Alexis Ravelo passes away. review of his work

Photography: Siruela Editions

alexis ravel, the Canarian writer of black novels, has died this morning of a infarct at 51 years old. Lovers of the genre and his works —and those of us who were lucky enough to know him— are still assimilating him with surprise and consternation absolute. Worth this article, that you never want to write, as tribute and review his work, which garnered both awards and the favor of readers, as his series of novels starring his best-known character, Eladio Monroy. That rest in peace.

alexis ravel

Born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, studied Pure Philosophy and attended creative writing workshops given by authors such as Mario Merlino, Augusto Monterroso and Alfredo Bryce Echenique. He was co-founder of the literary magazine The square of letters and creator of the cultural dissemination space Matasombras.

He also wrote stories and several children's and youth books, as well as scripts, but he made a name for himself on the literary scene thanks to his crime novels. with them he won Awards like the prestigious Hammett for best crime novel The Pekingese's strategy or the novel Coffee Gijon 2021 by The borrowed names.

Construction

Only Spanish Site

• The captive princess – with Alberto Hernández Rivero
• Story of the Jolly Accountant Jester
• the dogs of august
• The jaws of Amial
• The Mainz Trials
• rats of november

Novels

• the stone night 
• the days of mercury 
• The Pekingese's strategy
• the last grave
• The Wind and the Blood, 2013 – Published under the pseudonym MA West
• The flowers don't bleed
• They will come from outside
• The afterlife of Ned Blackbird
• The forbidden miracles
• The blindness of the crab
• A guy with a bag over his head
• The borrowed names

Eladio Monroy series

started in 2006, is composed of those 6 titles, the last one published in 2021. And its protagonist is one of the most recognized of the national noir genre: the former chief engineer of the merchant navy Eladio Monroy who, after retiring with his pension and returning to Las Palmas, is dedicated to alternating jobs as a bodyguard, debt collector, driver or nightclub doorman. And, fundamentally also, as private investigator when the matter requires it.

1. Three funerals for Eladio Monroy
2. only the dead
3. Tough guys don't read poetry
4. die slowly
5. The worst of times
6. If there was no tomorrow

Alexis Ravelo and me

I met Alexis in 2021 in a chat on line that I did even in times of distances and restrictions, and to entertain myself more than anything. He had previously given me a interview What was my first contact with this writer? good-natured, friendly and very close thatAlso he wrote wonderfully and he did not forget that soft Canarian accent in any word. his partner was Peter Cervantes and we passed a while more than good, even despite some technical sound problems and, perhaps, that hour difference with Las Palmas. I was very grateful for his kindness and good humor and that is how I will remember him.