More than a Lover: A Revaluation of Charo's Role in the Pepe Carvalho Series by Manuel Vázquez Montalbán

Abstract

Before the boom of female crime fiction, some novela negra authors used the female body to divert attention from the serious and violent action of the plot, thus offering a kind of distraction from the disappointing social reality explored in these texts. The Pepe Carvalho series by Manuel Vázquez Montalbán, for example, presents a parade of female characters, whose purpose is to visually and sexually entertain the detective and the reader. The most significant recurring female character in the series is Charo, a prostitute who also plays the role of Carvalho's girlfriend. This article proposes that Charo, a character not studied by critics despite the popularity of the series, challenges conventional stereotypes about women in crime fiction, as she does not fit neatly into the traditional roles assigned to women in the genre, especially prior to the popularity of the female detective protagonist. Straddling the line between being the victim, love interest, and companion, Charo emerges in this series as someone who challenges the detective to realize his emotional potential.