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Los sabuesos de la transición #2
The Mystery of the Haunted House (The Sleuths of the Spanish Transition)
In their second adventure together, Gonzalo and Vicky face a new mystery: the inheritance of a supposedly haunted house, where strange things happen and unexplained noises are heard. They suspect that someone wants to prevent the heir from taking possession of the house. Following the tradition and methods of Sherlock Holmes, Gonzalo and Vicky solve the enigma and stop the villains, although Vicky has to run a risk even worse than in their previous adventure.
190 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2014
14 people want to read
About the author
Manuel Alfonseca
81 books231 followersManuel Alfonseca (Madrid, 1946) is a writer and professor in a Spanish university (Autónoma de Madrid) where he was director of the Escuela Politécnica Superior (2001-2004). He worked 22 years in IBM. He has published over 200 scientific articles and many papers and posts on popular science, in Spanish and English. He is the author of over 50 books on computer science, popular science, historic novel, science-fiction and young adult literature, published in Spanish, English, French and other languages. He was awarded the Lazarillo Award (1988) and the La Brújula Award (2012). He is the son of the painter and sculptor Manuel Alfonseca (Santana).
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 7, 2017
This is the third book by Alfonseca that I have read in as many months. I am greatly enjoying his writings. This is the second book in the series: The Sleuths of the Spanish Transition, and has only just become available in English. I stand by my statement in an earlier review that Manuel's writings reminds me of those by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Jose Saramago, and to a lesser extent Paolo Coelho. This second story in the series is also extremely well written. But knowing the characters was a little more predictable. But that predictability did not detract from the mystery, in fact it enhanced it for in visiting the main characters it was like visiting old friends.
This story begins with a request for help from an unusual source. Gonzalo and Vicki accept the task of a young woman who has inherited some property and that is being threatened, or intimidated to let the property go. Because of propriety, and Gonzalo's need to register for university, it is decided that Vicki will accompany Diana to her vacation home and write to Gonzalo every day as she investigates. She is investigating the mysterious letter, also trying to figure out who wants Diana to abandon her vacation home, and why. But as with their last mystery, not everything is as it appears. Logic and reason might be able to help them solve the case, but one of them ends up in grave danger again.
Again in this book there are number of references to classical literature, specifically the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and also Jules Verne. This book has fewer references to science fiction, and movies, and focuses more on literary mystery references. And a few of the plot elements I was able to figure out but overall a wonderful read.
I consider this book Catholic fiction. The author is Catholic, and the book though not overtly religious, the main characters have a faith and that faith shapes their character. In this book there is reference to premarital sex, not by the main characters and it is witnessed by others. But it is not graphic or overt.
This book is the second in a series. Currently there are four books in the series in Spanish. One can only hope that the remaining two will become available in English in short order. The book is translated by the author himself. I loved this book and the series. And really appreciate the literary offerings of Alfonseca. I have read three of his books and already have a fourth on the go. I look forward to reading more of his book and can highly recommend them to you. This book would be a fun read for those who enjoy a good mystery, or for fans of Marquez, Saramago, or Coelho. So why not give this book and this series a try.
Again I highly recommend this book, and series.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Manuel Alfonseca.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2017 Catholic Reading Plan!
This story begins with a request for help from an unusual source. Gonzalo and Vicki accept the task of a young woman who has inherited some property and that is being threatened, or intimidated to let the property go. Because of propriety, and Gonzalo's need to register for university, it is decided that Vicki will accompany Diana to her vacation home and write to Gonzalo every day as she investigates. She is investigating the mysterious letter, also trying to figure out who wants Diana to abandon her vacation home, and why. But as with their last mystery, not everything is as it appears. Logic and reason might be able to help them solve the case, but one of them ends up in grave danger again.
Again in this book there are number of references to classical literature, specifically the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and also Jules Verne. This book has fewer references to science fiction, and movies, and focuses more on literary mystery references. And a few of the plot elements I was able to figure out but overall a wonderful read.
I consider this book Catholic fiction. The author is Catholic, and the book though not overtly religious, the main characters have a faith and that faith shapes their character. In this book there is reference to premarital sex, not by the main characters and it is witnessed by others. But it is not graphic or overt.
This book is the second in a series. Currently there are four books in the series in Spanish. One can only hope that the remaining two will become available in English in short order. The book is translated by the author himself. I loved this book and the series. And really appreciate the literary offerings of Alfonseca. I have read three of his books and already have a fourth on the go. I look forward to reading more of his book and can highly recommend them to you. This book would be a fun read for those who enjoy a good mystery, or for fans of Marquez, Saramago, or Coelho. So why not give this book and this series a try.
Again I highly recommend this book, and series.
Read the review on my blog Book Reviews and More and reviews of other books by Manuel Alfonseca.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2017 Catholic Reading Plan!
January 19, 2018
ENGLISH: In October 2009 I came up with the idea of writing a second part to the adventures of Vicky and Gonzalo, previously told in "Quetzalcoatl's Zahir." This time, however, although this would also be a mystery novel, there would be no fantastic element, except in the title, although from the beginning it is quite clear that the haunted house is not really haunted.
In this second installment of the series, the narrator is Vicky. The novel is inspired by the style of Sherlock Holmes, and particularly by "The Hound of the Baskervilles." Gonzalo plays the role of the great detective, while Vicky plays the role of Dr. Watson.
There is, by the way, a curious coincidence of names in the Spanish version between the series ("The sleuths of the Spanish transition") and the novel that inspired this second instalment ("The Hound of the Baskervilles), for the two English words (hound and sleuth) correspond to the same Spanish word (sabueso).
ESPAÑOL: En octubre de 2009 se me ocurrió la idea de escribir una segunda parte de las aventuras de Vicky y Gonzalo en "El zahir de Quetzalcoatl". Esta vez, sin embargo, aunque también sería una novela de misterio, no habría ningún elemento fantástico, salvo en el título, aunque desde el principio queda bastante claro que la casa encantada no está realmente encantada.
En esta segunda entrega de la serie la narradora es Vicky. La novela está inspirada en el estilo de Sherlock Holmes, y particularmente en la novela "El perro (o sabueso) de los Baskerville". Gonzalo desempeña el papel del gran detective y Vicky el del Dr. Watson.
Es curiosa, por cierto, la coincidencia de nombres entre la serie ("Los sabuesos de la transición") y la novela en que se inspira esta segunda entrega ("El sabueso de los Baskerville), coincidencia que sólo se percibe en la versión española, pues en inglés ambos sabuesos se escriben con palabras diferentes.
In this second installment of the series, the narrator is Vicky. The novel is inspired by the style of Sherlock Holmes, and particularly by "The Hound of the Baskervilles." Gonzalo plays the role of the great detective, while Vicky plays the role of Dr. Watson.
There is, by the way, a curious coincidence of names in the Spanish version between the series ("The sleuths of the Spanish transition") and the novel that inspired this second instalment ("The Hound of the Baskervilles), for the two English words (hound and sleuth) correspond to the same Spanish word (sabueso).
ESPAÑOL: En octubre de 2009 se me ocurrió la idea de escribir una segunda parte de las aventuras de Vicky y Gonzalo en "El zahir de Quetzalcoatl". Esta vez, sin embargo, aunque también sería una novela de misterio, no habría ningún elemento fantástico, salvo en el título, aunque desde el principio queda bastante claro que la casa encantada no está realmente encantada.
En esta segunda entrega de la serie la narradora es Vicky. La novela está inspirada en el estilo de Sherlock Holmes, y particularmente en la novela "El perro (o sabueso) de los Baskerville". Gonzalo desempeña el papel del gran detective y Vicky el del Dr. Watson.
Es curiosa, por cierto, la coincidencia de nombres entre la serie ("Los sabuesos de la transición") y la novela en que se inspira esta segunda entrega ("El sabueso de los Baskerville), coincidencia que sólo se percibe en la versión española, pues en inglés ambos sabuesos se escriben con palabras diferentes.
April 28, 2015
This is my second review that i wrote for Goodreads (before to read my review I advise the readers that they read previously the review that I wrote to the Zahir of Quetzalcoatl the first part of the Hounds of Transition). This is the second part of the adventures of Gonzalo and Vicky. It is a very good novel, although in my opinion is a bit worse than the first part. This novel in spite of thing has a lot of strong points, or advantages. This novel is more a Detection novel than the Zahir of Quetzalcoatl dedicated more to the adventures like the novels of Edith Nesbit, or Enid Blyton, besides the readers knew the characters. In this novel the narrator changed is the first new, and the reader realized, and enjoyed with the change. The first novel was written by Gonzalo, and the second is written by Vicky, who has a better style for writing than Gonzalo. One of the most interest thing of this novel we knew better to Vicky a brave woman, independent without falling in the trap of this time who present the female characters like Dominatrix (movies, books, and TV series) besides she showed her love for Gonzalo, her concerns, and her aspirations. The beginning of this novel is wonderful, and he joined excellent the first novel with the second novel. Gonzalo appeared like his loved Sherlock Holmes, and Vicky offered an image tender of his boyfriend.
I cannot say the book who remembers this novel because I will spoil the book, and the plot, but Alfonseca with his master feather offer a beautiful portrait of the Villages of Huelva. This novel has elements of the Gothic Literature and this novel a dog played an important role like in the novel The Kennel Club Murder case was written by S.S. Van Dine, Dumb Witness was written by the queen of the crime Agatha Christie, and Love Lies Bleeding was written by Edmund Crispin. One scene of this novel remembered to me the novel/movie From Here to the Eternity was written and directed by Fred Zinemann/James Jones the scene of love in the Shore. Other thing who liked to me the deep knowledge that Manuel Alfonseca has of the chemical substances, in other novel throughout to the Black Hole played by drug addict is the confirmation. Perhaps the most disgusting character was not the criminal, she was Diana the person who beg the collaboration of Gonzalo to solve the mystery of the book. Unfortunately in this novel there are not any references to the science fictions, and books, although Alfonseca told a lot of useful things about the Satellites to Mars and the Biology.
On balance I wish the people read this novel and Alfonseca could tell more stories about Gonzalo, and Vicky which could convert in the most legendries fiction detectives of Spain.
Esta es mi segunda revisión (antes de leer esta aconsejo al lector, que lea la que escribí sobre la primera parte el Zahir de Quetzalcoatl). Esta es la continuación de las aventuras de Vicky, y Gonzalo. Es muy buena novela, aunque a mí me gusto más la del Zahir de Quetzalcoatl. Con todo tiene también sus atractivos está es una novela más policíaca. La primera el Zahir de Quetzalcoatl era más de aventuras, y se centraba más en presentar a los personajes. Si en la primera tenía como protagonista y narrador a Gonzalo, aquí la narradora es Vicky, que es mucho más diestra que Gonzalo, su técnica de narrar es más depurada. Esta novela es más interesante porque profundiza más en una mujer valiente, independiente sin caer en la dominatrix (algo muy típico en las novelas, películas y novelas actuales), conocemos su amor por Gonzalo y sus aspiraciones de futuro. Sin decir nada tiene un comienzo muy prometedor, y enlaza muy bien con la primera parte. Gonzalo vuelve a emular a su idolo Sherlock Holmes y al verlo a través de los ojos de Vicky queda un retrato muy favorable.
No puedo deciros a que novela me ha recordado porque desvelaría la trama, pero nos ofrece un retrato de un pueblecito de Huelva, tiene también elementos de la literatura gótica, y también un perro que jugará un papel determinante en la trama recordando a clásicos como "Matando en la sombra" de S.S. Van Dine y "Trabajos de amor ensangrentado" de Edmund Crispin. Hay una escena que me recuerda a la película/novela de Fred Zinemann/James Jones "De aquí a la eternidad". Otra cosa que me ha gustado mucho de esta novela ha sido el profundo conocimiento que tiene Alfonseca de las sustancias químicas. Yo soy hijo de farmacólogo, y algo sé del tema. Algo, que también hace en su novela "Más allá del agujero negro" sobre un chico toxicómano. El personaje más repugnante no es el criminal sino Diana la persona que le pide a Gonzalo, y Vicky que investiguen el caso. A penas hay referencias a la ciencia ficción, pero si se habla de la llegada a Marte de un satélite. Yo eche mucho de menos eso en la novela de Alfonseca.
Mi conclusión final es que ojala la gente lea esta serie, y Alfonseca pueda publicar el tercer volumen, si se les da una oportunidad Gonzalo y Vicky podrían convertirse en una pareja celebre de detectives de ficción tienen facultades para eso.
I cannot say the book who remembers this novel because I will spoil the book, and the plot, but Alfonseca with his master feather offer a beautiful portrait of the Villages of Huelva. This novel has elements of the Gothic Literature and this novel a dog played an important role like in the novel The Kennel Club Murder case was written by S.S. Van Dine, Dumb Witness was written by the queen of the crime Agatha Christie, and Love Lies Bleeding was written by Edmund Crispin. One scene of this novel remembered to me the novel/movie From Here to the Eternity was written and directed by Fred Zinemann/James Jones the scene of love in the Shore. Other thing who liked to me the deep knowledge that Manuel Alfonseca has of the chemical substances, in other novel throughout to the Black Hole played by drug addict is the confirmation. Perhaps the most disgusting character was not the criminal, she was Diana the person who beg the collaboration of Gonzalo to solve the mystery of the book. Unfortunately in this novel there are not any references to the science fictions, and books, although Alfonseca told a lot of useful things about the Satellites to Mars and the Biology.
On balance I wish the people read this novel and Alfonseca could tell more stories about Gonzalo, and Vicky which could convert in the most legendries fiction detectives of Spain.
Esta es mi segunda revisión (antes de leer esta aconsejo al lector, que lea la que escribí sobre la primera parte el Zahir de Quetzalcoatl). Esta es la continuación de las aventuras de Vicky, y Gonzalo. Es muy buena novela, aunque a mí me gusto más la del Zahir de Quetzalcoatl. Con todo tiene también sus atractivos está es una novela más policíaca. La primera el Zahir de Quetzalcoatl era más de aventuras, y se centraba más en presentar a los personajes. Si en la primera tenía como protagonista y narrador a Gonzalo, aquí la narradora es Vicky, que es mucho más diestra que Gonzalo, su técnica de narrar es más depurada. Esta novela es más interesante porque profundiza más en una mujer valiente, independiente sin caer en la dominatrix (algo muy típico en las novelas, películas y novelas actuales), conocemos su amor por Gonzalo y sus aspiraciones de futuro. Sin decir nada tiene un comienzo muy prometedor, y enlaza muy bien con la primera parte. Gonzalo vuelve a emular a su idolo Sherlock Holmes y al verlo a través de los ojos de Vicky queda un retrato muy favorable.
No puedo deciros a que novela me ha recordado porque desvelaría la trama, pero nos ofrece un retrato de un pueblecito de Huelva, tiene también elementos de la literatura gótica, y también un perro que jugará un papel determinante en la trama recordando a clásicos como "Matando en la sombra" de S.S. Van Dine y "Trabajos de amor ensangrentado" de Edmund Crispin. Hay una escena que me recuerda a la película/novela de Fred Zinemann/James Jones "De aquí a la eternidad". Otra cosa que me ha gustado mucho de esta novela ha sido el profundo conocimiento que tiene Alfonseca de las sustancias químicas. Yo soy hijo de farmacólogo, y algo sé del tema. Algo, que también hace en su novela "Más allá del agujero negro" sobre un chico toxicómano. El personaje más repugnante no es el criminal sino Diana la persona que le pide a Gonzalo, y Vicky que investiguen el caso. A penas hay referencias a la ciencia ficción, pero si se habla de la llegada a Marte de un satélite. Yo eche mucho de menos eso en la novela de Alfonseca.
Mi conclusión final es que ojala la gente lea esta serie, y Alfonseca pueda publicar el tercer volumen, si se les da una oportunidad Gonzalo y Vicky podrían convertirse en una pareja celebre de detectives de ficción tienen facultades para eso.
July 3, 2021
This astonishing book blew me away.
April 13, 2016
Me ha gustado mucho 'El misterio de la casa encantada'. La historia, contada desde el punto de vista de Vicky, entraña multitud de pasajes cómicos (me he reído un montón). Este humor que da el autor a su obra es humor del bueno, constructivo y creativo, es decir, no hace falta reírse de nadie para hacer reír a otro. El autor da este toque cómico en algunas conversaciones y algunos pasajes de la novela con gran maestría.
La historia además narra una serie de aventuras llenas de intriga, suspense, y emoción, y creo que cumple a un nivel muy alto con el listón dejado por la primera novela de la saga, 'El zahir del Quetzalcoatl'.
Estoy deseando leer la tercera novela de 'Los sabuesos de la transición' :-)
La historia además narra una serie de aventuras llenas de intriga, suspense, y emoción, y creo que cumple a un nivel muy alto con el listón dejado por la primera novela de la saga, 'El zahir del Quetzalcoatl'.
Estoy deseando leer la tercera novela de 'Los sabuesos de la transición' :-)
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