In the coming days, this space will host a series of articles dedicated to two of my novels: Esalfa and Tutto in una notte (All in One Night). They are two books worlds apart in setting, tone, and language, yet born from the same question: what does man do when he confronts his own limits? This first article serves as a compass: it outlines what the two novels are about, without giving away any secrets, and explains how to follow the series.

Why two such different novels

Esalfa takes place in Spain in 1547, between the battlefields of the empire of Charles V and the streets of Cuenca, a city perched on a cliff. The narrator is a young physician, the prose is solemn, and the dialogue borders on theological dispute. Tutto in una notte (All in One Night), on the other hand, is a contemporary noir, narrated by a cynical and self-deprecating investigator over the course of a single night, among an estate, a gun, and a web of deception.

At first glance, they have nothing in common. Yet anyone who reads them closely will discover they speak of the very same thing: man's yearning to transcend his limits (death, bodily frailty, the judgment of others) and the illusory tools he uses in the attempt.

Esalfa in brief (no spoilers)

April 1547. Antonio Heredia, a Castilian physician, has witnessed the horror of the Battle of Mühlberg and returns to Cuenca hoping to find peace. Instead, he finds a frightened city, an incoming Inquisition tribunal, and a woman—Juanita, his youthful love—accused of witchcraft because of the deathly visions that torment her.

When corpses begin turning up with an angel's name inscribed on their foreheads, Antonio will have to draw upon everything he has learned: anatomy, observation, doubt. But he will also have to grapple with a more troubling question—that of faith.

Tutto in una notte (All in One Night) in brief (no spoilers)

Nick Ventura is an ex-cop turned private investigator: weary, out of shape, carrying a few debts and a troubled relationship with his own body. A late-night phone call pulls him toward an estate where nothing is what it seems.

The story wraps up at dawn, and caught in the middle is a trap laid just for him. Irony, action, and a healthy dose of irreverence do the rest.

How to follow the series

The articles will be published in three installments:

• “Esalfa” Series: history, symbolism, characters, philosophy, and behind-the-scenes insights into the historical novel.
• “Tutto in una notte (All in One Night)” Series: Nick's character, the structure of noir, the femme fatale, the theme of virility, and the genre's context.
• Concluding Article: a comparative look at the two novels, exploring the thread that ties them together.

Conclusion

If you have already read either of the two novels, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments. If you haven't yet, our first stop is with Esalfa and the symbol that gives it its name.

Related Articles

• Esalfa: The Six-Pointed Star and the Harmony of Opposites
• Nick Ventura: anatomy of a noir antihero