Capa y Espada

A Peruvian playwright, biographer, journalist, and actor, justly recognized in 1995 with the prestigious Principe de Asturias de las Artes prize for lifetime contribution to spectacle and culture, Fern n-Gomez started his career in fiction in 1984 with El viaje a ninguna parte (Journey to Nowhere, Debate, 1999). This ninth novel, a fusion of historical and detective fiction, follows the mysterious murder of count Juan de Tassis. An intriguing politician and poet in 17th-century Madrid, the count was the alleged lover of Queen Isabel of Bourbon. Fern n-Gomez closely intertwines his hero's life with the sketchy lives of personages from different socioeconomic backgroundsincluding contract killers, royalty, politicians, and nuns. Particularly interesting are the author's intricate depictions of mock-up plays as they might have been represented in the time of Lope de Vega and the lengthy speculations on how comedies should be written. Although at times these detract from the main plot, they infuse the reader with the sense of the mores and culture of the time. Though the book is based on a historical event, the author emphasizes that this is a work of fiction and urges readers who want the ""real facts"" to investigate other sources. This easy-to-read novel is recommended for academic and public libraries with Spanish-language fiction.Liliana Wendorff, Univ. of North Carolina, Pembroke