The Last Summer of Silvia Blanch | The Void You Leave
A young journalist finds herself immersed in the investigation of two highly unusual cases in two rural Catalan villages. Although she tries to separate her professional and personal life, Álex becomes increasingly involved in these mysterious events, ultimately putting her own life in danger. As the saying goes, in small towns, the hells are big. A thriller filled with drama and intense characters, written by a bestselling author both in Spain and internationally.
The saga currently consists of two books, both starring young Barcelona journalist Álex Duarte, who in each installment finds herself entangled in solving a mystery intertwined with romance and humor, set in the rural landscapes of Catalonia.
In The Last Summer of Silvia Blanch (El último Verano de Silvia Blanch), Álex arrives in a small town in Montseny with the intention of writing an article about Silvia Blanch, a young woman who mysteriously vanished without a trace the previous summer. Silvia was last seen by a neighbor entering the forest with a man who appeared to be her boyfriend, but no evidence was found. The boyfriend has a solid alibi, and the only witness has just passed away.
When Álex speaks to Silvia’s family, all she hears is pain and love for the missing girl. However, one family member stands out to her—Jan, Silvia’s cousin, a reserved man who works with horses. He was the main suspect in the investigation but was ultimately dismissed due to lack of evidence. He was also accused of sexual assault, which he insists was a false claim. Álex tries to get closer to him, sensing he is the thread that could unravel the truth.
Just when Álex feels she’s at a dead end, she uncovers something shocking—Silvia was having an affair with Jan. To complicate matters further, an intense and dangerous attraction begins to develop between Jan and Álex.
Despite the growing risks, constant threats, and her involvement with Jan, Álex refuses to give up. Her determination drives her deeper into the dark secrets of a broken family and a town where everyone seems to know the truth but chooses to remain silent.
Two years later, when Álex has closed the case and published a bestselling book about her investigation, a small detail suddenly sheds new light on the mystery.
This time, all clues point to a man as powerful as he is dangerous, someone deeply connected to Silvia’s disappearance. Suddenly, everything is shaken again, and Álex faces the chilling possibility that her investigation is far from over.
In The Void You Leave (El vacío que dejas), after uncovering the truth behind Silvia Blanch’s disappearance and leaving her complicated romance with Jan unresolved, Álex embarks on a writing retreat in the coastal village of El Port de la Selva. However, a new mystery soon surrounds her—one year ago, a foreign girl named Ally Fian vanished without a trace. A local legend tells the story of Arsenda, a young woman accused of witchcraft in the 17th century, who allegedly cast a curse before being burned alive: every ten years, she would take a child from the village.
During the retreat, Álex meets Luke Campbell, a British writer working on his first novel. He decides to help her investigate Ally’s disappearance. However, Luke has his own hidden agenda—he is there to solve another mystery.
Luke is someone who offers Álex a sense of security, yet he too harbors secrets that gradually come to light as the story unfolds. But Luke’s secrets aren’t the only ones—the entire village seems trapped by an ancient fear. It will be Álex’s task to unravel the mystery while navigating her own tangled emotions.
KEY DETAILS: Despite dealing with classic thriller tropes, Franco masterfully enhances them through unique storytelling techniques.
In The Last Summer of Silvia Blanch, the narrative is structured in short chapters told from the perspectives of Álex, Jan, and even Silvia in the days leading up to her disappearance. This intertwines past, present, and even future events, taking us up to 2020.
The same applies to The Void You Leave, where the story is told not only from Álex’s point of view but also from Luke’s, Ally’s (the missing girl), and even Arsenda’s, the woman condemned as a witch—transporting us back to the 17th century.
These are two of the most compelling thrillers set in Catalonia, Spain, by renowned writer Lorena Franco, often referred to as “the queen of domestic thrillers.” She has become a key figure in Spanish-language mystery literature, captivating hundreds of thousands of readers worldwide.
What the critics and reviews say:
“A brilliantly crafted thriller that will leave you wanting more.” – Libros por Doquier
“Lorena Franco has won over more than 250,000 readers with her 15+ crime novels.” – Culturamas
“A novel where nothing is as it seems, and everyone is lying.” – Entre Metáforas
“I loved Álex’s character—her persistence, boldness, and strong personality. From start to finish, she never gives up on uncovering the truth.” – FANFAN
SCREEN ADAPTATION POTENTIAL: TV Series, Miniseries, Feature Film, TV Movie.
AVAILABLE LANGUAGES: Spanish.
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