The books of Juan Gómez-Jurado

Juan Gómez's books have been published in more than forty countries. According to Amazon, his novels The Traitor's Emblem y Scar they became the best-selling electronic texts during 2011 and 2016, respectively. Furthermore, the Spanish author was one of the first writers to publish in electronic format in the Spanish language, (God's spy.

His literary works span various genres. From exciting adult thrillers -Black wolf (2019) -, going through popular youth and children's series, even non-fiction stories. In particular, the sagas of alex colt y Rexcatators they have cultivated millions of child and adolescent readers around the world. Therefore, it is very likely that there are still episodes to appear in both series.

About Juan Gómez-Jurado

Birth, studies and jobs

He was born in Madrid on December 16, 1977. He obtained his Bachelor of Information Sciences at CEU San Pablo University. In his journalistic work he has worked for media such as Radio Spain, Canal +, ABC y El Mundo, among others. Additionally, he has been a contributor to the magazines What to read, Jot down y New York Times Book Review.

Gómez-Jurado has also participated in podcasts (Almighty y Here Are Dragons) and on the channel “Seriotes de AXN” (YouTube). He was one of the pioneering Spanish-speaking authors in electronic format as part of “1libro 1euro”, a collective initiative of writers. The Traitor's Emblem (2008), his third novel, earned him the VII City of Torrevieja International Novel Prize.

The books of Juan Gómez

His novels for adults

To date, the Madrid writer has created nine titles aimed at an adult audience. In all of them Juan Gómez-Jurado reaches suspense levels capable of making his readers hold their breath from the first to the last page. Nor does he shy away from thorny or controversial spiritual issues; He details them without concealment or prejudice. Due to his good handling of the narrative, his works for adults always stand out.

These characteristics are notorious in books such as Contract with god (2007) The legend of the thief (2012) and The Secret History of Mr. White (2015) Accordingly, some media -ABC o The Cultural, for example— they describe Gómez-Jurado as a "master of the thriller." The list of his novels for adults completes it:

God's spy (2006)

Some comments issued by readers on literary portals brand God's spy like a controversial text. Gómez-Jurado unceremoniously describes different protocols and security procedures within the Vatican in the midst of a very tense context. Then, the reader is immersed in the inquiries regarding the murder of two cardinals during the Conclave to elect a new Pope.

To clarify the facts, the criminal psychiatrist Paola Dicanti joins forces with Father Anthony Fowler. In the middle of the plot, the existence of a serial murderer whose target is the church authorities is revealed. The difficulty of the investigations is maximum, because at the official level the deaths of the cardinals are not happening.

The Traitor's Emblem (2008)

The narrative begins in 1940, when a group of drifting Germans are saved by a merchant marine ship. In gratitude, the captain of the ship receives a gift of gold and gems. The gift in question is actually an emblem linked to the experiences of Paul, a young Munich orphan. He wishes at all costs to reveal the truth about the contradictory accounts surrounding his father's death.

To the daily effort to survive, unconditional love for a Jewish girl, the harassment of a cousin and his entry into Freemasonry is added. With all these elements, Gómez-Jurado takes the reader back to the years of the growth of power of the Nazis, prior to the consolidation of the Third Reich.

The patient (2014)

It is a novel with very high doses of tension that keep the reader in suspense during the 36 hours of its development. Not in vain was among the most read books of 2014. The protagonist, renowned neurosurgeon David Evans, faces an insurmountable moral dilemma in a race against time. How to decide between the most sacred (family) and an action that could change history forever?

On one hand, the doctor has been blackmailed by a psychopath who has kidnapped his little daughter Julia. The threat: he must let the patient who is operating die, otherwise Julia dies. On the other hand, the identity of the patient is discovered ... nothing more and nothing less than the President of the United States.

Scar (2015)

Simon Sax conveys the image of an intelligent and fortunate young man - apparently - with no shortcomings in life. In addition, he has the possibility of becoming a millionaire due to the imminent sale of an extraordinary algorithm (invented by him) to a multinational. However, the protagonist hides a huge existential void due to his clumsy social skills, especially with women.

In the midst of his depression, Simon decides to turn to online dating sites in order to find a partner. Then, he falls intensely in love with Irina, despite being an "inorganic relationship" thousands of miles away. But she hides a disturbing secret, which could be related to the mysterious scar on her cheek.

White Queen (2018)

Masterful thriller centered on the characters Antonia Scott and Jon Gutiérrez, both inhabitants of the Malasaña neighborhood of Madrid. She is very determined and courageous to solve other people's problems, while fighting incessantly with her inner demons. He has a similar personality, quite predisposed to help, although without the ability of success that his partner.

The text is structured in short chapters, full of uncertainty and surprising twists. Therefore, it is a very addictive and dynamic reading, worthy of a continuation. In fact, the sequel was released during 2019: Black wolf. The post explores the depths of Antonia's psyche… Any conclusions? Yes, with her only one thing is certain, her only true fear is of herself.

Series alex colt

It is a saga with a child-youth theme whose protagonist is Alex Colt, an adorable, slow and very brave boy. The little human is transported through a slide to somewhere in outer space. There, he learns that he has been selected as the protector and savior of the entire cosmos. For this reason, Alex forms a squad with a group of eccentric outcast aliens who explore the entire galaxy.

As the books progress, a menacing race eager to wipe out Earth, the Zarkians, is revealed. The aforementioned elements are mixed by Juan Gómez-Jurado in a journey brimming with exciting adventures, narrated in a very entertaining and fun way. The series is made up of four titles, each skillfully illustrated by Fran Ferriz. They are mentioned here below:

• Alex Colt. Space cadet (2016)
• Alex Colt. The battle of Ganymede (2017)
• Alex Colt. The secret of the Zark (2018)
• Alex Colt. Dark matter (2019)

Series Rexcatators

It is another of the sagas with a child-youth theme by Juan Gómez-Jurado. They were made in collaboration with child psychologist Bárbara Montes and feature illustrations by Fran Ferriz. They have been created with the aim of encouraging reading habits in children and adolescents, as well as promoting love for the environment.

Topics such as good manners, companionship or loyalty are approached with a good sense of humor that is perceived very natural. Of course, there is no shortage of adventures and the triggering mysteries of a very powerful hitch. So far, four titles in this series have been published:

• The mystery of Punta Escondida (2017)
• The mines of doom (2018)
• The underwater palace (2019)
• The dark forest (2019)

Independent Children's Literature Publications

Juan Gómez-Jurado has written two books of prose aimed at a child-youth audience: Other voices (as co-author; 1996) and The seventh prince (2016) The latter is a delightful storytelling, very captivating due to the metaphors used in a timely manner to add depth. The protagonist is little Benjamin, the most sensitive of the sons of the monarchs of a very distant kingdom.

Should the fierce dragon appear - supposedly - he must be repelled by his brothers, the most daring warriors in the kingdom. It would never be a mission for the delicate Benjamin, but ... The story leaves a wonderful lesson about the prevalence of intelligence over strength and respect for those perceived as different. In addition, the excellent illustrations by José Ángel Ares complete a fantastic work.

His non-fiction book

The Virginia Tech Massacre: Anatomy of a Tortured Mind (2007) is one of the most demonstrative works of the journalistic qualities of Juan Gómez-Jurado. It is a chronicle told with a very fluent language, whose rawness and level of detail can confuse unsuspecting readers. Similarly, the atmosphere of disturbance is very thick due to the thriller-style narration and the abundant real photos of the tragedy.

The greatest merit of the author is the construction of the psychological profile of Cho Seung-hui, the perpetrator of a massacre executed with unusual coldness. The Korean-born college student ended up murdering 32 classmates from his campus before committing suicide. Although many of the reliable images of the event may seem eschatological, at no time is any morbid or disrespect on the part of the rapporteur perceived.