Tomas Nevinson

Set in 1997, "Tomas Nevinson" finds the titular character attempting to mend his life with his estranged wife, Berta Isla, and their children in Madrid, a fragile peace shattered by the reappearance of his past. His former superior, Bertram Tupra, recruits him for a chilling assignment: to track down and assassinate a woman suspected of being an IRA terrorist involved in devastating attacks in Spain a decade earlier. As Tomas delves into a shadowy world of espionage, terrorism, and intricate deceptions, he is forced to confront profound moral quandaries. Marias masterfully weaves a narrative that interrogates the very essence of justice, the justification of murder, and the complex interplay between personal ethics and national security. The novel is a powerful reflection on the limits of human action, asking if any act of violence can ever be deemed 'good' if it serves a greater, albeit brutal, purpose, making it a compelling exploration of guilt, responsibility, and the inescapable consequences of impossible choices.