Punishment
Punishment is a crime novel written by the award-winning Spanish journalist, director, television presenter and author Carme Chaparro. The work was published on April 17, 2024 under the Narrative collection of the Espasa publishing label. Since its launch, it has provoked collectively positive opinions from specialized critics, with 4.2 stars on Amazon.
En general, Punishment It has a high grade that places it among one of the thrillers most read of the moment, establishing Carme Chaparro as one of the queens of suspense Spanish and a promise to the international literary world. However, many Goodreads readers have given Punishment a rather average rating of 3.88 points.
Synopsis of Punishment, by Carme Chaparro
The search for a mother
Punishment is presented as a direct continuation of the characters of Crime, another of the writer's successes, so it could be said that it is the second volume of a series. On this occasion, the colleagues Santi, Berta, Iluminada and Chiqui they immerse themselves in the research de a complex case that uncovers one of the darkest recesses of the human soul.
It all starts with Nines, a woman that He wakes up one morning expecting to receive the typical birthday gift from his six-year-old son.. However, what she gets is his ear, put in a box with a bow. Thus, he begins a search that shocks the entire country. Very soon, it is discovered that this is not the first death in that family, and that everything is related to TV.
Summary of the first two chapters of Punishment
The worst of all your birthdays
An omniscient and agile narrator recounts one of Nines' most anticipated sunrises. It's her birthday, but that's not what makes it special, it's what it entails. During each of the anniversaries of her last years, Jamie, her little son, wakes her up with tickles, laughter, cuddles and, of course, a gift. Nines doesn't know if it will be a macaroni necklace or a drawing at that moment.
But none of that is important, she just wants her Jaime's affection. However, what ends up getting her out of bed is a phone call. Irritated, the woman answers, only to discover that On the other side of the line there is an unknown man who sends him a congratulations from his son and tells him to go to his drawer and look for his birthday present. Confused, she does it herself.
A fatal surprise
Opening the drawer, he finds a black box the size of a match wrapper. After uncovering it, she is perplexed, cold in front of something that she could not have imagined, not even in her worst nightmares. At the same time, Her eldest daughter emerges from her own room and encounters that terrible image of her mother. and his little brother's ear, which rolls on the floor and touches his bare feet.
While this horror takes place, everything is recorded and broadcast nationally by some Pollito DJ and Cristina Cabos and also to Lets go. At the same time that they talk to Nines, they both feign a joy that they do not feel, and act for reasons that, at that moment, the reader neither knows nor can understand, because that is simply cruel, crazy and unspeakable. The only thing left to wonder is why.
The call of a strange group
The unknown narrator moves away from the tragedy of Nines and heads to a plane that arrives in Spain. Among his passengers is Santi, a forensic medicine prodigy who left his country for around six months to face his injuries. When he lands, he only thinks about how much he has missed Delito, his alter ego, whom he has not “seen” in a long time.
Beyond him, on a television set, is Berta, a journalist who would like to be anywhere else. She finds herself in the middle of talk shows who expect her to offer drama to their viewers, which only means that she must tell the story of Nines and how she was called by two strange people to open a crazy gift, while she and the rest of Spain They look for their son.
The other two members
Meanwhile, Iluminada Mellado, a longtime reporter for the channel, watches from the channel's executive floor as her friend Berta begins to turn green under her makeup. The journalist just wants to cry and go home. She can't believe she has to break that news like it's anything., as if there weren't a desperate mother looking for her little one. Ilu understands, and he can't wait to comfort her.
Later, the reporter receives a message from Chiqui, a young hacker who behaves like Berta's younger brother. He and Ilu are the only ones who could discover what lives behind Berta's eyes, well, him and Santi, whom they haven't seen in six months. Punishment It is a social criticism of tabloid journalism, media corruption and disrespect for stories.
About the author
María del Carme Chaparro Martínez, better known as Carme Chaparro, was born on February 5, 1973, in Salamanca, Spain. He graduated in Communication Sciences and Journalism from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. in 1996. Subsequently, she began her professional career as director and presenter of the program 39 life points from BTV5.
Later, she worked as an editor for television programs. TV3, Citizens, Generation X y You sew them as they are. Likewise, she did reports for the Sunday supplement of La Vanguardia, and She was a news editor for Cadena SER in Tarragona. Chaparro is a member of the 25 Club, a columnist for women Today since 2008, InStyle since 2009, GQ since 2010 and I donate 2012 since.
Other books by Carme Chaparro
Black novel
- I'm not a monster (2017);
- The chemistry of hate (2018);
- Don't disappoint your father (2021);
- Crime (2023).
Non-fiction
- Quiet you are more beautiful (2019).