Abstract
Lasgrietas de Jara (2009) [A Crack in the Wall (2013)], like many fictional works of Claudia Piñeiro (Argentina, b. 1960), employs certain recognizable elements of the crime novel. Although no police or detectives ever investigate, this novel has a buried crime scene at its core, around which the plot is constructed. In summary, a firm of architects has rid itself of a troublesome neighbour, Nelson Jara, who was interrupting their construction work by persistently complaining of a crack in his wall. The scene of Jara’s death is the building site itself; his body is flung into the concrete foundations. The completed building then becomes the architects’ office, guarding their guilty secret. I examine the centrality of this subterranean crime scene to Piñeiro’s novel, where construction as/over the scene of a crime lends itself forcefully to symbolic and ethical interpretation.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Crime Scenes |
Subtitle of host publication | Latin American Crime Fiction 1970s to 2010s |
Editors | Charlotte Lange, Ailsa Peate |
Publisher | Peter Lang Publishing |
Chapter | 5 |
Pages | 111-132 |
Number of pages | 21 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781787074378, 9781787074361, 9781787074385 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781787074354 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 30 Jun 2019 |
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Fiona Mackintosh
- School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures - Senior Lecturer
Person: Academic: Research Active