Àlex Garrido Wins 2025 Fiter i Rossell Prize for Andorra-Inspired Dublin Thriller

The Government’s exhibition hall in Andorra la Vella hosted the official launch on Monday evening of *El diable irlandès*, the winner of the 2025 Fiter i Rossell Prize. The award went to Àlex Garrido, an author from Manlleu, during last November’s Literary Night.

This police thriller unfolds mainly in northern Dublin, with scenes extending to Andorra. Garrido drew inspiration from a trip to the Irish capital last year, where a neighbourhood reminded him of processes in his hometown. The story also nods to Andorra, where part of the writing took place and the narrative closes.

The plot blends fast-paced entertainment with social commentary on immigration, affordable housing shortages, real estate speculation, and the global rise of the far right. It starts from Donald Trump’s January 2025 statements on expelling immigrants from the US, exploring the economic and social fallout of such policies. An inspector from the Mossos d’Esquadra leads a cross-border investigation that blurs fiction and reality.

Garrido, a former mayor and teacher, hopes readers reflect on these current issues. “I expect that whoever reads the book will have some subsequent reflection, because it addresses topical and social themes, and I think the reader will also feel challenged,” he said. He views literature as retaining a “small power of social denunciation,” despite declining interest among youth.

Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Mònica Bonell praised the novel for using its plot to tackle contemporary migration movements and political discourse. She called the prize a key driver of literary creation in Andorra, thanking the Arts and Letters Circle for its role.

Circle president Joan Burgués announced the group will end its 47-year run organising the Andorran Literary Night due to members’ age. He urged the Government to take over the event and prize promptly to ensure continuity. Bonell said work is underway on a new model to expand its reach and professionalise the sector.

Published by Diari d’Andorra Editions ahead of Sant Jordi, the book marks Garrido’s return to the genre. He has prior wins, including the 2014 Ciutat d’Eivissa Prize for *L’illot de la haima* and the 2019 Porreres Prize for *El darrer periple d’en Yamir*.