Mr. Dibdin has done it again! The Aurelio Zen mysteries are taking us all over Italy. From Perugia in "Ratking", Sardinia in "Vendetta", Rome in "Cabal", Venice in "Dead Lagoon", Naples in "Cosi Fan Tutti" and now Alba in "A Long Finish". I think these books keep getting better and better. Aurelio Zen is my favorite detective. Keep 'em coming Mr. Dibdin!

After partially digesting some extremely personal revelations revealed during his stay in Naples, Aurelio Zen still finds himself reeling. To top it off, he finds that after his headlining success in exposing the menacing presence behind the 'Clean Streets' campaiagn in Naples, he is to be shuffled down to Sicily as part of a new Anti-Mafia squad. Only the influence of a rich film director who after hearing of the murder of his favorite vintner cannot bear the thought of the famous wine not being produced that year simply because the only man who can accomplish this feat is being held for his father's murder. Zen's task then takes him to Asti in the Piedmont where as he attempts to accomplish his assignment--the release of the vintner's son--he stumbles upon a sequence of murders with roots in the past which he must ferret out with the tenacity of the region's truffle dogs. As usual Zen's methods are not always ethical; his determination to get the job done does not always insure that the guilty person is punished by the proper channels--although serendipitiously Zen manages to justify his means with a noble ending. Nevertheless, his exploits in this installment are so far the most satisfying of the series. Zen's sonambulism in the beginning of the novel emphasizes his distraught over the goings-on in Naples--think Al Pacino sleeplessly squinting in 'Insomnia'---which are compounded by equally stressful information imparted by a mysterious young lady. Dibdin's portrayal of Mignot, one of the truffle hunters, utterly stuns with a skin-crawling realism. Dibdin expertly mixes a lethal cocktail of greed and madness to create a wonderful melange of men whose livings thrive on the bounty of the earth, one way or another. Highly recommended.

Aurelio Zen, Italian detective, is pleased to accept an assignment to the Piedmont region in Italy - after all, it will keep him out of Sicily, where the mafia awaits him. He is directed to investigate the murder of a well-known vinter, or winemaker. However, the motives of the well-placed film director who has him sent to Alba are not entirely clear - he is not concerned in the least with who killed the man, rather that his son is cleared of the murder so that he can produce that year's vintage of wine.

When Zen arrives, however, more mysteries await him. He begins to get menacing telephone calls in his hotel rooms, and wakes up with a mysterious gash on his forehead. Then, two more members of the formerly sleepy community turn up dead. Zen must contend with these murders, all the while getting his fill of the region's delicious wine and white truffles. The clues lead to a logical ending - but the mysterious residents of Alba might know more than the famous detective in the end.

Telling any more would reveal too much of this fantastic story! The twists and turns of this mystery are great fun, and the writing is superb. All in all, very entertaining.

Mr. Dibdin and his Aurelio Zen books are the finest suspense fiction around. These are rare books. You read very word. It is the same with this latest one. May they continue.

This is Dibdin at his best - Aurelio Zen continues his litany of faults, idiosyncracies and insights into the most dangerous and beguiling scenario of his career. Caught between feelings for his almost daughter, Carla, and his need to solve the crime, Zen is drawn further into a truly perfect web. The end is traumatic and yet absolutely perfect -- you just have to read your way here.

Didbin writes in a very dreamily descriptive way, a style uncommon to most detective novels. After reading this book, I want to hop on a plane for Sicily (Mafia apprehensions and all), just to see first hand what the author writes about. The pace is tense, and, as should be the case with all good novels, is impossible to put down until the very end. The end, by the way, is the most dramatic aspect. The twist ending is not of the usual far fetched detective fare, where you find out so and so is still alive, or the best friend is the real killer, etc.. but of eerie realism-- (and reading through some of the other reviews, I don't think I'm spoiling this for anyone) the hero of six previous novels, Detective Aurelio Zen, is killed. The somewhat somber ending in no part takes away, (if anything it enhances) the power and valueness of the story. Brilliant read.

I've been a fan of Michael Didbin's Aurelio Zen novels for some time. I've liked the mix of humor, cynicism, and opera buffo that each of the stories contain, and expected something of the same with "Thanksgiving." To be sure, the book starts out with a weirdly comic confrontation between the recently bereaved Anthony and his deceased wife's ex-husband, but it's only the launching pad for a much deeper, more tender exploration of love, loss, and longing than you would expect. This is a story of how sorrow can infiltrate a life and engender a fulsomeness equal to, or even greater than, the loss that prompts it. It's a fairly quick read that provides much more than its beginning would indicate, and was moving enough to cause me a sob on the last page.

My only criticism of this novel is in a wish that Mr. Didbin had found a way to begin equal to the depth of the story that followed.

Caveat emptor: Though "Thanksgiving" is of perfect length for airplane reading, don't read it while flying. It contains a description of an "airline disaster" that could keep you out of the air forever.

The term, "Derivative", often carries a derogatory or negative connotation when applied to a book. The criticism is often valid; a given Author lacking the skill/idea will replicate a thinly veneered version of the original. However great musicians, painters, and other skilled practitioners of the arts also have done variations on a theme for reasons of vanity, tribute, or reasons known only to them. Michael Dibdin's, "Dirty Tricks", was similar to John Banville's, "Book Of Evidence". The same comment can be validly made between, "Thanksgiving", by Mr. Dibdin, and "Before She Met Me", by Mr. Julian Barnes. All four books were very good and while sharing similar plot lines, they are complimentary, not derivative in a negative sense.

Mr. Dibdin has stepped aside from his well known, "Aurelio Zen", series on several occasions, I believe, 'Thanksgiving", to be easily the best. The work is fairly brief at 182 pages, a length that few Authors can manage successfully, however Mr. Dibdin excels. There is a great deal of geography covered as well as an array of human emotion. The main players are kept to a tightly controlled few, and every word his uses must justify itself, he leaves little to zero room for excess.

The idea covered is the preoccupation with the life and conduct of a spouse prior to her becoming the subject's wife. The similarity between this book and Mr. Banville's ends here, what remains to be shared is the quality of the work. Violence, jealousy, remorse, and irrational behavior all are explored, the question to be resolved is how will it end, how will the emotions be dealt with. There is an additional catalyst in a rather unsavory character that elicits virtually all you would expect from Mr. Dibdin's main character. Darryl Bob Allen is not one of the more likable characters a reader will have come across, however I also feel he is one of the best human creations that Mr. Dibdin has conjured. As for cameo appearances the airline pilot who shares the details of a crashing plane, while disturbing, is also brilliant.

This book has jarring, provocative exchanges, however as the book progresses and distance and time increase, the intensity becomes more rational and manageable. There is no great twist that will send you reeling, rather a conclusion that could be misread if read with too much haste. The book is an elegant story, and a great addition to this man's work.

"Thanksgiving" is Michael Dibdin with a twist. There's no Aurelio Zen on-scene, but the British author's brilliant pacing, understated sophistication and dead-on characterizations are present in profusion. I've read all his published works, and this is the best of the best.

Very often when a book is described as derivative or is almost a different version of a previous work, the reader should expect very little. "Dirty Tricks", by Mr. Michael Dibdin is very similar to, "The Book Of Evidence" by Mr. John Banville. The latter of the mentioned books was published first. The work was excellent and I commented on the book recently. I knew nothing of the similarity prior to my reading Mr. Dibdin's work, however there was no disappointment at all.

These are both very fine albeit different writers stylistically. Mr. Dibdin tends to be more straightforward; the reader knows where they stand when the work comes to the end. Mr. Banville's writing has been categorized as post modern. The latter label sounds a bit pretentious to me, however without denigrating the work of Mr. Dibdin Mr. Banville's work is more contemplative, he sets a more serious tone and asks more from his readers. I have read both Authors extensively and would say that Mr. Dibdin would appeal to a larger audience on the first reading while Mr. Banville is a more acquired taste. The extra effort is time exceedingly well spent.

Both works are almost entirely first person narratives that are conversationally directed at a group that will pass Judgement on the Narrator. Mr. Banville has commented that Narrators by definition are not to be trusted because of their view, so his character is confused and what is truth and what is fantasy is unclear. Mr. Dibdin's character is guilty of similar behavior in the eyes of the law but to a lesser degree. However Tim in, "Dirty Tricks", is by far the more repulsive.

Tim calculates everything, will exploit anyone, and is planning how to move from one conquest to the next before finishing with the first. Mr. Dibdin does a wonderful job of getting the reader to despise the individual in Tim's way, only to make you feel sympathetic for them when Tim gets his wish. Tim travels from a fairly witty academic trading pretentious comments about wine into a social climbing goldigger you will grow to hate.

The book is filled with great portraits of characters like Clive who spouts such spectacular nonsense about wine until you learn he has memorized, or once having imbibed a bit will refer to the notes that come with the wine he gets every month from the club to which he subscribes. The book is great fun even as it darkens. Mr. Dibdin does a remarkable job of taking Tim from a wannabee social climber; to one you want nothing more to do with in a fairly brief but wonderfully written tale. Please read both Authors as each has written a great book. Their structure may be alarmingly similar, but the reading experience is completely unique in each.

A beautifully written book by a brilliant writer. Black humour is not everyone's cup of tea but this is well worth a read. Totally unlike most of Dibdin's books in style, this one shows him for the flexible talented genuis is is.

In this second installment of Michael Dibdin's Aurelio Zen series, we re-encounter the Weltshmerz detective as he wades through an onion skin layering of vendettas that almost cost him his life. Firstly, we glimpse the case of the brutal murder of Oscar Burolo and his guests in his supposed-fortress-like luxury complex on the Italian island of Sardinia. Then, we are again made painfully aware of the infernally clogged(but precisely groomed and clothed) machinery of the Italian bureaucracy with its syncophants, favor mongers, payoffs, good old boy's club and nefarious double dealings with the less-than-desirable underworld. We realize that wealthy and powerful higher-ups in the Italian Ministry have a vendetta of their own---they hotly desire Burolo's murder avenged as Burolo's corrupt dealings lined their purses with the an ever-pleasant flow of cash. Dissatisfied with the currently held murder suspect,and pleased with little-known Zen's written conclusion that exonerates the said suspect, the Italian Ministry moves Zen to Sardinia to drum up a case against ANYONE who will fit the scapegoat bill. Before he leaves, Zen encounters yet another vendetta, one that may be directed solely at himself. Perturbed, but not scathed, Zen ferries off to the island in what he thinks is a sufficient undercover disguise. When he bungles his dealings with police-shy locals,he finds himself stalked by a killer who serendipidiously aids him in discovering the real murderer as he runs for his life over Sardinia's bleak interior. The luck that held for him in "Ratking" sticks with him during this foray; he returns to Rome in disheveled glory.
As in the first Zen mystery, the actual crime and its solution act as a compelling backdrop and springboard to Zen's real problems. In this case, his mother, his love life and his inability to fare well in the midst of the male society of the Criminalpol provide ample insight to an already enjoyable character of immense depth. The settings of Rome and Sardinia add glamour to the well-heeled image-conscious Italian populace which Dibdin allows us to view through Zen's accomplished and somewhat jaded eyes as he further immerses himself within the complex inner workings of Italian law enforcement.
Even thoughI read 'Cabal' and 'Dead Lagoon' before reading 'Ratking' and 'Vendetta', I would recommend reading the books in sequence so that the entire panorama of Zen's difficult life is laid out in front of you as it is intended. Zen's motivation become more understandable. When reading the books out of sequence,the reader has little information about Zen on which to fall back on and there is nothing but the mystery itself to fully engage the reader. Get the whole experience and start from number 1.

No Author will ever replace Mario Puzo; his body of work featuring the Corleone Family is a literary, as well as a cinematic classic. For those readers in search of material that is as excellent in its own way, and takes place entirely in Italy, Michael Dibdin's "Aurelio Zen" series will take its own place in the genre Mr. Puzo introduced to so many readers years ago.

"Vendetta" is the second book in this series and the setting is Sardinia. A dinner party is interrupted when someone with a shotgun appears, and abruptly ends the evening's festivities. A man who said, "If anyone gets in, I will believe in ghosts", designed the security system. No ghost handles a shotgun, and after Italy's equivalent of SWAT Teams can find no way in, the enigma is set.

I have commented at length on why I find Mr. Dibdin to be such a talented writer when I reviewed his newest book "Blood Rain" and his first book "Ratking". I will not be totally repetitive, but I will note that one of the keys to enjoying this Author's work is his ability to sustain your interest with a variety of possible outcomes to the very end. His stories are constructed like a maze, and as Sardinia is a maze both above and below ground, the setting is perfect.

A very, very good series!

I was a bit sceptical at first. An Italian detective by a British-American author; sounded like it could be coy or arch. It wasn't. Dibdin writes far beter than most mystery writers. The plot is maybe a tad too too (as my grandmother used to say).

Anyway I paln to read more of the Zen books.

Rather different than Dibdin's previous (and outstanding) Zen mysteries, Cosi is the closest thing to Mozartean opera buffa you can find in book form. Dibdin captures the spirit of the great Italian comic opera tradition so fully that you can hardly avoid hearing your own subliminal Mozart soundtrack. Arch yes, but fully carried off with a consistent and glittering wit. The sense of ennui and indigenous corruption that pervades prior Zen adventures still runs through the work. But something very nice must have happened in Dibdin's life to prompt the sense of joy and wonder that is here added to mystery. A work of true wit and homage to (as we would expect) an important Italian tradition---a more positive aspect of Italian culture than Zen's usual metier.

If you're expecting your traditional whodunit, this ain't it. Dibdin is definitely not a formula writer and it's impossible to know exactly what to expect when Aurelio Zen is involved. This case is a classic, It's well-written with plot lines within plot lines of which Zen, or you, may or may not be aware. It doesn't matter anyway because this book was, to put it simply, a lot of fun to read.

Reading Aurelio Zen out of sequence is as sensible as the mystery in this book. And figuring out which of the several plot lines represents the mystery is half the fun. Picaresque is the only description for Zen. And the other characters! You get to meet every Italian you've ever known, with a couple of true-to-life foreigners thrown in. Truly delightful if you have a sense of humor and a taste for the absurd. A disaster if you like a lot of senseless violence and macho language in your mysteries. Aurelio Zen has a new fan in me.

As poor 50-something Aurelio juggles keeping his life with his new girlfriend, Tania, a secret from his now distressingly mobile mother with the backbiting intrigues that occur on a daily basis at the Criminalpol, he is summoned to the Vatican to assist with the investigation of the murder of a Prince Ludovico Ruspanti, a Knight of Malta, who quite literally tumbled to his death from the basilica's dome. With the tenacity of a pit bull, Zen slowly but surely cuts though the red tape dealings between the separate bureaucracies of the Vatican and Italy, and dodges encounters with the carbaniari, as he lies his way through the riot of events that follow his compliance with the Vatican to allow the Prince's death to be recorded as a suicide. When he unearths the existence of the "Cabal", a secret organization within the Knights of Malta, the snowball of information Zen has gathered begins an enjoyably fast and by no means boring descent into the world of computer hackers, would-be informants encountered during a high-speed train ride and a strange brother and sister duo ensconced in an old and decaying family house in fashionable Milan.

As in the first two Zen novels, Aurelio's gritty acceptance of his world's self-absorbed machinations entitles him to use some less than admirable avenues of manipulation to get to the truth and at the same time make life more comfortable for Zen. The most delightful portions of this installment explores the undercurrent of vulnerabity Zen experiences when he uncovers secret organizations within his own existence--- his mother's world no longer revolves around him, and Tania, busily promoting a mail-order gourmet food business, may be two-timing him. I look forward to Zen's further 'adventures' with his women and compliated life in the Eternal City.

Dibdin's Italy is brilliantly realized -- not just the usual glamor-and-girls depiction of Italy from a million movies and schlock thrillers, but the realities of quotidien middle-class life, especially in the bloated public sector. Ministries operate with half their staff absent and the other half running import-export businesses from their desks on the side. Bribery, apathy, incompetence and venality are rife. Through it all trudges Aurelio Zen, trying to stitch together the pieces of a mystery that begins with a man falling to oblivion onto the centre of Catholicism's universe, and ends with another man doing the same onto Rome's material and commercial center.

Perhaps these, and other, pieces of symbolism are a little heavy; perhaps not. Some of the characters, for sure, seem larger-than-life to the point of cliché: Zen's Rich Friend Who Can Do Anything, for example; the narcissistic "Falco" and the obligatory teenage hacker who exists as a grotesque parody of the archetype. But along the way there's a compelling, fascinating mystery plot that entertains as long as it exists, and, when all the interlinked, implausible conspiracies reach their almost banal, yet entirely satisfying, climax.

"Cabal" was the last of the Aurelio Zen mysteries that I had not read. Now that I have, I can state the body of work taken as a whole is great. As in any group of books some are stronger than others, but none will disappoint. About the only complaint I have is that some of the individual works could have been of greater length. Some were perfectly finished in their relatively brief form, but some like "Cabal", could have benefited from having more time to tell their story.

Mr. Dibdin is a great writer, and I have read all but one of his non "Aurelio" books, and they too are worthwhile. I have reviewed them all, so I will minimize general comments here. I read the books out of sequence, and while there were some references to previous books, there was nothing so fundamental that it detracted from whatever book I was reading. I actually started with "Blood Rain" which is the newest of Mr. Dibdin's works.

The series takes place all over Italy, and "Cabal" takes place primarily in Rome with the central event, taking place at The Vatican. In addition to the intrigue that often surrounds stories of this small Country, Mr. Dibdin adds the Knights Of Malta, The Cabal, and centuries old Families of Italy to this mystery. The contemporary world of Italian Fashion, Aurelio girlfriend's moonlighting, and Aurelio's temptations to a darker side when he feels he is loosing his girl, all make for fun reading, although I believe with more time the book could have developed more completely. There was a great deal happening in this book, and it feels as though it was compressed into its final size.

Mr. Dibdin is a great writer, and this series is without qualification reading time well spent. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

The solution to this mystery, "The Dying Of The Light", is as clever as any of Mr. Dibdin's work. The matching of wits, the misdirection, and words so carefully chosen, create a wonderful adversary for the inspector. That his adversary is at least an octogenarian, creates a duel that is just that more interesting.

This story is a bit like the board game that requires the players to solve, who did what to whom, where was it done, and what was the weapon of choice. The setting is a home for the aged, and the environment is which they live could be described as one created by a satanic Dickens. This atmosphere is what I did not care for. A good mystery does not require the degradation of a character, humiliation does not shock as much as it makes the reader uncomfortable, and for me it does nothing but detract from the tale.

I have commented on many other of this Author's work, so I will not repeat the thoughts here. The resolution was excellent, the action leading to it however, barely made the book a worthy read.

This is a relatively minor work from Dibdin, more a long short story than a novel. It's set in Eventide Lodge, an appalling old people's home lost in some obscure corner of England where cheap crook Anderson assisted by the sadistic, foulmouthed Miss Davis operate a regime of systematic neglect and abuse, an environment which inmates Dorothy and Rosemary make bearable by a make-believe game in which they are both intrepid amateur sleuths. But Dorothy's planned removal to hospital threatens to strip them of even this comfort. Thus the stage is set for a characteristically delicious mystery story in which things fail with admirable persistence to be at all what they seem. Simultaneously bleak and witty, it isn't Dibdin at his finest but it is certainly fine.

Michael Dibdin's 'The Dying of the Light' is a short, contrived, sometimes brutal little mystery, but it shines beautifully within all the aforementioned characteristics. It is just the write length, the contrived plot is what makes it tick, and the brutality, though shocking and disdainful, sticks in your mind long after the book has been closed, leaving an indelible mark.

The novel starts out with Rosemary and Dorothy, two old ladies who are friends at what we believe to be something of a manor house, or possibly an old-fashioned hotel? At any rate, the story begins with a list of stock murder mystery suspects reminiscent of the golden-age crime capers. They are all gathered in a cozy lounge, and we believe Rosemary and Dorothy to be our sleuths. Soon, however, events unfold, and we discover that we have been tricked by the sly author, Dibdin. The awful, creeping realization of where exactly our two old ladies are, and what is transpiring there, is the first of many chilling plot twists that take place.

Many mysterious and even horrible things begin to happen once the book gets going, and our two elderly heroins *do* become sleuths (sort of), and some of the other characters peppering the book make for good adversaries. As I said earlier, it is all somewhat contrived, but as long as you just go along with it, you should have a bracing read. Some parts of novel are intense, some parts slightly comical, but *every* part is of interest.

If you have a nice, solitary evening free, draw the curtains, dim the lights, and settle-in for 'The Dying of the Light'. It is a mystery of a different kind.

I was looking for an "atmospheric" book to read while I was in Venice. By luck, I found Dead Lagoon and I feel my choice couldn't have been better. The main character, Aurelio Zen, is like the city herself - gritty, complex, flawed but still fascinating. I also found myself thinking that I don't like a lot of things about this guy. But like a car crash on the side of the road, I found it impossible to look away. I had to see how things worked themselves out. I especially enjoyed the way the politics of Italian bureaucracy colors nearly every one of his moves - it's almost like it's another character. I admit reading it from a hotel room on the Grand Canal has probably influenced my review, but I still recommend it because talented writers like Dibdin need to be encouraged to keep working at their craft.

Or so Aurelio Zen, Italian policeman and star or Dead Lagoon, realizes near the end of this Dibdin mystery.

Zen has been offered a reward to find Michael Dorridge, a disappeared American businessman, or to find his body. To be able to investigate this hushed-up disappearance, Zen arranges to have Criminalpol transfer him on what seems to be an unrelated disturbance at the home of an aged contessa. Zen thinks his trip will be an easy way to make some cash - look briefly into the disappearance, check out the old homestead, and enjoy some Venitian cooking.

He isn't nearly so lucky. Zen soon begins to realize that the contessa's problems aren't just the result of a disturbed mental state, and that Dorridge's disappearance is more than an unlucky chance. He weaves together the strands of the mysteries, leaving the reader with a tidy ending.

Dead Lagoon was a more difficult to "get into" than other Dibdin mysteries. However, the compelling ending and the well-portrayed views of Venice certainly make it a book worth reading.

I have been drawn to this series as this is the fourth "Zen Mystery" I have read recently. For any readers new to these books all the installments are available except "Cabal", which Amazon shows scheduled for release next month. Nothing I have read so far has suffered from my out of sequence start, but as in any series there are references to prior events that would make the reader more comfortable with the history of the character, if known. The Author Michael Dibdin gives at least a sketch of what has happened if not the details, so starting with the most recent book, as I did, was still very enjoyable.

"Dead Lagoon" brings the protagonist back home, to the City of Venice, the Zen Family house, and a Venice in political turmoil that welcomes only those Venetians that meet their criteria. While this book continues the investigative mystery that is the core of these books, Mr. Dibdin coils a second plot line that is politically based in to the narrative. While it is not as distinct an element, the latter half of 20th Century Venetian History is also intertwined.

The subsequent books will tell, but I believe this is a turning point in the development of Aurelio Zen. As he has in the past he winds up in the middle of a crime, but the practical realities of right and wrong, are blurred by who the victim is, what childhood friends are involved, and other issues long thought to be laid to rest that come back to make Zen's world even more chaotic. And as in the other works, Zen is forced to deal with his Mother who has no use for anyone or anything, when her boy leaves her alone in Rome.

Different from the others I have read, but still very worthy of the time spent.

I know this won awards, but I didn't like it. I much prefer his Aurelio Zen character in several of his other books. This narrative consists entirely of letters written to a friend, so it's all first-person. I suppose it's clever, and if you're extremely fond of Robert Browning you might enjoy hearing him "speak." But other than those two things, I couldn't recommend it. It also violates a long-standing principal of mysteries concerning the narrator/main character. Can't give that away, but it's very disturbing!

"A Rich Full Death" is one of Mr. Dibdin's earlier works, and while he still writes a strong narrative, this book was less enjoyable, and was not on par with the balance of his work, until the very end. I plan to read the book once again, as I believe knowing the outcome may improve the entire story. I realize that sounds odd, however that is my impression.

A Mr. Booth is our guide throughout the story, which is related to the reader in the form of letters. As the reader you take the role of Prescott, the letters recipient, and it is from Mr. Booth but for a codicil at the end, who acts as the sole information source for the reader. Since the tale is revealed from one perspective how you feel about Booth is critical. I found him to be an annoying parasitical social climber, a pathetic man desperate to join the correct social circles. This may have been exactly what Mr. Dibdin intended, I don't know, but it annoyed me no end, and as Booth is the narrator, there was no respite from his personality.

The plot twists during the work are not as smooth as the other works I have read, but as I mentioned, the ending is extremely entertaining, is the highlight of this story, and may justify a second reading. As always murder is the sport of choice, and the perpetrator's map for his crimes is extremely well done.

Even though this was not one of the better reads of Mr. Dibdin's work, I believe that a second pass through Dante's Florence may change, or perhaps elevate the read. Such being the case, I err on the high side with the fourth star.

This was my first book by this author, and it is terrific. An entertaining mystery and a nice trip to the Florence of 1855. I had it more or less figured out about halfway through, and the second-to-last chapter proved me right - until the last chapter blew me out of the water! I immediately skimmed the book a second time. The final chapter is a complete surprise - yet perfect. At least 2 of the reviewers above missed the point of the book entirely, but unfortunately, I can't tell you how without revealing the ending. However, I WILL say that the title of the book is the key.