The theft of a rare antique, murder in an exclusive retreat, and a memory key containing information to bring down western governments. Although the various investigations of Barcelona- based twin detectives Borja and Eduardo amount to a fast-paced novel, little in The Sound of One Hand Killing seems real or relevant.
The third instalment of Teresa Solana’s satirical murder mystery series, it’s the type of story where vengeance is “a dish best served cold” and “curiosity killed the cat”. Not helped by grating metafiction and clunky English translation in parts, this is satire in its loosest form, a book that lampoons the genre but unwittingly perpetuates its clichés.
Language is flat, character motivations are explained ad nauseam, and the twists and suspense of the whodunnit variety are sorely missing. The standout character is Barcelona itself, which Solana effortlessly showcases, but it’s not enough. This is a murder mystery without the mystery. On purpose maybe, but it lacks the finesse to pull it off.
