Book Title: The Anatomist's Secret (Spanish original title: El secreto de Vesalio / English title: The Secret of Vesalius)

Synopsis:

A mystery novel that beautifully combines suspense, crime, history, and romance!

Infused with real locations, historical events, and legendary figures, it masterfully guides readers into an atmosphere that feels like a time-travel drama!

It can well be called The Da Vinci Code of the surgical world!

A seamless blend of real history and fictional mystery that recreates the sensation of The Shadow of the Wind!

It features the world's fair murders akin to The Devil in the White City, alongside the taboo of immortality found in Frankenstein.

Foreign rights have been licensed to 18 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece, Italy, and Israel.

A taboo quest for immortality that defies the will of God

is taking place deep within the dark underground of glamorous 19th-century Barcelona.

Twenty-four days before the opening of the World's Fair, a series of murders of young girls shocks the city.

The corpses look as though they have been gnawed on by wild beasts. While the public whispers that it is the work of an evil spirit, they have no idea that chapters of a legendary anatomy book—lost for three hundred years—have resurfaced in the world...

In the year 1888, Barcelona is preparing to host the Universal Exposition. However, right before the grand opening, several mutilated bodies of young girls are discovered one after another near the sewer outlets of the fairgrounds. The sheer horror of the modus operandi reminds the citizens of an ancient curse regarding the hellhound of Barcelona...

Daniel is a young professor living in Oxford, England. Upon receiving news of his father's death, he is forced to return to Barcelona—a city tied to his most heartbreaking memories—for the funeral, only to find himself entangled in this horrifying string of serial murders. Fleixa, a crime reporter for The Barcelona Post, is convinced that Daniel's father was murdered. Following a trail of clues, the two discover Dr. Holmes's notebook hidden by Daniel's father in the city's sewers. The notes mention the 16th-century legendary anatomist Andreas Vesalius's masterpiece, De humani corporis fabrica, revealing that beyond the seven known books, a mysterious eighth manuscript exists...

To get closer to the truth behind his father's death, they enlist Pau, an enigmatic medical student with exquisite skills, to perform autopsies on the murdered girls. Together, the trio begins to unravel the clues, attempting to crack the hidden eighth book concealed by the anatomist through highly ingenious methods, a quest that ultimately puts their own lives in mortal danger.

What kind of secret could demand such painstaking concealment, and how does it connect to these ghastly murders of young girls?

This epic suspense novel seamlessly weaves elements of thriller, crime, history, and romance. The settings in the book still exist in Barcelona today. With extensive intellectual depth, the author vividly recreates the 19th century—public anatomy performances, spiritualist seances, café culture, the sewer system built by the Romans, social outcasts living underground, bullrings, and the power plant constructed for the World's Fair. Overflowing with gothic wonders, the plot sets the pulse racing, culminating in a jaw-dropping final revelation!

Special Recommendation

Du Juan Wo Ren / Mystery Critic

The puzzle-solving and plot development in The Anatomist's Secret feel just as complex as Dan Brown's quest for truth in The Lost Symbol or Inferno. Furthermore, the tension and excitement delivered during the gripping final pages of this book far surpass the thrilling chase scenes and resolutions found in Sherlock Holmes Case III: The Commission from Taiwan!

Resounding Recommendations

Wang Li-jin / Official Chinese Tour Guide of Barcelona

Wo Fu / Writer and Editor

Sun Jia-dong / Professor of Forensic Medicine at the National Taiwan University College of Medicine

Tan Duan / Director of Detective Buku

Critical Acclaim

"The Spanish literary world has found a shining new star following Carlos Ruiz Zafón, the author of The Shadow of the Wind. His debut work will once again unleash a whirlwind akin to The Shadow of the Wind!" — Matías Nespolo, Author

"A treat for mystery lovers; this is an exquisite and meticulously crafted mystery novel." — Dolores Redondo, Author of The Invisible Guardian

"Boasting intellectual depth and rich content, combining grand pacing with realistic characters, this is absolutely not to be missed. Reading this novel is pure joy." — Alicia G. Barlett, Writer

"The novel's plot is highly compelling, rigorous, and sharp. The portrayal of Barcelona is so enchanting that it makes readers feel as if they are right there." — Lorenzo Silva, Writer

Reader Reviews

"When we learn the reasons behind everything, perhaps we might 'forgive' out of pity. However, a wrong is a wrong, hurt is hurt, death is death, and legends are legends. No matter how many sorrowful excuses exist, they cannot conceal one's own selfishness and evil." — Shi Wen Bai Lei

"After reading the part in The Anatomist's Secret describing the mad anatomist conducting experiments by vivisecting live humans, one learns that we must be careful never to piss off anyone who has the chance to hold a scalpel." — Mo Chi Fei Hu

"This is a book that builds up to an incredible climax toward the end. As you read further, your eyes become glued to the pages, desperate to figure out the ins and outs of the whole affair. Yet, when everything finally comes to light, what follows is unexpectedly not excitement, but a faint, lingering sorrow. Though it is a super thick book, I must say I really love the structure and direction of the story. For a moment there, I felt as if I had truly traveled back to the nineteenth century." — Ai Ji Mo

"The story is just like the sewers of Barcelona—a linear maze where every loop is interconnected, and if you lose focus for even a second while reading, you will be consumed by the darkness." — Loy

"Who exactly is the real killer? Everyone seems a likely suspect, yet no one can be certain. I really had to read all the way to the end to guess it right. It is an excellent story filled with suspense, tension, and thrills." — Ya Fen

"The story is set in Barcelona at the end of the 19th century, an era bridging the ancient and the modern worlds. Science was booming, yet the ignorance of legends and superstitions was still inescapable. The collision between science and superstition gives rise to such a magnificent, thrilling manhunt story." — Man Tian Xue Wu

"Almost every character in this novel harbors a deep secret. So, besides following the main storyline through perils to experience the unique gothic atmosphere, you can deeply feel the hardships and yearnings faced by the three protagonists regarding family, emotion, and dreams. Reading this book goes far beyond a simple crime-solving level; it is a moving, sigh-inducing story about human beings." — jrue

About the Author

Jordi Llobregat

Born in Valencia, Spain, in 1971. He began writing at the age of twelve after watching the Jean-Paul Belmondo film Le Magnifique (The Magnificent One).

The lifelong favorite themes of the author are the transformation and evolution of cities, alongside the stories that unfold behind them. Born in Valencia, Spain, he maintains a special bond with Barcelona, the setting of The Anatomist's Secret and the ancestral home of his mother's family.

The author is dedicated to projects concerning regional competitiveness, autonomous communities, and urban development. He also serves as the Director of the Valencia Negra festival and is a member of the literary group El Cuaderno Rojo, through which he has published numerous short stories.

About the Translator

Hugo Liu (Liu Jia-heng)

Graduated with a Master's degree from the Graduate Institute of Spanish Language and Literature at Providence University. A native of Hualien, his translated works include The Sweet Scent of Death, My Deceased Best Friend, and 33 Revolutions.

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