2026
The Last Waltz is an ambitious and expansive novel that weaves together multiple lives across continents and historical turning points. The story follows Marita, a wildlife documentary cinematographer in Los Angeles in the aftermath of the Rodney King case; Andreas, a gifted archaeology student drawn into the illicit antiquities trade in Iraq at the behest of Norwegian billionaire Nicholai Becker; and Johannes, who abandons his dream of becoming an actor in favor of a legal career specializing in art sales. The narrative unfolds across an international landscape, moving from Bergen to Los Angeles, Baghdad, Mosul, Madrid, Istanbul, and Geneva.
The novel explores themes of identity, memory, and belonging, while also examining power, wealth, and the fragility of cultural heritage. The Last Waltz is a novel about friendship, love, and jealousy, about leaving youth behind, about travel and family, and about who we are and who we once were.
The Last Waltz is a standalone sequel to The Weather Changed, Summer Came and So On (2012) and Bergen Youth Theatre (2016).
Carmona-Alvarez conjures up sparkling scenes, charged moments, intimacy and distance. […] I was challenged, exhilarated, knocked sideways, and never bored for a moment.
Pedro Carmona-Alvarez
