“Shoot!” is spoken just before a journalist is called to an accomplice. In a bold move, Alicia Giménez Bartlett dives into a new Petra Delicado mystery with no mercy. The crime scene opens with the stabbed body of a French clerk who attends a Barcelona meeting and is found in one of the mobile food vans. She runs one of the two partner businesses at the center of the investigation. This marks the thirteenth case in the Petra Delicado series, titled The Runaway Woman, released by Destino, and it builds toward a finale that lands with extra gravity. Petra is revealed as the first female detective in Spanish crime fiction, a widely read heroine with a devoted audience in Italy, a character who has grown steadily since her creator introduced her in 1996.
In 2020, Giménez Bartlett published an extraordinary Petra memoir titled Without Dead. In interviews she described the detective’s inner life as intensely intuitive and determined, with a darker, more rebellious edge emerging over time. The character sometimes confronts questions that clash with established norms. A younger generation challenges long-held assumptions, and Petra, now older, has learned to balance respect for others with a frank critique of society. The tension between tradition and change reflects the author’s own journey as a writer who began by honoring elders while also voicefully examining modern attitudes toward gender, respect, and manners.
Over the years the author has earned several literary prizes, including Nadal for a novel published in 2011, Planeta for a 2015 work, and the Pepe Carvalho award. The Runaway Woman follows Petra and her loyal partner Fermín Garzón as they traverse half of Catalonia, following the paths of fairgrounds and a mysterious client connected to the murdered man. The world described in this case operates under fixed codes: the players in the food truck scene are well integrated into society, with families, tax obligations, and routines. Yet the life of the vans is mobile—no fixed schedule means a certain freedom, though with that freedom comes pressures that push some into precarious livelihoods. Some are proud of their work and feel liberated, while others, often younger or unsettled, seek a different path to make ends meet.
Petra works alongside Garzón as clues continue to elude them. The investigation takes on a more bleak mood, and the detective admits the case carries a heavier weight. The story reflects a dire truth: loss plays a role in every life, and setbacks can feel all-consuming. The author notes that crime fiction often toys with death, yet real life death leaves a lasting impact. The implications linger long after the last pages are closed, and life presses on even in the wake of tragedy, much as it did after the pandemic.
“Country syndrome” becomes a recurring theme in the next chapter of Petra’s life. The detective faces a relationship crisis as her third husband, Marcos, contemplates retirement and a simpler lifestyle in a town where a particular provincial mood has grown in the wake of a public health crisis. The author has chosen a location in the Valencian community, reflecting a move that keeps Petra connected to familiar urban centers while embracing a quieter, freer life. The shift also underscores a larger point: freedom can come with costs, and personal happiness often requires tough choices about where and how to live.
The narrative suggests that the decision to relocate was beneficial. The author now enjoys greater independence, dedicating time to gardening, long walks, animals, reading, and writing. The move is framed not as escape but as a deliberate reorientation toward a life that sustains creativity and well-being without sacrificing intellectual engagement or purpose. The idea resonates with readers who value personal renewal and the courage to rethink one’s surroundings in pursuit of authenticity.
Petra’s feminist path reemerges as a central thread. Her professional life remains demanding, and the balance between duty and personal life remains a challenge. The text argues that work traditionally associated with men has long underpinned the family structure, yet it is clear that the modern balance needs a fairer distribution. The heroine’s independence carries a message: personal fulfillment should not come at the expense of professional responsibility, and a strong woman need not compromise her career for a relationship.
Writing itself serves as a refuge and a driving force. The author describes writing as a guiding beacon that liberates and accompanies her through difficult days. When inspiration does not appear, the discipline of work keeps the momentum alive. The promise for readers is clear: there will be more Petra in the near future, along with the Miralles sisters and other key figures from the series who repeatedly surface to enrich the ongoing mystery about the city’s corridors and the enigmatic events surrounding it.
Censorship and pushback
The public atmosphere at times hints at a conservative resurgence in which cultural debates grow tense. The Valencian language and local culture face renewed scrutiny, paralleling debates seen elsewhere in the political spectrum. The narrative remarks on the political backdrop, noting how changes in local governance can affect public funding and cultural institutions. The tension emphasizes a broader truth: culture trains judgment and fosters the wisdom needed to examine ideology closely. Readers are invited to think about how political shifts influence everyday life and the arts, and to consider the ways culture can broaden perspectives even when power structures seek to narrow them.
The text closes with a reflection on culture as a catalyst for critical thinking. The author argues that the ability to reason and to engage with diverse ideas remains essential, even when faced with opposition. A society that values culture is more likely to build resilience, compassion, and understanding. The final pages look forward to new chapters in the Petra series, continuing to explore how ordinary lives intersect with extraordinary crimes, and how courage, curiosity, and craft sustain a detective who has come to symbolize a generation of readers.