A riveting crime thriller set in the midst of a sultry Barcelona summer, introducing the first book in the Inspector Salgado series Argentine native Inspector Héctor Salgado is one of Barcelona's leading criminal detectives. After a stint on probation—he assaulted a suspect from a human-trafficking case—Salgado is back in the office and eager for something major. To his dismay, he's assigned to a routine accidental death instead: a college student fell from a balcony in one of Barcelona’s ritzier neighborhoods. But as Salgado pieces together details from the victim's life, he realizes that his death was not all that simple: his friends are clearly hiding something and drugs might be involved. Salgado follows a trail that will lead him deep into the underbelly of Barcelona’s high society, where he’ll confront dangerous criminals, long-buried secrets, and, strangely, his own past. But Salgado thrives on pressure, and he lives for this kind of case—dark, violent, and seemingly unsolvable. Gripping, sophisticated, and wickedly entertaining, The Summer of Dead Toys introduces a charismatic new detective and announces Antonio Hill as a new master of the crime thriller.
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“Penetrating, atmospheric…The plot is first-rate, with plausible twists and revelations, [and] the book transcends the mystery genre with its focus on the dark secrets families keep…Thoroughly compelling.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“Excellent characterization, a sympathetic and engaging protagonist, and plenty of plot twists with a cliff hanger ending that sets things up nicely for the next in the series.”
— Guardian (London)“Entertaining.”
— Times (London)“Hill’s real achievement is in the creation of an idiosyncratic new character, Salgado.”
— Independent (London)“Hector Salgado is an intriguing new sleuth that crime fiction fans will want to follow as they explore the gritty side of another European city.”
— Library Journal“This dark thriller is an amazing debut—acutely observed and meticulously crafted. Long live Hector Salgado—a thoroughly human detective-protagonist. I look forward to meeting him again.”
— John Verdon, author of Let the Devil SleepBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Antonio Hill studied psychology and lives in Barcelona. He is a professional translator of English-language fiction into Spanish and speaks fluent English.
Mark Bramhall has won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration, more than thirty AudioFile Earphones Awards, and has repeatedly been named by AudioFile magazine and Publishers Weekly among their “Best Voices of the Year.” He is also an award-winning actor whose acting credits include off-Broadway, regional, and many Los Angeles venues as well as television, animation, and feature films. He has taught and directed at the American Academy of Dramatic Art.