- Hardcover: 240 pages
- Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton; 1st Edition edition (9 Jun 2011)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1444712209
- ISBN-13: 978-1444712209
- Product Dimensions: 21.8 x 13.6 x 2.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 31,130 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Death in August (Inspector Bordelli 1)
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Product Description
Review
'A real find for anyone who likes their crime novels atmospheric, discursive, humorous and thought-provoking.'
(Guardian )'[Italian] writers are justifiably growing in popularity here: Marco Vichi deserves to be among them . . . [Bordelli] is stubborn, womanless, cynical and impatient, but strangely appealing.'
(Marcel Berlins, The Times )'Over the course of his police procedurals, Vichi shows us ever more secret and dark sides to an otherwise sunny and open city. But his happiest creation, in my opinion, remains the character of Inspector Bordelli, a disillusioned anti-hero who is difficult to forget.'
(Andrea Camilleri )'Three cheers for an absolute delight! . . . I can't wait to read the next one.'
(www.shotsmag.co.uk )'A fascinating cop and disillusioned anti-hero who rails against both injustice and the corrupt system but faces classic murder cases with a familiar Christie-like ring' (Maxim Jakubowski )
'This is a promising start to a series'
(Literary Review )'Fuses social commentary with fine cuisine and serves it up on a charming bed of criminality, and is a creditable advert for Italian crime fiction . . . definitely one to savour.' (www.bookgeeks.co.uk )
'A classic mystery . . . an investigator, a tormented figure and an Italy which is less cynical but no less evil than today's.' (Il Venerdi di Repubblica )
Product Description
Florence, summer 1963. Inspector Bordelli is one of the few policemen left in the deserted city. He spends his days on routine work, and his nights tormented by the heat and mosquitoes.
Suddenly one night, a telephone call gives him a new sense of purpose: the suspected death of a wealthy Signora. Bordelli rushes to her hilltop villa, and picks the locks. The old woman is lying on her bed - apparently killed by an asthma attack, though her medicine has been left untouched.
With the help of his young protégé, the victim's eccentric brother, and a semi-retired petty thief, the inspector begins a murder investigation. Each suspect has a solid alibi, but there is something that doesn't quite add up . . .
Suddenly one night, a telephone call gives him a new sense of purpose: the suspected death of a wealthy Signora. Bordelli rushes to her hilltop villa, and picks the locks. The old woman is lying on her bed - apparently killed by an asthma attack, though her medicine has been left untouched.
With the help of his young protégé, the victim's eccentric brother, and a semi-retired petty thief, the inspector begins a murder investigation. Each suspect has a solid alibi, but there is something that doesn't quite add up . . .
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great fun!,
By
This review is from: Death in August (Inspector Bordelli) (Hardcover)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Programme (What's this?)
If you are a fan of dark thrillers of the Swedish/Barbara Vine type you might not like this book. On the other hand, whilst I like Mankell et al immensely, I found this a most enjoyable read on an entirely less serious level. It was fun rather than sombre and nothing wrong with that for a Bank Holiday Monday read! The plot, ostensibly about the search to find the killer of the wealthy old lady, was definitely secondary to introducing us to Inspector Bordelli and his back history combined with some very evocative descriptions of Florence in the intense heat of an Italian summer. I found this perfectly acceptable and indeed enjoyed it enormously. I also loved the quirky throw away humour - for example reflecting on his probable chance of living into a healthy old age Bordelli reminds himself that he has inherited good genes - after all his father died not from any age related illness but merely because he fell out of a window whilst painting some shutters! Black humour perhaps but definitely a laugh out loud moment! I am absolutely delighted to find that there are more Bordelli books to come and only sorry that, as my Italian isn't up to reading them immediately, I shall have to wait until they are translated. I recommend this as a light hearted holiday read for fans of Petros Markaris and Agatha Christie which is probably best avoided by self consciously serious students of complex of crime fiction.fjs
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pleasant detective story,
By
This review is from: Death in August (Inspector Bordelli) (Hardcover)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Programme (What's this?)
Not a fast-paced thriller but none the worse for that. Set in Sixties Florence this is an atmospheric detective tale with an array of interesting credible characters. The Inspector hero is warm-hearted and likeable with a strong moral code. I loved the dry humour. The quirky scene between the Inspector and his lecturer cousin is very funny as the mismatched personalities spar. This was a fun and enjoyable read with a solution to the crime as dark as that of any more hard-hitting thriller. Will definitely be back for more from this author
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Start to a New Series,
By
This review is from: Death in August (Inspector Bordelli) (Hardcover)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Programme (What's this?)
It may not be immediately apparent, but the translator is Stephen Sarterelli. This in itself is an excellent recommendation, as anyone who has read his work on Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano series will confirm.The characters are vividly drawn and contrasted with one another - all their quirks of personality woven into the story to mix humour and pathos in equal measure. No mean feat given this is originally an Italian text. In particuar everyone is eminently believable, as if they remind us of someone we know, and that helps to make the story more real. It may not be terribly demanding, but it is an enjoyable read well suited to a summer holiday. The plot is quite straightforward - a routine whodunnit - but there is enough suspense to keep the pages turning and maintain interest and pace right to the end. If you're wondering what to read until the next Camilleri or Leon is published then I heartily recommend this.
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