Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

The third in the cycle of novels that began with THE SHADOW OF THE WIND and THE ANGEL'S GAME. THE PRISONER OF HEAVEN returns to the world of the Cemetery of Forgotten Books and the Sempere & Sons bookshop.

It begins just before Christmas in Barcelona in 1957, one year after Daniel and Bea from THE SHADOW OF THE WIND have married. They now have a son, Julian, and are living with Daniel's father at Sempere & Sons. Fermin still works with them and is busy preparing for his wedding to Bernarda in the New Year. However something appears to be bothering him.

Daniel is alone in the shop one morning when a mysterious figure with a pronounced limp enters. He spots one of their most precious volumes that is kept locked in a glass cabinet, a beautiful and unique illustrated edition of THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO. Despite the fact that the stranger seems to care little for books, he wants to buy this expensive edition. Then, to Daniel's surprise, the man inscribes the book with the words 'To Fermin Romero de Torres, who came back from the dead and who holds the key to the future'. This visit leads back to a story of imprisonment, betrayal and the return of a deadly rival.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

Acclaimed Spanish author Zafon returns to the dark streets of Barcelona in 1957 with the familiar heroes of The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game. A mysterious stranger's visit to the Sempere bookshop unearths the dark secret and threatens the bright futures of Daniel and Bea Sempere and their friend, Fermin Romero de Torres. Daniel and Fermin must look back to the early days of Franco's dictatorship and the enigma hidden in the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, a collection of lost treasures known only to those who protect it. Peter Kenny does a splendid job of bringing the diverse cast of characters to life. The soft and eerily sweet voice that he uses for the villain, Vall, is especially noteworthy. VERDICT Recommended for bibliophiles and fans of Zafon. [The Harper: Harper Collins hc was a New York Times best seller.-Ed.]-Saori Wendy Herman, M.B. Ketchum Memorial Lib., -Fullerton, CA (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.