Kingdom Cons (Text Publishing), by Yuri Herrera

Yuri Herrera is a celebrated Mexican and Latin American novelist. In Kingdom Cons, Herrera, a political scientist, magazine editor and possessing a PhD in literature, may well mine the expertise of his diverse careers.

This is the story of an artist who becomes beloved by his kingdom and begins to question the inexorable power of a king. The story combines elements of hardboiled crime, myth and allegory and has won a prominent Spanish literary award.

It may yet win as much acclaim as his second book – Signs Preceding the End of

the World – which has been described as a masterpiece. Published in 2015, this novel about the border between Mexico and the US and those who cross it, may have been written with enviable insightfulness given the coming of Donald Trump.

Herrera explores the crossings and translations people make in the minds and language as they move from one country to another, especially when there’s no going back.

Herrera’s novels may be Latin American in origin, but, as with much fine writing, there is relevance for all.