Las heridas de los elefantes. (The Elephants' Wounds)

The charmed life of Tomás Sahuquillo, a successful 40ish restaurateur, is suddenly altered when he finds by his door a book with an anonymous note, signed by an unknown person with the initials M.M.P. The mysterious book, divided into three parts-"Past," "Present," and "Future"-reveals that the writer knows intimate details about Tomás's life. For example, M.M.P. claims to have videotaped him making love to his long-time girlfriend, Silvia, and to have seen a picture of him and his father that he carries in his wallet. Understandably, this information greatly unsettles the protagonist, who questions whether this is a game, a joke, or even a hallucination and begins reexamining his unimaginative life. In the section titled "Future," the writer identifies herself by name and includes an invitation to Tomás to share an exciting and loving life together, placing responsibility for this decision in Tomás's hands. Tomás ponders the possibility of abandoning all in exchange for a peaceful life in the countryside, questions his relationship to Silvia, and copes with his guilt for having abandoned a lifelong friend, Manuel, who was diagnosed with a serious illness. This work possesses elements of a detective novel, but it is more complex than that. Recommended for academic libraries, as well as bookstores.—Liliana Wendorff, Queens Univ. of Charlotte Library