The Mess You Leave Behind

This prize-winning novel is an intense psychological thriller told in the voice of the protagonist, Raquel, a young, out of work literature teacher who accepts a position at a school in Novariz, which just happens to be her husband’s home town.

On her first day of work, the young woman discovers that Elvira, her predecessor, killed herself and at the end of classes she finds a note in her bag that reads: “And how long will it take you to kill yourself?”

Raquel is determined to find out who is behind the threat and will inevitably start to become obsessed with the teacher who came before her.

What happened to her?

Why was she so depressed when her students adored her?

Did she really commit suicide or did someone kill her?

Is the same pattern repeating itself?

And above all, why do some of the clues point to Raquel’s husband?