Jude McMannus works in El Salvador as an executive protection specialist assigned to work with an American hydrologist. He moved from Chicago, haunted by his distant past. As a teenager, he watched his family fall apart after his father, who was a Chicago cop, was arrested in a huge corruption scandal. The result of the arrest was his parents' divorce and his father's death under very suspicious circumstances. Shortly after that, Jude decided to join the army and start a new life. However, the past did not want to be forgotten that easily and one of his father's old cop friends appears in El Salvador. Bill Malvaiso had fled Chicago to avoid being arrested. He contacted Jude to ask a favor. Since he is unable to go back to the U.S. he needs Jude's help. He asks him to go back to Chicago and bring Jude's dad's and Bill's mutual friend, Strock, to El Salvador. Jude agrees to help; however he is full of uncertainty. Soon he finds himself involved in a big corruption plot where he must put his life at risk to protect values that he strongly believes in. Blood of Paradise is a skillfully written and very detailed political thriller. It gives the reader a wide range of characters that all have a crucial role in the plot. The book has many layers. In addition to the political background, it also has a romantic thread which makes it a little bit less dark and pessimistic. The picture of El Salvador during the times of turmoil and extreme chaos, where corruption rules and citizens face starvation, prostitution and everyday death, is very realistic and extremely detailed. It's not hard to put yourself in the characters' shoes and find yourself faced with crucial decisions. I would recommend the novel to all readers who like darker and more complicated books. Blood of Paradise is definitely not a book one reads to relax after a hard day of work. Armchair Interviews says: Readers who like heavier reading will undoubtedly enjoy Blood of Paradise.
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