that incorporate archaeology meaningfully into their development. City of Buried Ghosts met this combined wish and introduced me to a new, foreign setting. This time it is Spain, more specifically Catalonia and the area of Girona. This is the second book of the series (I have not read the first) and the Serious Crime Unit led by Elisenda Domenech are still working to recover from the events suffered in that first book and believe that uniting for a serious investigation would strengthen their team again.
Instead they are tasked to solve a thirty-year-old murder when old bones are unearthed among ancient ones at an archaeological site near the city. And so the investigation begins and leads into the world of antiquities and further murder. Elisenda is an interesting character that I want to follow further. She is vulnerable on many levels while also intelligent and compelled to pull her team forward. Her team seems to be subdued, perhaps still from the events of the past, and less fully developed. Most other characters, good and not, all seem to have interesting definition.
My primary issue with this novel was confusion with the political/geographical/social setting. How does the Catalan area fit into Spanish society--or, perhaps more precisely, not fit in? There are so many comments, historical asides, brief mini-histories, but I really felt a need for an addendum at the end of the novel with more history on the area. Also I would have appreciated more information on the structure of the Spanish police and military, national, state, and city, or however they are structured. I found myself becoming lost in some of the police infighting. Maybe some of this was discussed in Book 1, City of Good Death.
I do plan to follow this series and also to try to locate a "simplified" history of modern Spain (as well as a history of Spain in general) to complement this reading. I think it is a sign of good reading if it generates a wish to learn more.
3.5 *
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Instead they are tasked to solve a thirty-year-old murder when old bones are unearthed among ancient ones at an archaeological site near the city. And so the investigation begins and leads into the world of antiquities and further murder. Elisenda is an interesting character that I want to follow further. She is vulnerable on many levels while also intelligent and compelled to pull her team forward. Her team seems to be subdued, perhaps still from the events of the past, and less fully developed. Most other characters, good and not, all seem to have interesting definition.
My primary issue with this novel was confusion with the political/geographical/social setting. How does the Catalan area fit into Spanish society--or, perhaps more precisely, not fit in? There are so many comments, historical asides, brief mini-histories, but I really felt a need for an addendum at the end of the novel with more history on the area. Also I would have appreciated more information on the structure of the Spanish police and military, national, state, and city, or however they are structured. I found myself becoming lost in some of the police infighting. Maybe some of this was discussed in Book 1, City of Good Death.
I do plan to follow this series and also to try to locate a "simplified" history of modern Spain (as well as a history of Spain in general) to complement this reading. I think it is a sign of good reading if it generates a wish to learn more.
3.5 *
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
May 28, 2016
I would like to thank Netgalley and Canelo for an advance copy of City Of Buried Ghosts, Mr Lloyd's second outing for his Girona based detective, Sotsinspectora Elisenda Domenech and her team, the experimental Serious Crime Unit.
Four months on the team are still suffering from the events of City Of Good Death. They believe that a murder investigation will help heal their wounds so are disappointed to be sent to examine some bones found at an archaeological dig and angry when told to investigate this "non case". Then there is another murder and the investigation delves into the murky world of stolen antiquities as well as identification of the bones and the killer.
I enjoyed City Of Buried Ghosts. It has an interesting plot which held my attention throughout and a couple of unexpected twists. I like the way Mr Lloyd incorporates the local region and its legends into his novel as it gives you a real sense of the setting and a desire to visit the non resort areas you would miss on a package tour. Girona and the surrounding area are almost a character in their own right and Mr Lloyd's love for them shines through. The rest of the characters (!) are fairly standard, except Elisenda, as suits a plot driven novel, some more likeable than others. Elisenda as the protagonist is a likeable character - smart, driven, dedicated etc. but haunted by the death of her daughter a few years previously. I feel it is easy to identify with her antipathy to her boss and her colleague, the shiny Sotsinspectoro Micalo and her fear of losing her unit.
If I have any criticism I think Mr Lloyd is still developing his craft so the novel occasionally gets bogged down in too much detail which detracts from the pace and tension but I'm sure this is something he will overcome in future novels which I will definitely be reading.
I have no hesitation in recommending City Of Buried Ghosts as a good read with an interesting setting.
Four months on the team are still suffering from the events of City Of Good Death. They believe that a murder investigation will help heal their wounds so are disappointed to be sent to examine some bones found at an archaeological dig and angry when told to investigate this "non case". Then there is another murder and the investigation delves into the murky world of stolen antiquities as well as identification of the bones and the killer.
I enjoyed City Of Buried Ghosts. It has an interesting plot which held my attention throughout and a couple of unexpected twists. I like the way Mr Lloyd incorporates the local region and its legends into his novel as it gives you a real sense of the setting and a desire to visit the non resort areas you would miss on a package tour. Girona and the surrounding area are almost a character in their own right and Mr Lloyd's love for them shines through. The rest of the characters (!) are fairly standard, except Elisenda, as suits a plot driven novel, some more likeable than others. Elisenda as the protagonist is a likeable character - smart, driven, dedicated etc. but haunted by the death of her daughter a few years previously. I feel it is easy to identify with her antipathy to her boss and her colleague, the shiny Sotsinspectoro Micalo and her fear of losing her unit.
If I have any criticism I think Mr Lloyd is still developing his craft so the novel occasionally gets bogged down in too much detail which detracts from the pace and tension but I'm sure this is something he will overcome in future novels which I will definitely be reading.
I have no hesitation in recommending City Of Buried Ghosts as a good read with an interesting setting.
December 9, 2019
I have now read all three of Chris Jones’ excellent police procedurals set in Girona. They are all equally excellent, featuring convoluted but interesting plots and an excellently drawn team of detectives, all set against the background of Catalonia strugglingly to break out of the bad habits created by post Frank Spain. I hope there are more to come, but I will keep an eye on Chris Jones.
February 11, 2021
Excellent and exiting second Catalan thriller
This second book in the Catalan crime thriller is great. We slowly see the team adjusting to the events of the first book and solving a cold and recent murder. Couldn't put the boom down, going to read the 3rd book soon!
This second book in the Catalan crime thriller is great. We slowly see the team adjusting to the events of the first book and solving a cold and recent murder. Couldn't put the boom down, going to read the 3rd book soon!
April 27, 2020
This was a big improvement on the first Elisenda book, but not great. I can't quite work out what's missing in the chemistry of these books. The plot is fine, probably worse than the first, but with less characters to try and keep track of. You do have to suspend belief and embrace that the Serious Crime Unit is actually completely incompetent and would tell someone about a death before the identity of the body is confirmed.
I did get annoyed at the author repeatedly writing how understaffed Elisenda's unit was, they have four people working to investigate two murders, one over 30 years old, that sounds a generous staffing level to me. It does seem a waste of time having a unit dedicated to serious crime if that's the level of work required.
Fine as a light read, there just still seems to be something missing in the dynamics of the book.
I did get annoyed at the author repeatedly writing how understaffed Elisenda's unit was, they have four people working to investigate two murders, one over 30 years old, that sounds a generous staffing level to me. It does seem a waste of time having a unit dedicated to serious crime if that's the level of work required.
Fine as a light read, there just still seems to be something missing in the dynamics of the book.
June 3, 2019
Good cracking story which I lapped up. Moving onto the third in the series now. Love the setting, the characters and the plots - perfect reading for crime fiction fans. Highly recommend!
April 5, 2020
An unexpected find at an archaeological dig leads to a difficult murder investigation with a hunt for the victim as well as the killer. Satisfyingly complicated.
March 16, 2023
I really enjoyed this who dunnit set in picturesque Spain. My first reading of a Chris Lloyd book. Interesting and fast-paced. A page turner!
June 22, 2024
Lots of strange names to get your head around
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2016
La Catalogna non è la Spagna, sembrano spesso e volentieri riaffermare i protagonisti di questa intricata storia che affonda le sue radici nel passato. E' vero, ognuno conosce la storia, quella con la S maiuscola, che gli hanno raccontato, e molto spesso i ritrovamenti archeologici che invece raccontano qualcosa di diverso vengono taciuti, o addirittura distrutti. Ma non è questa la chiave che porterà alla soluzione del mistero, e non lo è nemmeno l'evidente avidità di alcuni dei protagonisti. A risolvere il mistero sarà una squadra di poliziotti feriti e scalcinati, comandati da una donna che non ha ancora fatto i conti con le perdite del suo passato, e forse proprio per questo capace di capire.
Nonostante sia inglese, la conoscenza che Chris Lloyd della Catalogna e dei suoi problemi col governo centrale spagnolo è profonda, e questo romanzo ha il merito, oltre a quello indubbio di essere un ottimo intrattenimento, di generare curiosità per una realtà poco conosciuta.
Ringrazio Canelo e Netgalley per avermi fornito una copia gratuita in cambio di una recensione onesta.
Catalonia is not Spain, very often they appear to reaffirm the protagonists of this intricate story that has its roots in the past. It's true, everyone knows the story, the one with a capital S, that they told us, and very often the archaeological findings that instead tell something different are silenced, or even destroyed. But this is not the key that will lead to the solution of the mystery, and neither is the obvious greed of some of the protagonists. To solve the mystery will be a team of injured and shabby police officers, commanded by a woman who has not yet come to terms with the losses of her past, and perhaps because of this is able to understand.
Despite being English, the knowledge that Chris Lloyd has of Catalonia and its problems with the Spanish central government is deep, and this novel has the advantage, in addition to be without doubt a great entertainment, to generate curiosity about a little-known reality.
Thank Canelo and Netgalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Nonostante sia inglese, la conoscenza che Chris Lloyd della Catalogna e dei suoi problemi col governo centrale spagnolo è profonda, e questo romanzo ha il merito, oltre a quello indubbio di essere un ottimo intrattenimento, di generare curiosità per una realtà poco conosciuta.
Ringrazio Canelo e Netgalley per avermi fornito una copia gratuita in cambio di una recensione onesta.
Catalonia is not Spain, very often they appear to reaffirm the protagonists of this intricate story that has its roots in the past. It's true, everyone knows the story, the one with a capital S, that they told us, and very often the archaeological findings that instead tell something different are silenced, or even destroyed. But this is not the key that will lead to the solution of the mystery, and neither is the obvious greed of some of the protagonists. To solve the mystery will be a team of injured and shabby police officers, commanded by a woman who has not yet come to terms with the losses of her past, and perhaps because of this is able to understand.
Despite being English, the knowledge that Chris Lloyd has of Catalonia and its problems with the Spanish central government is deep, and this novel has the advantage, in addition to be without doubt a great entertainment, to generate curiosity about a little-known reality.
Thank Canelo and Netgalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 3, 2019
Die Auflösung des Falles hat mich nicht überzeugt: der Mörder hätte sich nur ruhig verhalten müssen, dann wäre der Fall höchst wahrscheinlich nie aufgeklärt worden. Eine überzeugende Erklärung für sein unlogisches Verhalten wird nicht geliefert. Ich hatte den Eindruck, es kam dem Autor mehr darauf an, den Leser in die Irre zu führen als eine konsistente, psychologisch glaubwürdige Geschichte zu erzählen. Schade, denn die Ausgangssituation war interessant und vielversprechend. Nervig - auch bei etlichen anderen Krimi-Autoren, die ich in letzter Zeit gelesen habe: ganze Absätze lesen sich wie Routenplaner... sie folgen der Soundso-Straße, am Dingenskirchenplatz vorbei, und dann biegen sie bei dem Ladida-Cafe in die Sowieso-Allee ein... das ist vielleicht interessant, wenn die Geschichte in der Heimatstadt spielt ("ach, das ist doch das Cafe beim Martin um die Ecke, wie cool ist das denn, es kommt in einem Buch vor..."), ansonsten... wenn man nicht mal weiß, wie diese catalanischen Namen ausgesprochen werden... *gähn*
May 29, 2016
City of Buried Ghosts is a deliciously smooth read. Sotinspectora Elisenda Domenech, and her team in the Serious Crime Unit, must identify the remains of a body found at an ancient archeological dig at El Crit (The Scream) near Girona, Spain. With a mattock driven through its skull, and a Sony Walkman by its side, the team dates the murder to thirty years past. The book’s main protagonist, Domenech, is smart, savvy, and downright bold. The other members of her squad are well-defined in their own right. This story hooked me from the beginning and held my interest. It also gives you a glimpse of post-Franco police bureaucracy. Most enjoyable of all, City of Buried Ghosts is a crime fiction whose mystery I didn’t solve. This is my first time reading Lloyd and it certainly won’t be my last. I absolutely loved this book.
July 25, 2016
When a corpse is found on an excavation site being unearthed by archaeologists, Elisenda must determine when and how the person died. Upon determining that this body proves to be from the 1980's, she must figure out how a new series of murders and attacks are connected to this lost soul. City of Buried Ghosts proves to be a well crafted tale of mystery woven through a crew of archaeologists eager for money, fame, or both. The twists in this story will keep you reading.
June 26, 2016
A good read with a very different plot. Good attention to archaeological detail and great characters. Thank you Net Galley for my copy.
July 4, 2016
Something must have gotten lost in translation, but I just could not get into this book.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews