Teresa Solana's A Not So Perfect Crime

Teresa Solana is a Spanish mystery novelist whose book was translated from the original Catalan. A Not So Perfect Crime takes place in Barcelona and, like Alicia Giménez Bartlett's novel, look at the upper class, though in this case it is also the political class. The background is also a little more outlandish, as there are twin (but not identical) brothers but one is something of a lovable shyster who brings his brother into an occasionally lucrative detective practice, even while they claim to the world that they are just close friends rather than brothers. It borders on too cute but it does work.

The tone is lighthearted but the more serious issue of social class is pervasive. There is north of Diagonal and south, like the proverbial train tracks. Class and status is central to the reasons why so many people hate the murdered woman, who was the wife of a prominent (and wealthy) Catalan politician. Class is also central to the twist of plot at the end.

It was a good read, perhaps not quite as good as Giménez Bartlett, and particularly good if you want the Barcelona backdrop.