Heartless

November 2008, Egypt (somewhere between Luxor and Aswan). Oriol Laclau i Masdeu, a prominent Catalan, construction magnate, football director and renowned socialite, is living in luxury in Cairo when he dies suddenly, apparently of natural causes. One year later, Diana Dial has just arrived in Luxor, moving into a villa owned by a friend, Lady Roxana, who is also Oriol Laclau’s sister. Lady Roxana tells Dial about Oriol’s death, which occurred on a yacht on the Nile while he was celebrating his 60th birthday surrounded by friends and family. She suspects that Oriol was skilfully murdered by one of the passengers on the yacht and has decided to entrust Diana Dial with the investigation. The retired journalist, aided by her inseparable friend, Commissar Fattush, whom Diana sends for from Beirut to work on the case, and the indispensable help of her Philippina maid, Joy, must find out what really happened on the voyage.

Diana and Fattush decide to repeat the voyage as accurately as possible, with all the guests included. This is a novel full of characters who are not what they seem.