Death in August and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more


or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Colour:
Image not available

 
Share your own customer images
Search inside another edition of this book
Start reading Death in August on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Death in August (Inspector Bordelli) [Paperback]

Marco Vichi (Author), Stephen Sartarelli (Translator)
3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
Price: £5.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £2.00 (25%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Only 14 left in stock (more on the way).
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon. Gift-wrap available.
Want delivery by Friday, 24 May? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details

Formats

 Amazon Price New from Used from
Kindle Edition £4.99   -- --
Hardcover --   -- --
Paperback £5.99   -- --
Books Trade-In
Amazon.co.uk Trade-In Store
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more.

Book Description

Publication Date: 1 Sep 2011 | Series: Inspector Bordelli
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 . . .

Frequently Bought Together

Death in August (Inspector Bordelli) + Death and the Olive Grove (Inspector Bordelli 2) + Death in Sardinia (Inspector Bordelli 3)
Price For All Three: £17.97

Some of these items are dispatched sooner than the others.

Buy the selected items together

Product details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton (1 Sep 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1444712217
  • ISBN-13: 978-1444712216
  • Product Dimensions: 14 x 1.6 x 19.6 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 102,972 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

More About the Author

› Visit Amazon's Marco Vichi Page
Marco Vichi
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.

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! . . . The strength of the novel is the in-depth portrayal of the characters, particularly Bordelli himself - eccentric, obstinate, generous and sad . . . The descriptions of the sounds and smells of the Tuscan summer are so vivid that you think they are real. The food is to die for. I can't wait to read the next one.'

(www.shotsmag.co.uk)

'[The Inspector Bordelli books] feature 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)

'Vichi's stellar first in a new mystery series introduces endearingly melancholic Inspector Bordelli . . . [and] delivers a plausible solution worthy of a golden age crime novel. Readers will look forward to seeing more of this flawed hero.'

(Publishers Weekly, starred review)

'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)

About the Author

Marco Vichi was born in Florence in 1957. The author of eleven novels and two collections of short stories, he has also written screenplays, music lyrics and for radio, and collaborated on projects for humanitarian causes. His novel Death in Florence won the Scerbanenco, Rieti and Camaiore prizes. You can find out more at www.marcovichi.it.
Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
Search inside this book:

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?

› Explore similar items

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
37 of 37 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Great fun! 4 May 2011
By Mondoro TOP 1000 REVIEWER VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (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
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes
No
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Start to a New Series 23 Jun 2011
By The Dunelmian VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (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.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes
No
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Pleasant detective story 8 Jun 2011
By Potterywhizz VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (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
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Yes
No
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?   Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars Pleasant rather than gripping
Story line is okay but there is a lot of repetition especially when describing the heat. Vichi seems to labout to get the characters across to the reader,and not always... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Nina
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it, very enjoyable read
I bought this as I had just finished reading all of Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano novels (which I loved)and wanted to carry on reading Italian crime stories. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Beach girl
2.0 out of 5 stars Very dull
I love Florence but even that lovely city couldn't save this book. Unlikely plot and characters, I was most disappointed.
Published 4 months ago by mattheu
3.0 out of 5 stars Realistic atmosphere and plot but ponderous in places.
A good holiday read - preferably sitting in the sun to capture the venue in which it's set. Good descriptive story with believable plot.
Published 4 months ago by jeffwallin
2.0 out of 5 stars Experimenting with new authors!
Being a great fan of Euro and Scandinavian crime novels I came across this author and decided to try him out. Sadly in my opinion it didn't live up to my expectations.
Published 5 months ago by Mae Gregory
5.0 out of 5 stars Easy Reading
A very easy book to read and I like the character Bordelli. I am looking forward to the next book.
Published 5 months ago by IshyMc
3.0 out of 5 stars Bordelli
I am just pissed off that Amazon seems to be avoiding paying tax in the UK. Why should people who work pay PAYE bu profits aren't being taxed?
Published 6 months ago by Andrew Price
5.0 out of 5 stars Why I chose it
As already advised loved the book service excellent not sure why it takes fourteen words to tell anyone this bye
Published 6 months ago by Mrs t Swanson
5.0 out of 5 stars Cosy crime, a la Italiana
If you like your crime on the cosy side, with your murders taking place off the page while you're reading about something else, then click at once and put this in your basket. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mrs. R.
4.0 out of 5 stars Different
Not my normal type of book, but was asked to read it via our book club. Have to say I did enjoy the plot etc, did find the constant referring back to the weather a bit... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Cally
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

There's a problem loading this menu at the moment.

Learn more about Amazon Prime.

    Your Shopping Basket is empty.

    Give it purpose -- fill it with books, DVDs, clothes, electronics and more.

    If you already have an account, sign in.

    There's a problem previewing your shopping basket at the moment.

    Check your Internet connection and go to your cart, or try again.

    View Shopping Basket (0 items)

      Customer Discussions

      This product's forum
      Discussion Replies Latest Post
      No discussions yet

      Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
      Start a new discussion
      Topic:
      First post:
      Prompts for sign-in
       


      Active discussions in related forums
      Search Customer Discussions
      Search all Amazon discussions
         
      Related forums

      Listmania!

      Create a Listmania! list

      Look for similar items by category

      Feedback


      Amazon.co.uk Privacy Statement Amazon.co.uk Delivery Information Amazon.co.uk Returns & Exchanges