'Winter in Madrid' by C. J. Sansom

Winter in Madrid, C.J. Sansom (3.5)

I was told if you liked ‘Shadows of the Wind’ (I did), you would like this book. I do see some similarities given the time period of the Spanish revolution, but the stories are quite different. While I enjoyed this book, it lacked the well-rounded characters and sense of whimsy amongst the sadness of war. Probably obvious from the title, this book is darker. We follow four British characters as they interact and make their way through WWII and it’s affect on Spanish politics. The main narrative has a veteran called up to the diplomatic service as a ruse to allow him to reconnect with a grade school chum who appears to be on the cusp of financing Franco (which may change Spain’s views on joining the war). I enjoyed the British character’s interaction with various characters at all levels of Spanish society. I also appreciated the ‘spy novel’ aspects to the story – which were interesting and per the Afterword, based on real people.