Juan Gómez-Jurado

Juan Gómez-Jurado (born 16 December 1977) is an award-winning Spanish journalist and bestselling author. He is a columnist in "La Voz de Galicia" and "ABC", distributed in Spain, and he participates in multiple radio and TV programs. His books have been translated into 42 languages and he is one of the most successful living Spanish authors, along with Javier Sierra and Carlos Ruiz Zafón. His writing has been described by critics as "energetic and cinematographic".[1][2]

Juan Gómez-Jurado
Gómez-Jurado, 2017
Born (1977-12-16) 16 December 1977
Madrid, Spain
OccupationNovelist, short story writer, screenwriter, columnist
GenreDrama, thriller
Website
juangomezjurado.com

Born in Madrid, Spain, Gómez-Jurado worked in various Spanish media outlets, including 40 Principales, Cadena Ser, Cadena Cope, Radio España, Canal + and ABC, before publishing his debut novel and first international bestseller, God's Spy (Espía de Dios). An instant bestseller in Spain, with rights sold in 42 countries to date and more than a million copies sold, God's Spy is a contemporary thriller set in the Vatican, where, in the aftermath of Pope John Paul II's death, the hunt for a serial killer reveals a conspiracy.

On 27 September 2008, Gómez-Jurado won the Premio de Novela Ciudad de Torrevieja for his novel The Traitor's Emblem. Kirkus Reviews praised the novel as a "riveting thriller with a redeeming love story".[3]

Gómez-Jurado's latest book is the middle-grade space opera saga Alex Colt, Space Cadet, which became the bestselling book in Spain on the day of its release.

Writings
  • El Paciente (Ediciones B, 2020)
  • Rey Blanco (Ediciones B, 2020)
  • Loba Negra (Ediciones B, 2019)
  • Reina Roja (Ediciones B, 2018)
  • Alex Colt, Space Cadet (2017)
  • Cicatriz (2016)
  • Point of Balance (Atria, 2016)
  • The Traitor's Emblem (Atria, 2011)
  • The Moses Expedition (Atria, 2010. Published by Orion, 2010 as Contract with God)
  • God's Spy (Dutton, 2007), English translation of Espía de Dios by James Graham
  • La Masacre de Virginia Tech: Anatomía de una mente torturada (El Andén, 2007)
  • Identidad Secreta (Lago Ediciones, 2007)
  • Otras voces (Alfaguara, 1996)

Controversies

Gómez-Jurado's novel God's Spy generated controversy in Spain, as the book's antagonist, Viktor Karoski, is a serial killer and pedophile priest. The book contains a detailed portrait of Saint Matthew's Institute, a carbon copy of an American institution (based in Maryland) dedicated to the rehabilitation of sex-offender priests. This led some Catholic organizations in Spain and Poland to protest against the novel. Nevertheless, critics from both countries gave the book mostly positive reviews. American reviews were also positive; Booklist, for example, praised it as a "first-rate thriller".

Personal life and philanthropy

Juan Gómez-Jurado is divorced and has two children. He lives in Madrid, Spain. After his ex-wife was diagnosed with cancer, Gómez-Jurado became an activist dedicated to fighting colon cancer. He is also an ambassador of Save The Children. He led campaigns as "1 libro 1 euro", a website where internet users can download books in exchange for a voluntary donation to Save the Children.

List of works
  • Espía de Dios ("God's Spy", a novel), Roca Editorial, 2006, Spain. Translated into English, Danish, Hungarian, Lithuanian, Portuguese, Italian, German, Serbian, Dutch and Finnish
  • La masacre de Virginia Tech ("The Virginia Tech Massacre", a chronicle), El Anden, 2007, Spain
  • Contrato con Dios ("Contract with God", a novel), also published as "The Moses Expedition", a novel, El Anden, 2007, Spain
  • El emblema del traidor, Plaza & Janés, 2008, Spain. Winner of the 2008 Premio de Novela Ciudad de Torrevieja

Awards and nominations

References
  1. Booklist review of God's Spy
  2. Bookreporter review of God's Spy
  3. Kirkus Reviews on The Traitor's Emblem

Official website

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