Purgatorio / Purgatory

El pasado siempre est?mucho m嫳 cerca de lo que creemos

Hace treinta y cinco a隳s, Imanol Azkarate fue secuestrado y ejecutado, pero sus dos asesinos nunca fueron detenidos ni identificados. Uno de ellos, Josu Etxebeste, conocido restaurador guipuzcoano, guard?todas las cartas y dibujos que hizo el secuestrado durante el cautiverio. Ahora, ha decidido confesar su crimen y dar todo ese material a Alasne, la hija de la v獳tima, y entregarse al comisario Ignacio S嫕chez, el polic燰 que investig?el secuestro. Sin embargo, Josu solo confesar?si S嫕chez reconoce a su vez que fue un despiadado torturador. Mientras pugnan por conciliar su pasado armado con un presente sin rencor ni violencia, los resortes durmientes de la Organizaci鏮 se movilizan. Antiguos militantes que, como Etxebeste, nunca fueron detenidos y que no tienen ninguna intenci鏮 de confesar y cambiar sus c鏔odas vidas en la Euskadi del posconflicto tratar嫕 de detener ese acercamiento por todos los medios posibles.

Purgatorio, la extraordinaria primera novela del periodista y reportero de investigaci鏮 Jon Sistiaga, retrata un Pa疄 Vasco donde las culpas no se entierran ni se esconden, sino que afloran y se reconocen. Habla de una tierra sembrada de armas oxidadas en zulos abandonados, de traiciones, lealtades y secretos atroces, de terroristas arrepentidos, terroristas orgullosos y v獳timas que no pueden cerrar su duelo. Purgatorio es tambi幯 un tenso thriller que mantendr?al lector en vilo hasta la tima p墔ina, pero es, sobre todo, ese lugar donde se debe reconocer el mal hecho y tratar de sanarse.

ENGLISH DESCRIPTION

"Have you ever wondered if what we did was wrong, and if we still have time to fix it?"

The extraordinary debut of Jon Sistiaga as a novelist comes with a shocking story about open wounds from the Basque conflict.

The past is always much closer than we think.

Thirty-five years ago, Imanol Azkarate was kidnapped and executed. But his two murderers were never apprehended nor identified. One of them, Josu Etxebeste, a renowned restorer from Guipcoa, kept all the letters and drawings the abducted wrote and made during his captivity. Now, Josu has decided to confess his crime and turn over this material to Alasne, the victim's daughter, turning himself in to inspector Ignacio S嫕chez, the police officer who investigated the kidnapping. However, Josu will only confess if S嫕chez himself admits he was once a ruthless torturer. While they struggle to reconcile their armed past with a present free of resentment and violence, the dormant springs of the Organization are moving. Old militants who, like Etxebeste, were never arrested and have no intention of confessing nor changing their comfortable lives in post-war Euskadi, will try to stop this encounter by any means possible.

Purgatory, the extraordinary first novel of journalist reporter Jon Sistiaga, depicts a Basque Country where guilt isn't buried nor hidden, but exposed and acknowledged. It speaks of a land sown with rusted weapons in abandoned caches; with betrayals, loyalties, and atrocious secrets; with repentant terrorists, proud terrorists, and victims who can't put an end to their mourning. Purgatory is also a tense thriller that will keep readers on edge to the very last page, but above all, it is a place where you must admit your evil deeds and attempt to heal.