Reviewed by Craig Sisterson
Pablo Simó's life is a mess. His career as an architect is at a deadend; reduced to designing soulless office buildings desecrating the heart of Buenos Aires. His marriage seems to be one endless argument with his wife over the theatrics of their rebellious teenage daughter.
To complicate matters, Pablo has long been attracted to sexy office secretary Marta Horvat, who is probably having an affair with his boss. Everything changes with the unexpected appearance of Leonor, a beautiful young woman who brings to light a crime that happened years before, a crime that everyone in the office wants forgotten, at all costs.
This is a novel that I'd been meaning to read for a while, having met Claudia Piñeiro, Argentina's Queen of Crime Writing, at Crimefest a few years ago and been impressed by her onstage and when I interviewed her for the 9mm series. I finally got to it during the pandemic.
(As so often happens, having to focus on reading and reviewing new release and upcoming books for magazines - plus other recent tales for awards judging and prep for festival panels etc - meant my reading time was devoured and this wee gem of Latin noir sat on my shelf for far too long.)
Let's get this out of the way first: if you're a big fan of police procedurals or classic murder mysteries and are curious about a Latin American equivalent to stretch your wings a wee bit, Piñeiro's writing may not be what you're looking for, no matter how stylish her prose and deep her characterisation. The Argentine author writes unusual tales that are more akin to noir-ish character studies, psychological explorations of people and place.
Absorbing, intriguing, and quite different to much of what's out there.
A CRACK IN THE WALL is a case in point. It's centred on Pablo Simó, a middle-aged Buenos Aires architect who is muddling through a rather dull existence. He's underappreciated at work and home, but perhaps that's because he doesn't hold himself in much regard either. Chicken-egg? His notebook is full of sketches for an office tower he'd like to see built one day, and he has fantasies about his co-worker Marta, but those are mere dreams and distractions that occasionally prick at his dreary life. He trundles on until his life is rocked by the appearance of a beautiful young woman with ties to past misdeeds.
Pablo hoped that past had been buried, literally.
Piñeiro, adroitly translated by Miranda France, lures readers in with her wit and storytelling infused with philosophy and atypical characters and set-ups. We travel through past and present with the under-pressure Pablo, uncovering the truth behind many things. A CRACK IN THE WALL is thoughtful, character-centric crime fiction infused with social commentary that delivers on many levels.
Something a little different; well worth a read.
Craig Sisterson is a lapsed Kiwi lawyer who now lives in London and writes for magazines and newspapers in several countries. He’s interviewed hundreds of crime writers and talked about the genre on national radio, top podcasts, and onstage at festivals on three continents. Craig's been a judge of the Ned Kelly Awards, McIlvanney Prize, is founder of the Ngaio Marsh Awards and co-founder of Rotorua Noir. His book SOUTHERN CROSS CRIME, was published in 2020.
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