The fugitive woman
The fugitive woman It is the thirteenth installment of the successful crime novel series Petra Delicate, written by the Spanish philologist and author Alicia Giménez Bartlett. The work was published on January 17, 2024 by the Destino publishing label, under the Áncora & Delfín collection. Unlike the other books starring Delgado, this one has received less favorable reviews from readers.
This is not uncommon. In fact, It is natural that in long series there are titles that fans like more or less. Still, The fugitive woman It contains some of the elements that have touched so many people over the years, especially the presence of the protagonist and her inseparable assistant, who, without a doubt, are the highlight of the book.
Synopsis of The fugitive woman
The strange case of the death of the owner of the food truck
This Novelty starts in the center of Barcelona, a morning like any other. Over there, neighbors find dead one of the owners of a famous food truck, one of those food trucks that became so popular during the pandemic. At first, there doesn't seem to be any clue indicating a path forward: there is no major disorder, and there are no reasons for the man's disappearance.
However, The lack of clues is only known a little later, because the novel begins with the interrogation of the deceased's partner and best friend.. This is Eduardo Castillo, a scrawny man, with small eyes and a funny, innocent expression. During the first minutes, the little man could not stop crying, although later he began an endless monologue about his relationship with the deceased.
A quiet life, an extraordinary death
Castle, perhaps in the dementia caused by pain, or by the mere whim of his own nervous personality, He can't stop talking about how his work and personal relationship with Christophe Dufour worked., the victim. He said that his friend was of French origin, that he did not know if he had a family and that he did not know his previous occupations, beyond having been part of a cargo ship, in a Chinese import and export agency. .
Likewise, he confessed that the man, although he was handsome, had a strong build and had no problems keeping in touch with women, he did not have a solid romantic relationship, but rather preferred specific encounters. Christophe did not seem to have any friends other than Castle himself., but he also had no known enmities, so there was still no reason.
The lucrative food truck business
Inspector Petra Delicado and her sub-inspector, Fermín Garzón, somewhat impatient and desperate for any clue, ask about the economic situation of the business. Given this, Castillo responds that to his food truck he couldn't have been doing better. They were already well known among diners, their French food was excellent, and they were thinking of opening a conventional restaurant.
That is to say: there were no money problems between them. For agents, this doesn't make sense. Someone killed the subject, someone had motives, resources and the possibility of doing so. In the midst of this uncertainty, Petra Delicado and Fermín Garzón head to the morgue to start a conversation with the body. The coroner is not happy, but he has no choice but to collaborate.
The dead can still sing
Delicately glances at the knight on the stretcher, and cannot help but notice that, despite death, he still retains almost noble features. He draws her attention to his thick reddish beard, which is accompanied by bright locks of hair of the same color. The same way, The inspector appreciates her big, strong hands and feet, in addition to the clean stab wounds near the heart.
Fermín wonders who could have done such a thing to a sperm whale like Christophe Dufour. The sub-inspector rules out a woman, but his boss tells him to put aside only the children, because a lady could have been very capable of committing that crime, and if they ignore this fact, they may never solve the case. . That's when it appears a name, and everything goes dark.
The name that changed everything
Continuing with the investigation, Inspector Petra Delicado and Sub-Inspector Fermín Garzón are informed that, during the previous afternoon, The food truck received a very large order from a client of the victim. Shortly after, they reveal who that woman is, and that discovery is so important that finding her becomes a priority for the department.
However, It seems that an invisible hand is pulling the strings behind all the interrogations formulated by Delicado and Garzón. His witnesses are threatened with violence, causing them to stop wanting to collaborate with the police. Apparently, there is someone who is willing to prevent the case from being resolved, and he is going to use all the means at his disposal to achieve his objectives.
About the author
Alicia Giménez Bartlett was born on June 10, 1951, in Almansa, Spain. She studied English Philology at the University of Valencia and He received his doctorate in Spanish Literature from the University of Barcelona. with a thesis titled The Narrative of Gonzalo Torrente Ballester. This was directed by José Manuel Blecua Teijeiro based on the study about Torrente Ballester that was published in 1981.
His career began in Barcelona, in a privileged environment for being the place where so many writers of the "Latin American boom" had their heyday. There, Bartlett worked as a literary agent for some years. Although she was satisfied with her craft, her own claims as a writer became formal in 1984, the date on which she published her first novel under the Seix Barral imprint.
Other books by Alicia Giménez Bartlett
Novels
- Exit (1984);
- golden birds (1987);
- Fallen in the valley (1989);
- The fourth heart (1991);
- Sentimental life of a truck driver (1993);
- The last drink of the summer (1995);
- Death rites (1996);
- dog day (1997);
- A foreign room (1997);
- messengers of darkness (1999);
- paper dead (2000);
- Snakes in paradise (2002);
- Secret Penelope (2003);
- A boat loaded with rice (2004);
- Days of love and deception (2006);
- Empty nest (2007);
- The silence of the cloisters (2009);
- Where no one will find you (2011);
- Nobody wants to know (2013);
- Crimes that I will not forget (2015);
- naked men (2015);
- My dear serial killer (2017);
- No dead (2020);
- The president (2022);
- The fugitive woman (2024)
Tests
- The mystery of the sexes (2000);
- Eve's debt (2002)