Order of Mikel Santiago's books

Mikel Santiago

Mikel Santiago is a Spanish author specialized in thriller and crime novelBorn in Vizcaya in 1975, has gained a great reputation for its stories full of mystery, intrigue and characters facing extreme situations.

Santiago is known for creating addictive plots that combine dark secrets with haunting landscapes. In addition, his ability to build deep characters and claustrophobic situations has been key to its success.

In particular, his famous Illumbe trilogy has captured the attention of readers, establishing itself as a key series within his work.

With a style reminiscent of classic and contemporary crime novel authors, Mikel Santiago has been compared to Stephen King for his ability to maintain narrative tension.

That said, we show you the Reading order of Mikel Santiago's books, both of its Illumbe trilogy like his other novels, so you can follow his exciting stories in the right order.

Reading order of the Illumbe Trilogy

1. The Liar (2020)

The story begins when the protagonist, Alex, wakes up with no memory of what happened the night before, only to discover a dead body near him. From this point on, Alex will have to reconstruct the events while facing suspicion from everyone around him, including himself, as his amnesia prevents him from trusting his own version of reality.

The novel is a psychological puzzle that maintains tension from beginning to end, with surprising twists that captivate the reader. The setting, the fictional town of Illumbe, adds a sombre and isolated air to the plot.

The liar It was an immediate success, consolidating Santiago as a master of contemporary suspense in Spanish. He was awarded the Crime Novel Prize at the Semana Negra in Gijón, and It is the first novel of the Illumbe trilogy, which has been praised for its cohesion and character development throughout the three books.

2. In the middle of the night (2021)

In this second installment of the trilogy, a rock musician, Diego Letamendia, returns to his hometown, Illumbe, to confront the ghosts of the past. The plot focuses on a mysterious disappearance during a concert more than twenty years ago, when her then friend, Lorea, disappeared without a trace.

The reunion with old friends and the secrets that resurface turn this novel into a real roller coaster of emotions. Mikel Santiago invites us to reflect on how the past haunts us and to what extent we can escape from it.

In the middle of the night delves into the oppressive atmosphere of Illumbe, which becomes almost another character in the novel. With this work, Santiago strengthens his ability to mix criminal investigation with the personal dilemmas of the characters, which has earned him a large fan base. It is the second part of the Illumbe trilogy.

3. Among the Dead (2022)

The trilogy culminates with this third part, in which the protagonist, once again, finds himself investigating a recent murder which seems to be linked to old buried secrets.

The narrative follows the elements of suspense and unexpected twists that characterize Santiago's novels, but this time with a darker and more definitive tone. The author manages to close all the plot lines open throughout the three books, leaving the reader with a feeling of satisfaction but also of unease.

Among the dead It is the perfect ending to the trilogy. The novel delves even deeper into the psychology of its characters, which has been a constant in Santiago's work. Illumbe trilogy It has been described as one of the best Spanish-language thriller series of recent years, notable for its narrative tension and oppressive setting.

Other books by Mikel Santiago (Chronological order)

1. Last Night in Tremore Beach (2014)

This was the novel that catapulted Mikel Santiago to international fame. The story follows Peter Harper, a composer who takes refuge in an isolated house on an Irish beach after a personal crisis.

However, after a strange accident during a storm, Peter begins to have disturbing visions They show him violent crimes, but he doesn't know if they are dreams or if he is seeing the future.

The atmosphere of mystery and paranoia makes the reader constantly question what is real. The last night in Tremore Beach It was a literary phenomenon that placed Mikel Santiago at the top of the thriller genre in Spanish. The novel was translated into several languages and compared to the style of authors such as Stephen King or John Connolly.

2. The Wrong Way (2015)

In this thriller, Bert Amandale, a British writer who settles in the south of France with his family, He finds himself caught up in a spiral of intrigue when he witnesses a strange accident on a lonely road.

What seems like a simple incident turns into an investigation that uncovers a network of dark secrets and sinister characters. Mikel Santiago plays here with the perception of reality and how paranoia can influence our decisions.

The wrong path follows the author's characteristic style, with an evocative setting and shadowy characters. The novel was very well received by both the public and critics, consolidating Santiago's name among the best thriller authors in the Spanish language.

3. The Strange Summer of Tom Harvey (2017)

The plot follows Tom Harvey, a saxophonist who travels to Italy after the mysterious death of his friend Bob, a famous painter. The Mediterranean atmosphere contrasts with the dark mystery that surrounds Bob and his circle of acquaintances.

In this novel, Santiago masterfully combines the beauty of the Italian landscapes with an intrigue full of surprising twists.

The Strange Summer of Tom Harvey is a clear example of how Mikel Santiago knows how to move the action to exotic places and use them to enhance suspense. This work marked an expansion of his narrative towards more international settings.

4. The Island of the Last Voices (2018)

This thriller takes place on a remote island in the Atlantic, where A group of people find a mysterious box that seems to have the power to alter reality.As they try to uncover what lies within, the characters are faced with increasing fears and tensions, turning the island into a place of chaos and paranoia.

The island of the last voices stands out for its claustrophobic atmosphere and intriguing premise, which mixes elements of science fiction with a psychological thriller. Santiago explores themes of isolation and how extreme circumstances bring out the worst (or the best) in people.

He recommended reading order for Mikel Santiago's books

In this case, as it is a trilogy written chronologically, the Illumbe saga is easy to read in order of publication. The rest of the books, as they are not related to it, can be read in any order you like.

• The Liar (2020)
• In the middle of the night (2021)
• Among the Dead (2022)

It is true that I usually recommend reading authors by publication date to see how they have evolved over time and changed or become more sophisticated in their way of writing.

Mikel Santiago has managed to establish himself as one of the best contemporary thriller writers in Spanish. His Illumbe trilogy saga, as well as his other novels, are an example of his ability to create atmospheres full of mystery and suspense.

In addition, his agile and cinematic narrative style has led to several of his works being considered for audiovisual adaptations. If you like psychological intrigue with unexpected twists, these books will not disappoint you. The order of Mikel Santiago's books It is essential to fully enjoy his literary universe.

Note from Mikel Santiago's readers: