"An openly political novel posing the people of the land against the forces of oppression. . . it has the virtues of wit and compassion and reveals the foundation upon which the later novels were constructed." —Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World

The thrilling story about the smears, defamations, infidelities, and torrential rains that afflict a small Colombian small town and the sacrifice of a boy that brings torment and chaos to an end, from the masterful Gabriel Garcia Marquez, author of One Hundred Years of Solitude and Love in the Time of Cholera.

One morning slanderous posters start appearing all over the town, revealing family secrets and maligning individuals. Ghosts of the past reappear, along with old feuds and infidelities. Torrential rains then flood the town and chaos is everywhere. Neighbors suspect each other yet no one knows who is responsible. Finally, a boy is made the scapegoat and tragedy ensues.

In Evil Hour contains vivid characters who reflect the humor and pathos of everyday life. This brooding novel clearly points the way to the flowering of Garcia Marquez’s genius in his later One Hundred Years of Solitude.