Rosa Huertas to Receive 15th Wilkie Collins Prize for Crime Fiction
Author Rosa Huertas will be awarded the 15th Wilkie Collins Prize for Crime Fiction this Friday at the Tenerife Noir festival for her socially conscious novel, Los perros huelen el miedo.
Spanish crime fiction is increasingly proving its power to examine the fractures in modern society—a trend highlighted by the recent success of author Rosa Huertas. Organizers of the Tenerife Noir festival have announced that Huertas will receive the 15th Wilkie Collins Prize for Crime Fiction this Friday for her novel, Los perros huelen el miedo (Dogs Smell Fear).
The award, sponsored by M.A.R. Editor, marks the conclusion of the Tenerife festival, which has spent the week exploring the many sides of the noir genre. The ceremony will take place at 7:00 p.m. at the El Barco de Papel bookstore in El Sauzal. Writer Pablo Martín Carbajal will introduce the recipient, and festival director Alejandro Martín will present the award. The event is free to the public, though space is limited.
Beyond the recognition, Huertas’ novel—published earlier this year—is notable for using the thriller format to offer sharp social commentary. The story centers on two tragic events: the suicide of a man struggling with addiction and the murder of a prominent socialite. By contrasting these two worlds, Huertas invites readers to reflect on issues like real estate pressure, gender inequality, and social stigma. This approach reflects the evolution of Spanish crime fiction, which has shifted from traditional mystery writing into a form of social chronicle that uses crime to hold a mirror up to the tensions of today’s society.