Barcelona after the death of Francisco Franco in 1975. If Agatha Christie had her Hercule Poirot or Miss Jane Marple, Montalban had his Pepe Carvalho Manuel. Vázquez Montalbán was a prolific Spanish writer: journalist, novelist, poet, essayist, anthologue, prologist, humourist, critic, as well as a gastronome and a FC Barcelona supporter.
He died in Bangkok, Thailand, while returning to his home country from a speaking tour of Australia. His last book, La aznaridad, was published posthumously.