The Invisible Guardian: Book 1 (The Baztan Trilogy) - Hardcover

‘Myth and reality blend in this sophisticated and razor-sharp thriller ... gritty, fascinating and compelling’ Steve Berry

‘A fascinating protagonist’ Isabel Allende

‘Combines singular characters and an eerily atmospheric setting’ Sunday Times

this is a well-written book for those eager to explore a little-known area of Spain, and should appeal to fans of Fred Vargas and James Oswald. The supernatural elements are handled with a light touch, and shouldn’t put off more cynical readers, Crime Fiction Lover

An intriguing read – compelling and often dark’ Liz Loves Books blog

‘Well-written and engaging’ Raven Crime Reads blog

‘Has so many facets to it that it becomes utterly compelling’
Publishing Perspectives

‘An engrossing psychological thriller’ Publishers Weekly

‘Exciting ... the level of sustained uncertainty is magnificently realized’ Library Journal

A killer at large in a remote Basque Country valley , a detective to rival Sarah Lund, myth versus reality, masterful storytelling – the Spanish bestseller that has taken Europe by storm.

The naked body of a teenage girl is found on the banks of the River Baztán. Less than 24 hours after this discovery, a link is made to the murder of another girl the month before. Is this the work of a ritualistic killer or of the Invisible Guardian, the Basajaun, a creature of Basque mythology?

30-year-old Inspector Amaia Salazar heads an investigation which will take her back to Elizondo, the village in the heart of Basque country where she was born, and to which she had hoped never to return. A place of mists, rain and forests. A place of unresolved conflicts, of a dark secret that scarred her childhood and which will come back to torment her.
Torn between the rational, procedural part of her job and local myths and superstitions, Amaia Salazar has to fight off the demons of her past in order to confront the reality of a serial killer at loose in a region steeped in the history of the Spanish Inquisition.