I would like to thank Anne from Random Things Tours and Bitter Lemon Press for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review

Publisher – Bitter Lemon Press

Published – Out Now

Price - £9.99 paperback

JOURNALIST VERONICA ROSENTHAL Haunted by nightmares of her past, Verónica is soon involved in a new investigation. Darío, the sole survivor of a car accident that supposedly killed all of his family, is convinced that his wife and child have in fact survived and that his wife has abducted their child. Then a truck searched in the port of Buenos Aires on suspicion of drug trafficking, is revealed to be transporting human body parts. These seemingly separate incidents prove to be linked in a shadowy web of complicity involving political and religious authorities.

Comedy in Crime while it sounds wrong is actually a well-trod path. While Poirot and Holmes are not known for their many punchlines there is a tradition for adding light to some dark places and a wry often sad commentary ion the events we see. Carol O’Connell mixes the modern gothic with social putdowns; RJ Dark skips between light and darkness that you don’t know where to gasp or laugh. In Argentinian author Sergio Olguin’s There Are No Happy Loves ably translated by Miranda France) we have a dark tale of hidden secrets in places of power but mixed with a strange screwball comedy effect which makes for an unusual reading experience.

Children’s author Dario is driving home with his family and thinking about divorcing his wife when a horrific car accident happens, and he appears the only survivor. He awakes from his burns convinced his wife and child are alive. In Buenos Aires the successful Prosecutor Federico is attending a PR drugs bust with many journalists when upon discovery the driver of the van shoots himself and the police find a van filled with human body parts including the corpses of babies. Finally, once investigative journalist now magazine editor Veronica (and ex-lover of Federico) is asked by Dario to investigate his child’s disappearance. These cases will re-unite Federico and Veronica again but also place them both in great danger and against some of the most powerful parts of the country.

What works best here are the crimes and the actual plot itself. This story explores dark themes of corruption in the police and the church. How many secrets are hidden because of who committed them. Nuns by the way will again be scary! In these scenes the sense of injustice, the emotional impact of them is always felt and made sympathetic. Dario is either very right or very misguided and we feel his pain deeply. Olguin in this part of the tale captivates the reader and puts his investigative duo through the ringer and there is a sense they may be water that is far too deep. These parts are the real heart of the novel (or your reviewer just likes things to get dark!)

I have not read the preceding tale in this series so I cannot judge if the tone is standard but I have to admit I didn’t think this story is wholly successful when trying to be lighter. Outside of crime investigation with Veronica and Federico the focus of the novel is their collapsed relationship. Veronica is often drunk; trying to hack her ex’s password and is sort of a Bridget Jones style character clearly in love still but refusing to admit it. Federico has found a new girlfriend who so happens to be also named Veronica and he keeps thinking of the other woman. This humour is very broad and for me felt a little dated (the story was written only a few years ago) and while we are happy to see two not-quite-idiots work their true feelings out I didn’t think it was very effective at getting a laugh from me.

There Are No Happy Loves would be of interest to international thriller fans who enjoy a startling mix of light and dark and are also intrigued as to what the issues of Argentina’s history have to say about it’s present. An unusual read.