Lucas, a musician and translator, comes home one day to find a cryptic postcard on his doorstep. This postcard sets in motion a series of bizarre, seemingly interconnected events, leading Lucas and his girlfriend, Nuria, to be kidnapped by a religious cult with roots stretching back to the thirteenth century.

Seeking guidance from a fire-eater, a band of mythic roof-dwellers, and his deeply skeptical friends, Lucas must figure out who to believe-or who can believe him. In his internationally acclaimed debut, Richard Gwyn takes us on a gripping ride of faith and deceit through Barcelona's Gothic Quarter. “Evoke[s] the exhilarating unpredictability of urban life. . . . Gwyn's plot is humming.” —The Washington Post

“At once an absurdist riddle, a romantic quest, and a love letter to our anti-hero's chosen home, Gwyn's witty and assured first novel is as much about the different ways you can tell a story as it is about the story itself.” —The New Yorker

“A delightful cornucopia of thriller trappings, history lessons, existential ruminations and cheeky asides. . . . Destined to be a cult classic.” —Philadelphia City Paper

“Gwyn leaves many of his mysteries veiled, while providing enough detail to avert readers from a head start. . . . Beautifully precise.” —Newsday

“A wild but entertaining ride through historic Barcelona. . . . The writing is delicious.” —Deseret Morning News