The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, #2
The Angel's Game
by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Contents
Chapter 33
Overview
Inspector Grandes corners David, revealing Cristina’s recent suicide attempt and urging David to trust him. Shaken, David returns home and discovers Isabella has intercepted and hidden Cristina’s letters. Feeling betrayed, David expels Isabella and wanders the city in turmoil, escalating personal stakes and isolation.
Summary
David meets Inspector Grandes, who casually confronts him about playing detective and hints at pressure from Valera’s circle. Grandes then drops a bombshell: Cristina, Vidal’s wife and David’s past love, has recently attempted suicide by laudanum. Though Cristina survived, the news visibly unravels David.
Grandes, who says he never believed David killed Barrido or his partner, urges David to trust him. David, overwhelmed and guarded, withholds the truth. Grandes departs with a warning that others are less sympathetic, leaving David shaken and preoccupied with Cristina.
Returning home near midday, David finds Isabella asleep and, seeking to cover her with a shawl, enters her room. He accidentally discovers a bundle of opened letters from Cristina, addressed to him and posted over recent weeks. Isabella admits she intercepted them “to protect” David.
Feeling deeply betrayed, David orders Isabella to leave the house. He walks out without closing the door, drifting into the cold, rain‑laden streets, consumed by guilt over Cristina and anger at Isabella’s intrusion, further isolating himself and worsening his emotional and investigative crisis.
Who Appears
- David MartínProtagonist; learns of Cristina’s suicide attempt; discovers Isabella hid Cristina’s letters; expels Isabella and leaves in despair.
- Inspector GrandesApproaches David, reveals Cristina’s laudanum overdose, urges trust, and warns that others are watching David.
- IsabellaDavid’s assistant; intercepted and hid Cristina’s letters “to protect” him; is expelled after David discovers them.
- Cristina VidalOffstage; recently attempted suicide with laudanum; her intercepted letters to David trigger a rupture with Isabella.