Call it natural selection, call it the law of the jungle, what rises to the top in the seething turmoil of Barcelona is the cream - or is it the scum? In the late 1940s the Civil War is past history but Franco is still very much in charge. Prullas, a popular playwright whose day is now past, leaves his wife by the seaside while he pursues a crowded life in the stifling city: his producer, Gaudet, wants him to persuade their rich backer Vallsigorri that they really cannot use the third-rate actress Lili whom the backer wants to foist on him. In the course of playing honest broket, however, Prullas starts an affair with Lili, but then thinks twice about crossing her protector who is, after all, backing his play, and tries to break off his liaison. Fate intervenes, however, when Vallsigorri is found murdered and Prullas is prime suspect, albeit innocent. As this is a light comedy, all ends happily. Winner of the Prix du Meilleur Livre Etranger, 1998.
- ISBN10 1860468411
- ISBN13 9781860468414
- Publish Date 15 August 2002
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 10 August 2021
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Vintage Publishing
- Imprint The Harvill Press
- Format Paperback (UK Trade)
- Pages 480
- Language English