- Hardcover: 224 pages
- Publisher: Severn House Publishers Ltd (5 Sep 2007)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0727865692
- ISBN-13: 978-0727865694
- Product Dimensions: 22.1 x 14.8 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,225,768 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Synopsis
Eccentric American Urbino Mcintyre, long-time Venice-resident, literary biographer and reluctant amateur sleuth, finds himself dragged into an intriguing mystery by his love of order and justice. But there's a catch. As his dear friend, Barbara, Contessa Capo-Zendrini, keeps reminding him, there is no mystery; just three deaths from apparently natural causes in the space of a few weeks. And while two of the deceased were intimate, the third had only the most tenuous of connections to them. But Urbino knows better than anyone that coincidence is the handmaiden of the lazy mind, and sets about investigating. As Venice prepares for the annual Regatta and the atmosphere reaches fever pitch, Urbino finds himself unable to make any real headway, but knows that somewhere, just beyond his reach, is the vital piece of information that just might enable him to save an innocent life, if only he can find it in time...
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Sklepowich's eighth mystery, set in today's Venice, uses the colorful, exciting Venice regatta, held in September, as a backdrop. Amateur sleuth Urbino Macintyre, with the help of his 'Watson,' the Contessa, becomes involved in one of his investigations when his curiosity stimulates him to look more deeply into a series of apparently natural and accidental deaths. If you are looking for a leisurely, oldfashioned mystery filled with colorful characters that captures the tone and spirit of the great classical British mysteries (Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham) and follows their rules, FRAIL BARRIER (and Sklepowich's other titles) are definitely for you. They are an escape from the burden of today's world. Sklepowich's Venice is the melancholy, shimmering, and menacing Venice of our imagination. It is also the Venice we are in search of when we go there. In this sense, his Venice series is very different from Donna Leon's darker Venice series which deals with contemporary problems and exposes the underbelly of the city.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
High on Atmosphere. Low on Plot
30 Jan 2008
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Sklepowich knows his readers well. They read his mysteries and others like it, in order to relive the mysterious enchantment they have experienced in Venice. This slow paced mystery seems intent on spending many pages on evoking this mysterious enchantment and to this end spends a good bit of time describing Venice - its buildings, paintings, the cemetery island, carnavale and the art of paper making. Unfortunately this slows down the action to a crawl. A mystery does not develop until the book is a third over. The mystery of the murder of an elderly lady who works as a washroom attendant at amateur sleuth Urbino Macintyre's and his side kick the Contessa Capo-Zendrini's hangout, the elegant cafe Florian's, is neatly resolved and life goes on until the next in this mystery series. Consequently it is high on atmosphere and low on plot, but enjoyable nonetheless by those of us who have succumbed to the mysterious enchantment of Venice.
Urbino MacInryre Never Disappoints
29 May 2008
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Once again we have a thoroughly satisfying mystery from Edward Sklepowich. For me, the mystery is almost incidental to the wonderful descriptions of one of my favorite cities. A tourist would do well to use these mysteries as guidebooks to Venice.And of course, one always hopes to run into Urbino or the Contessa Barbara eating a gelato on St. Mark's Square.
This latest book is of the high quality of its forerunners and fans will welcome it.
This latest book is of the high quality of its forerunners and fans will welcome it.
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