Who killed Palomino Molero? This novel by Vargas Llosa has made an international splash. "A small miracle!" wrote Le Monde, "one of those books that still hold surprises and treasures upon the third and fourth readings." When the horrifically mutilated body of Palomino Molero is found in a rocky field, Lieutenant Suva and his gendarme Lituma face a challenging task. Who killed Palomino Molero? Who covered for the murderers? With the mastery of a great storyteller, Vargas Llosa uses the basic structure of the crime novel to create a richly atmospheric portrayal of Latin American life and a sharply incisive analysis of Peruvian society. For the victim is the young Cholo, who was often invited to the birthday parties of the wealthy daughters as a bolero singer. Had he fallen in love with a white woman?.