Navarro, Julia 1953-

PERSONAL:

Born 1953, in Madrid, Spain; married; children: a son.

CAREER:

Journalist and writer. Agencia OTR/Europa Press, political analyst; also correspondent for Spanish radio and television networks and print media.

WRITINGS:

NONFICTION

Tristeza: Poemas, G. del Toro (Madrid, Spain), 1973.

PSOE: El Desafío Socialista, Maisal (Madrid, Spain), 1977.

Nosotros, La Transición, Temas de Hoy (Madrid, Spain), 1995.

Entre Felipe y Aznar, 1982-1996, Ediciones Temas de Hoy (Madrid, Spain), 1996.

(With Raimundo Castro) La Izquierda Que Viene, Espasa-Calpe (Madrid, Spain), 1998.

Señora Presidenta, Plaza & Janes Editores (Barcelona, Spain), 1999.

NOVELS

La Hermandad de la sábana Santa, Plaza & Janes (Barcelona, Spain), 2004, translated by Andrew Hurley as The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 2007.

La Biblia de Barro, Plaza & Janes (Madrid, Spain), 2005, translated as The Bible of Clay, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 2008.

Author of a weekly column for Tiempo magazine.

ADAPTATIONS:

The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud is being adapted for film.

SIDELIGHTS:

Julia Navarro is a Spanish journalist whose early books were nonfiction books primarily focusing on politics until she wrote her first novel, The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud. The novel revolves around the famous Shroud of Turin, which supposedly is the death shroud of Jesus Christ and displays an outlined image of Jesus. In the novel, a fire at the Turin cathedral reveals that a secret group claiming to have members who are descendents of Jesus are out to recover the shroud. The group's fanaticism is evidenced by the fact that those who are captured following the fire have had their tongues cut out so they cannot reveal anything about the group. The novel also features members of the Knights Templar, who believe they are the true guardians of the shroud, as they set out to thwart the secret group's plans, which also involve the leaders of giant corporations. In addition to following the modern-day investigation, the author sets the reader on a historical journey following the shroud's history from the first century A.D. Ilene Cooper, writing in Booklist, noted that The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud has "plenty of action and a cast of well-drawn characters." A Kirkus Reviews contributor wrote: "Terrifically lively characterizations and the author's passion for her subject make this one stand out."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, November 15, 2006, Ilene Cooper, review of The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud, p. 30.

Bookwatch, May, 2004, "Malagatana," p. 6.

Entertainment Weekly, December 22, 2006, Kristin Luna, review of The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud, p. 87.

Kirkus Reviews, November 1, 2006, review of The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud, p. 1097.

Library Journal, November 15, 2006, Laura A.B. Cifelli, review of The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud, p. 58.

Publishers Weekly, October 30, 2006, review of The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud, p. 35.

ONLINE

Bookreporter.com,http://www.bookreporter.com/ (January 5, 2007), interview with author.

Escritoras,http://www.escritoras.com/ (June 27, 2007), profile of author.

Fusion,http://www.revistafusion.com/ (June 27 2007), Marta Churches, profile interview with author.