Columbus’ Tomb (La tumba de Colón)

The remains of Christopher Columbus vanish simultaneously in Santo Domingo and Seville. A Secretary of State, a forensic police officer, and a Spanish researcher face a conspiracy that spans centuries and continents. A literary debut translated into more than 20 languages, blending heist thriller and historical intrigue.

In Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, a theft shocks two continents: the remains of Christopher Columbus disappear from the Columbus Lighthouse, with the thieves leaving behind only the mysterious triangular signature of the Admiral. At the same time, in Seville, Spain, an identical robbery occurs involving other remains of the discoverer of America. To solve the case, three protagonists join forces: Altagracia Bellido, young Secretary of State for Culture of the Dominican Republic; Edwin Tavares, a forensic police officer; and Andrés Oliver, a Spanish researcher sent by his government. From the start, they understand this is no ordinary crime: the thieves are searching for something hidden behind Columbus’s official history. To launch the investigation, the team consults a group of Dominican historians specializing in all things related to Columbus, led by Mercedes Cienfuegos, who initially argues that the motive is purely financial. However, the thieves’ cryptic signature makes the investigators suspicious.

The investigation turns into an international race against time, leading them from Santo Domingo to Seville, Genoa, Miami, and Panama, as they unravel clues hidden for centuries in monuments and documents. In Seville, they discover secret compartments containing unpublished records of Columbus’s fourth voyage: storms, betrayals, famine—forgotten episodes the thieves seem intent on recovering or silencing. The case expands when they learn of a similar robbery in Genoa a century earlier, confirming the existence of a secret international network active for generations.

One key lies in Panama, where the team, aided by the company XPO Shipwreck Agency, locates a sunken ship believed to be one of Columbus’s vessels from the fourth voyage. Inside, they find a chest containing gold, jewels, and valuable documents. But the recovery turns tragic: Richard Ronald, an American millionaire and owner of XPO—until then posing as an ally—betrays the group, ordering an attack to seize the treasure. During the assault, Edwin Tavares is killed.

Oliver and Altagracia uncover a secret mausoleum and confront Ronald. Initial suspicions prove wrong: Mercedes Cienfuegos and her group have spent decades protecting Columbus’s legacy, gathering hidden documents and secretly building a mausoleum beneath Santo Domingo Cathedral to fulfill the Admiral’s express wish to rest in Hispaniola. The true threat is Richard Ronald, who robbed both tombs to negotiate with the historians and gain access to the treasure. The final confrontation in the mausoleum ends with Ronald’s death and the ultimate revelation: the authentic remains of Columbus rest beneath the cathedral. The story closes with a historic agreement between Spain and the Dominican Republic, the creation of the International Christopher Columbus Foundation, and an open ending for Andrés and Altagracia, who embark on a budding romance.

RELEVANT INFORMATION: Miguel Ruiz Montañez is an engineer and writer. La tumba de Colón (Columbus’ Tomb) is his literary debut. Translated into more than twenty languages, it has captivated readers across Europe, the Americas, and Asia thanks to its compelling and fast-paced narrative.

Columbus’ Tomb offers clear audiovisual potential, sitting halfway between a heist thriller and an adventure story, combining mystery, action, history, and drama. It also features international settings ideal for co-productions and strong, well-defined characters: from the Spanish researcher to the Dominican politician and the American treasure hunter. The dynamics of tension, alliances, and betrayal give great value to a plot reminiscent of National Treasure or The Da Vinci Code.

AUDIOVISUAL POTENTIAL: TV Series, Miniseries, Feature Film, TV Film.

AVAILABLE LANGUAGES: Spanish, German, Portuguese, Italian, Russian, Chinese.