Sergio Ramírez's New Noir Novel 'La Maldición de Ramfis' to Debut in June 2026

Nicaraguan writer Sergio Ramírez is set to release his fourth noir novel, "La maldición de Ramfis" (The Curse of Ramfis), on June 11, 2026. The book's debut is timed with the Madrid Book Fair in Spain.

The novel centers on Inspector Dolores Morales, an exile in Costa Rica, who investigates the murder of a wealthy businessman. This magnate is connected to the Ortega Murillo regime and is found dead on a luxury yacht, the Angelita, adrift in the Pacific near the Costa Rican-Nicaraguan border. The yacht itself has a history, having previously belonged to Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo and later his son, Ramfis Trujillo.

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The life of Inspector Dolores Morales is linked to the political fate of the country.

Ramírez describes the novel's setting as a stage for exploring corruption, money laundering, and migrant trafficking, weaving contemporary Nicaraguan history into the narrative. Inspector Morales, Ramírez's alter ego, is depicted as a character whose life is intrinsically tied to the country's political fortunes. "The life of Inspector Dolores Morales is linked to the political fate of the country," Ramírez stated, explaining that the character's circumstances, whether in exile or potentially returning to Nicaragua, are dictated by the nation's reality.

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If he remains in exile, he will find some other case in exile. If there is a change in Nicaragua, he will return to Nicaragua and reopen his investigation office. This is a character who is governed by reality, as a contemporary character, he cannot escape reality.