Andorran Authors Launch Crime, Identity Novels for Sant Jordi

Andorran authors gear up for next Sant Jordi with new novels and short story collections tackling crime, identity, and forgotten histories.

Laura Casanovas returns to shelves with *Manual d'absències*, winner of the recent Ciutat de Mollerussa prize, following her Carlemany award three years ago for the young adult title *Les estrelles de Lilith*. This police novel shifts to adult readers, centering on the disappearance of Rita Campruví, a 45-year-old library director in a generic Andorran parish. Investigators Lieutenant Flix, shaped by childhood trauma and prone to volatility, and Agent Núria, who discovers her pregnancy mid-case, probe whether Rita left voluntarily or was taken. The story weaves portraits of about 15 locals—from jobless young adults living with parents, elderly carers, and gaming-addicted teens to those in abusive relationships—quoting Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer: "Allà on tu veus lo desert, eixams de mons formiguegen." Casanovas attributes Andorra's abundance of fictional detectives to the genre's global appeal, offering intrigue and comfort. More character study than gore, despite some violence, it questions identity: "If no one saw us, who would we be?" Influenced by Sherlock Holmes, Kurt Wallander, and Spanish pairs like Bevilaqua-Chamorro, her protagonists echo local figures such as Albert Villaró's Andreu Boix. She skipped reprising teen detective Pere Batlló, saving him for potential sequels, to suit a gruffer cop. Aiming to explore midlife women's anxieties around 50, her plain style prioritizes engaging stories over complex vocabulary.

Debut novelist Miquel Àngel Català, a 20-year-old law student from Andorra la Vella, launches *Les veus del llac* (Edicions Marinada). He presents it Saturday at 6:30pm at Restaurant Valor in Santa Coloma. Set around Engolasters Lake—a childhood play spot and refuge—the young adult thriller opens with friends witnessing odd rituals on Saint John's Night, sparking a lifelong trauma. Flash forward 15 years for disappearances and police probes, starring Júlia, who grapples most with the fallout. Català addresses youth taboos like suicide and rape to reflect harsh realities accessibly, hoping to hook reluctant teen readers. Andorran landmarks like Coll de la Botella feature prominently. Two years of revisions with the publisher honed the manuscript.

Pilar Burgués unveils her third short story collection, *Ametlles torrades* (Editorial Andorra), on 16 April at Escaldes-Engordany Municipal Library. The 20 "torrades" tales, matured like roasted almonds and previously published bimonthly in BonDia, link via recurring characters, settings like Escaldes and Torre del Compte, and themes of vulnerability overcome by humble elements—books, trees, almonds, friends. Lighter than prior works born from diabetes aftermath (*A flaixos de llum blanca*) or childhood escape (*Vacances de xics*), they blend autofiction and invention with calmer prose, more metaphors, less urgency. Illustrator Berta Oromí, a fellow diabetes survivor, complements the mood as before. Burgués seeks readers' quiet pleasure in simple stories, like autumn almonds at dusk.

Albert Ginestà's *Atles de les ombres* (Anem Editors), 2025 MoraBanc prize winner, spotlights 20 real, overlooked episodes novelled faithfully—like a dog saving an Arctic city or a rusty sea platform turned nation. Extensive research unearthed forgotten feats, blending facts with dialogue for appeal beyond dry history. Ginestà, also a musician, eyes more projects.