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CJ Sansom's WINTER IN MADRID is kind of a thriller and kind of a spy novel. I usually want to throw something at people who mutter about books transcending genres. But this is a book that doesn't deserve to be stereotyped within the crime fiction field. Sansom is the author of two previous outstanding historical crime novels, DISSOLUTION and DARK FIRE. But in this book he moves from Henry VIII's England to the Spain of 1940. The Spanish Civil War is over, but the country is in ruins. Hitler is rampaging through Europe with only England standing firm. Spain's leader General Franco has to decide whether to abandon neutrality and side with the Germans. Harry Brett ends up in this chaotic world. He was injured at Dunkirk and finds himself a reluctant spy when the Powers That Be ask him to get close to former schoolfriend Sandy Forsyth, now a dodgy businessman in Madrid. And Harry's path soon crosses with that of Barbara Clare, Sandy's girlfriend. She is secretly trying to track down her former lover Bernie Piper, who was also at school with Harry and Sandy, and who joined the International Brigade to fight the Fascists. He is missing, presumed dead, but Barbara is unwilling to give up on him and believes he is still alive. Sansom is the most meticulous of writers, and his work is steeped in historical research. For those interested, there's a section at the end talking about the history and some of the decisions he made on interpreting it. There's also a reading list should you want to delve more into the period. Don't think, though, that this is some dry, historical tome. Sansom's strength is catapulting the reader into a period and really making them feel they are there. If you could picture 1500s England in his earlier books, you'll really feel you're shivering in the bitter cold and walking the rubble-strewn streets of Madrid with poverty and hatred all around. The book's structure and pacing are impeccable, with the tiniest caveat that the ending felt slightly rushed. The characterisation is outstanding, as Sansom builds his all too human creations on fluent, understated writing which progresses incrementally as the reader moves through the book. WINTER IN MADRID is challenging, moving and thought-provoking. I can't wait for the next in the fantastic Matthew Shardlake series, which is apparently due later this year, but in the meantime make sure you read Sansom's latest and equally impressive offering.
Reviewed by Sharon Wheeler, January 2006
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