Galician political drama, 'Ansassinato en la Casa Rosa', immerses viewers in an elaborate web of intrigue orchestrated by Arantza Portabales
Arantza Portabales spills blood and intrigue in her latest novel, 'Murder in the Pink House' (Lumen), drawing inspiration from the powerful Ortega clan yet denying any resemblance. In an interview, Portabales, a Galician author originally from the Basque Country, confesses that she revels in crafting brutal murder scenes, admitting, "I dream very brutally. Four people die who come in a boat, and we all empathize a lot, we feel very sorry for them. Four people go to see the Titanic, it explodes, and the reaction is no longer the same. 'What need? Who sent them? They deserve it for not knowing what to do with the money.' This is what people are thinking internally. We empathize very little with the very rich."
The story takes a Christie-esque turn, as a family murder mystery unfolds within the walls of an opulent estate owned by one of the country's wealthiest families and connected to the healthcare sector. Portabales invests center stage in Iria Santaclara, the tenacious inspector tasked with solving the crime.
In a conversation about the growth of strong female characters in crime fiction, Portabales shares, "I feel very comfortable portraying strong female characters, although I have reiterated that it should not be something strange, and that it should be normalized." She goes on to explain that women fill roles across various professions, including assassins and victims, and her comfort lies in crafting captivating female leads. Moreover, she discusses the weight that falls on women when caring for the elderly or dependents.
Signaling the beginning of a new black crime saga called 'The Crimes of Loeiro', Portabales returns to Galicia to unravel the mystery of yet another crime. Portabales insists that evil has no gender, whether it manifests through men or women. She adds, "I have a great time because in the end I'm playing with the reader, I'm always hooking them and they know I want to hook them. They're eager for me to hook them."
Known for her 'noir Galician' works, Portabales writes forward-thinking, entertaining narratives. She recently authored 'Red Beauty' (Lumen, 2019), winner of the Premio Frei Martín Sarmiento, which kick-started the series starring the police couple Abad and Barroso.
Reflecting on the appeal of crime novels in northern Spain – particularly in Galicia or the Basque Country – Portabales candidly quips, "We are dark people, it rains a lot, it makes you want to kill people."
- The Galician author Arantza Portabales narrates a intriguing family murder mystery in her novel, 'Murder in the Pink House', drawing inspiration from the rich and powerful Ortega clan.
- In a conversation about strong female characters in crime fiction, Portabales agrees that she feels comfortable portraying such characters, stating that it should be normalized.
- Portabales's latest work, 'The Crimes of Loeiro', signals the beginning of a new black crime saga, and she insists that evil has no gender.
- Known for her forward-thinking and entertaining 'noir Galician' works, Portabales recently authored 'Red Beauty' (Lumen, 2019), winner of the Premio Frei Martín Sarmiento.
- Reflecting on the appeal of crime novels in northern Spain, particularly in Galicia or the Basque Country, Portabales humorously notes, "We are dark people, it rains a lot, it makes you want to kill people."
