“Nocturnos” in the Dark: Javier Pérez Campos’ Book Launch at Dans le Noir? Madrid

On Monday, October 20th, Dans le Noir ? Madrid embraced the darkness to welcome Javier Pérez Campos, journalist, author, and contributor to Spain’s acclaimed TV shows Cuarto Milenio and Horizonte (Cuatro TV).

The occasion was special: the launch of his latest work, Nocturnos (Grupo Planeta), a book conceived and written entirely after nightfall, which the author invites readers to experience only when daylight disappears.

And what better setting than Dans le Noir ?, the restaurant where guests dine in complete darkness, awakening the senses for a unique, mysterious, and deeply human gastronomic experience.

In Nocturnos, night is portrayed as a realm of the unknown and the inhuman. At our restaurant, however, darkness becomes a space of trust, empathy, and connection.

Born in Ciudad Real in 1989, Javier Pérez Campos is a journalist and writer fascinated by the thin line between reality and fiction. For over a decade, he has investigated mysteries, crimes, and extraordinary stories across the globe, sharing his findings through Spanish media such as Cuarto Milenio, Horizonte, Onda Cero, and Cadena SER.

Author of The Echoes of Tragedy (2013), The Others (2016), The Guardians (2019), The Intruders (2021), and Immaturi (2023), he has been part of Grupo Planeta for more than ten years. True to his creative rhythm, he admits to writing “almost always at nightfall,” when the boundaries between real and unreal start to blur.

Nocturnos is far from a conventional book. Written exclusively at night, it invites readers to reproduce the same conditions for an immersive experience.

At the beginning, the author includes a chart showing sunset times throughout the year, and a few rules for reading:

• Find a quiet place with dim light.
• Stay away from people who bring comfort or false security.
• Read alone, letting the night accompany every page.
   

Though literary in tone, Nocturnos is based on true stories. The author drew from over 450 sources — books, articles, interviews, audio tapes, and academic texts — to build this catalogue of terrifying stories woven from the threads of night.

Structured around phases of the night inspired by ancient classifications such as vesper, conticinio, and gallicinium, the book delves into forgotten crimes, strange biographies, and nocturnal mysteries where reality and imagination intertwine.

During the event at Dans le Noir ? Madrid, guests — including journalists from La Vanguardia, Onda Cero, and other Spanish media — experienced a truly literary and sensory journey.

In the total darkness of our dining room, guided by our professional blind team, guests listened to Javier Pérez Campos narrate excerpts from his book between courses, accompanied by a haunting playlist of eerie sounds and music specially curated by the author.

After the dinner, the evening continued in our lounge area bathed in soft light, where book signings, interviews, and lively conversations took place. This warm and intimate space allowed everyone to exchange impressions and connect with the author on a more personal level.

The atmosphere was perfect — a blend of gastronomy, storytelling, and mystery — inviting everyone to face the unknown and find light within darkness.

The launch of Nocturnos perfectly illustrates the mission of Dans le Noir ? Madrid: to create events that make sense.

From book launches to team building experiences, corporate dinners, private events, and even film shoots, every project is an opportunity to see the world differently — guided by those who know darkness best: our blind guides, who transform what is invisible into something luminous and human.

If this experience has inspired you…
👉 Book your Halloween Night and live your own mysterious adventure in the dark!

On October 31st, Dans le Noir ? Madrid invites you to a unique Halloween dinner, where mystery, flavors, and total darkness blend into an unforgettable sensory night.

A night for the brave, the curious, and those who know that the greatest mysteries lie not outside, but within.

We would like to sincerely thank Javier Pérez Campos and Grupo Planeta for trusting Dans le Noir ? Madrid with this special launch event.
It was an honor to accompany the author through this nocturnal experience, where literature, gastronomy, and sensory exploration became one.

At Dans le Noir ? Madrid, we believe that darkness reveals what truly matters. Without sight, conversations become deeper, emotions sharper, and fear transforms into curiosity and empathy.

With Nocturnos, this idea came to life — a journey between the human and the inhuman, between fear and inner light.

And you?
👉 Organize your own meaningful event.
Because some experiences can only be understood… when you live them in the dark.