Thus Bad Begins

Set in Madrid during 1980, 'Thus Bad Begins' plunges the reader into the morally ambiguous world of aspiring young man, Juan de Vere, who secures a position with the enigmatic and acclaimed film director, Eduardo Muriel. Juan quickly becomes enmeshed in the unsettling domestic life of Muriel and his beautiful, yet perpetually unhappy wife, Beatriz. Muriel harbors a deep-seated contempt for Beatriz, a mystery that captivates Juan. When Muriel tasks Juan with discretely investigating Dr. Jorge Van Vechten, a shadowy figure connected to Beatriz through unsavory rumors from the Spanish Civil War era, Juan's role shifts from observer to unwilling participant. As he delves deeper, unearthing secrets of betrayal, infidelity, and the long-reaching trauma of history, Juan finds himself navigating a labyrinth of desire, power, guilt, and the profound deceptions people inflict upon themselves and others. Marías masterfully explores the blurred lines between personal and public facades, and the corrupting influence of unacknowledged pasts.