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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 )'With a love of food and drink, a fine sense of justice and a desire to help the underdog Bordelli is a likeable hero. This second book in the series is a delight' (www.shotsmag.co.uk )
'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 )'When I first reviewed DEATH IN AUGUST by Marco Vichi back in June 2011 I knew before I'd finished reading the book that Hodder had a hit on their hands . . . [they] have once again delivered an outstanding package combining an envious narrative, a colourful and multi-faceted detective and a cornucopia of Italian food to die for . . . Magical and moreish'
(www.milorambles.com on DEATH AND THE OLIVE GROVE )'[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 ) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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 )'With a love of food and drink, a fine sense of justice and a desire to help the underdog Bordelli is a likeable hero. This second book in the series is a delight' (www.shotsmag.co.uk )
'Filled with interesting character sketches and the dirt of Italian street life DEATH AND THE OLIVE GROVE is a haunting and troubling crime story.' (Barry Forshaw, www.crimetime.co.uk )
'When I first reviewed DEATH IN AUGUST by Marco Vichi back in June 2011 I knew before I'd finished reading the book that Hodder had a hit on their hands . . . [they] have once again delivered an outstanding package combining an envious narrative, a colourful and multi-faceted detective and a cornucopia of Italian food to die for . . . Magical and moreish'
(www.milorambles.com on DEATH AND THE OLIVE GROVE )'[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 )
'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 )
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Eight months have passed since the ending of Death in August. It is spring 1964. Florence is blanketed by the weather once more, but it is not the lethargic heat of late summer. It is the sharp, edgy remains of a winter that doesn't want to leave, covering the city in clouds and rain. The weather sets the mood for the action and Bordelli's reaction to it. There is a desperation in this book that wasn't as obvious in the previous one.
At the start, while it is not possible to say that Bordelli is in his comfort zone (I don't think they existed in 1964), he is getting on with life. Crime happens and he deals with it and all the petty inconveniences that go along with it. Occasionally he gets more fed up than usual and retreats into his memories of the war, especially to the time after the Armistice when he could, at last, fight the real enemy, the Nazis. (It is important to realise that it is less than twenty years since the end of the war.) When he and his men saw an atrocity, even if they could not prevent it, they could at least destroy the perpetrators.
Then two crimes occur: a child is murdered, heralding the start of a spate of child murders and a petty criminal, for whom Bordelli feels responsible, is killed. The child murderer leaves no clues and, powerless to prevent the next murder, Bordelli is paralysed by frustration and rage as public pressure builds on him to catch the murderer. He has more success tracing the killer of his friend, but again, as the spectre of the war rises once more, he is powerless to do anything about it, having to depend on others to deliver the goods.
Bordelli's friends are still there in the background, making sure he eats well and attempting to comfort him, but they are less successful than before. He can't sleep and becomes increasingly fraught. A miracle seems to occur fulfilling his desire for love. Does it bring him happiness?
This is a crime novel, but perhaps the older designation, detective story, is more apposite as it is as much about Bordelli, his life and friends as it is about the crimes and their solutions. What is important is Bordelli's reaction to his work. It is a much darker book than Death in August, but just as engaging, because one really cares about Bordelli and what happens to him.
Once more Stephen Sartarelli has provided us with a masterly translation.
At the start, while it is not possible to say that Bordelli is in his comfort zone (I don't think they existed in 1964), he is getting on with life. Crime happens and he deals with it and all the petty inconveniences that go along with it. Occasionally he gets more fed up than usual and retreats into his memories of the war, especially to the time after the Armistice when he could, at last, fight the real enemy, the Nazis. (It is important to realise that it is less than twenty years since the end of the war.) When he and his men saw an atrocity, even if they could not prevent it, they could at least destroy the perpetrators.
Then two crimes occur: a child is murdered, heralding the start of a spate of child murders and a petty criminal, for whom Bordelli feels responsible, is killed. The child murderer leaves no clues and, powerless to prevent the next murder, Bordelli is paralysed by frustration and rage as public pressure builds on him to catch the murderer. He has more success tracing the killer of his friend, but again, as the spectre of the war rises once more, he is powerless to do anything about it, having to depend on others to deliver the goods.
Bordelli's friends are still there in the background, making sure he eats well and attempting to comfort him, but they are less successful than before. He can't sleep and becomes increasingly fraught. A miracle seems to occur fulfilling his desire for love. Does it bring him happiness?
This is a crime novel, but perhaps the older designation, detective story, is more apposite as it is as much about Bordelli, his life and friends as it is about the crimes and their solutions. What is important is Bordelli's reaction to his work. It is a much darker book than Death in August, but just as engaging, because one really cares about Bordelli and what happens to him.
Once more Stephen Sartarelli has provided us with a masterly translation.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I enjoyed the first of the Inspector Bordelli novels, not a lot but enough to give it a positive review. It is not neccessary to read these stories in the correct order.
This second outing has a different, much darker, feel to it reflected in the weather. The story is simpler and the solution seems to come in a rush, as it did in the first book, but the narrative flows well and the characters are well drawn. I have now learnt to enjoy the disconnected meanderings as whilst they are not part of the story they are appropriate to the background and enhance the experience of mid twentieth century Florence.
It was pleasing to find that the Inspector has a heart which is moved by the cases he deals with and by the beautiful women he comes across. I wonder why Rosa puts up with his moods though.
An enjoyable read.
This second outing has a different, much darker, feel to it reflected in the weather. The story is simpler and the solution seems to come in a rush, as it did in the first book, but the narrative flows well and the characters are well drawn. I have now learnt to enjoy the disconnected meanderings as whilst they are not part of the story they are appropriate to the background and enhance the experience of mid twentieth century Florence.
It was pleasing to find that the Inspector has a heart which is moved by the cases he deals with and by the beautiful women he comes across. I wonder why Rosa puts up with his moods though.
An enjoyable read.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This entertaining novel takes up where the previous installment, Death in August, left off. More murders are shocking the people of Florence and Bordelli, Piras and co are on the case. Like the earlier book this book is reminscent of British "Golden Age" detective novels in its style and pace, with Bordelli solving the case with lots of good food and grappa. Bordelli himself is still drinking and smoking far too much, and the subject of a serial killer of children makes it a rather darker novel than Death in August. Nevertheless, Bordelli gets it solved in the end and it's nice to catch up again with everyone from the first novel. It's not necessary to have read that first novel, however the solution is revealed to that book so it may be worth reading both in order. Despite being set in 1960s Florence, like the earlier book it could be set at any time and almost any place, with occasional mentions of the fine Tuscan city to enliven the story. A worthy successor to the first book, and I look forward to the third Bordelli novel.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A pleasure to enjoy at leisure
The authors style does take a while to get used to, its quite unlike British detectives in style, but at least it doesn't pretend to be hard hitting and horrible as per the recent... Read more
Published 1 month ago by trishthedish
death and the olive grove
not easy to get into this book but got more interested as the chapters unfolded. good thriller material and not too long winded
Published 1 month ago by Mrs. Susanne Willshaw
A Good Follow Up
Bordelli is definitely devloping into a more melancholy version of Camilleri's Montalbano.
All the ingredients are there, not least the wonderful translation by Mr... Read more
All the ingredients are there, not least the wonderful translation by Mr... Read more
Published 1 month ago by The Dunelmian
Not bad
The story starts promisingly, if a little familiarly ("A dead body - come quickly - oh, it's gone"), and continues well. Read more
Published 1 month ago by S. Hill
An Italian Inspector with a gritty past
When I started reading this book, I was initially worried that it might seem a little similar to Andrea Camileri's Inspector Montalbano stories - for a start, they have the same... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Annabel Gaskell
A darker type of story
The first Bordelli book was in some ways a scene-setter. We know him a little better now, though he is still slipping little nuggets of information out. Read more
Published 4 months ago by G. Brack
Engrossing read...............
The second book by this author.
This is my first experience of Marco Vichi, a young Italian talent and I was not disappointed. Read more
This is my first experience of Marco Vichi, a young Italian talent and I was not disappointed. Read more
Published 5 months ago by L. Hay
Inspector Bordelli gets a little darker
I enjoyed the first book , but there was very little crime in the last one and he was more like an Italian "coloumbo" . In this one the crimes are nasty and disturbing. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Mrs. T. SALMON
Death and the Olive Grove
Having really enjoyed the first Inspector Bordelli novel Death in August (Inspector Bordelli), I was really looking forward to the second in the series, and it didn't disappoint. Read more
Published 5 months ago by S Riaz
A little disappointing.
I enjoyed the first Inspector Bordelli novel and gave it a positive review, it was quirky and just that little bit different. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Mondoro
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