Cartagena Negra awards Juan Antonio López and Julián Ibáñez

The Cartagena Negra literary festival, dedicated to crime, noir, and mystery fiction, recently held a central event at the Ramón Alonso Luzzy Cultural Center to present its major awards.

Juan Antonio López was awarded the VIII Icue Negro prize for his debut novel, ‘Astrágalo’. The story follows Inspector Fabián Laguna as he returns to his mountain hometown to investigate the murder of a retired teacher. The narrative uses the crime to explore themes of inherited hatred, community secrets, and moral corruption within a small town.

Additionally, the festival presented an Honor Award to Julián Ibáñez, a prominent figure in contemporary Spanish noir fiction. The recognition celebrates Ibáñez’s career and his ability to depict social issues and marginal environments through his characters.