Why a Booktrail?
1900s – From the blood red cover to the spilling of blood inside, this is a story about the cruel and shocking violence happening in Peru.
Red April
What you need to know before your trail
When the first of a series of killings and burnt bodies is discovered, Associate District Prosecutor Felix Chacaltana Saldivar (to give him his full yet rather long title) is keen to get to the bottom of things. Holy Week in Ayacucho turns out to be quite the event which sets him on the trail of a serial killer via all corners and crevices of the city from the politicians to priests, and everything in between.
Via his investigation , flashes of Peruvian life draw and dark and bloody picture which the cover more than represents..
Travel Guide
Peru and Holy Week
A serial killer thriller set against the unusual backdrop of Peru’s Holy week. Quite a setting, and quite a premise.
Ayacucho is the perfect rural setting given that it is the capital city of Huamanga province and is famous for its 33 churches which represent one for each year that Jesus lived.
This is a thriller set against the history of 20th century Peru – the Shining Path terrorists (Sendero Luminoso) who have the country tightly in their grip. The government of Aldo Fujimori and the corruption involved within its walls, how it deals with the terrorist threat – all a fascinating insight into Peru and its inner workings.
This is a religious world at first yes, but also a disturbing and violent one as the story progresses. This is the fight against Sendero Luminoso which engulfs everyone in a death grip, including the government.
“You think too much Chacaltana. Get one thing into your head: in this country there is no terrorism, by orders from the top. Is that clear?
Holy Week may be a time of death and resurrection but it’s an ironic backdrop for such a series of bloody crimes.
Streetview Maps
B) Ayacucho - Plaza de Armas
D) Cathedral of Ayacucho
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