del-Gaudi Afternoon

Cassandra Reilly is at work in Barcelona translating novel when she gets a call in London from Frankie Stevens that Frankie's husband had gone missing. Frankie thinks her vanished spouse is somewhere in Barcelona and asks Cassandra to find him. Cassandra obliges and in the course of her search encounters a foot therapist names April Schauer, a sax layer supposedly from Prague, seedy bars in Barcelona's red-light district, dreamlike gardens of Parc Guell, and high adventure in a madcap mystery where appearances are deceptive and surprises are the order of the day. Gaudi Afternoon is a superbly crafted and energetically written mystery that will fully satisfy even the most demanding devotees of the genre.

I picked up this book for a dollar at a local Brown Elephant second-hand store. I bought it because I've vacationed in Barcelona, and I was enchanted by the city. Happily, this book really brought back memories of Barcelona, and was a fun, fast-paced, entertaining read. For a good time, read Gaudi Afternoon!

Barbara Wilson can write! I've also read her book "Cows and Horses", actually I've read it more than once. I intend to read many more of her books. "Gaudi Afternoon" is written with style, wit and flair. I loved every single page of it. It made me laugh outloud, and kept me guessing. Set in Barcelona, Spain, the environment is so well reflected in the book, Ms. Wilson definitely is either familiar with the area and it's people, or did extensive research. The narrator, Cassandra, is kept guessing as much as we are, as the plot twists and turns--but never loses it's reader. No one is really as they initially seem, from the character, Frankie, who hires Cassandra to find her husband Ben, right through to a surprise about Ben's girlfriend, April! One of the things that makes this mystery unique is the fact it doesn't revolve around the usual murder. Everything about "Gaudi Afternoon" is refreshing and unique.