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Product Description
The Literary Review
‘A claustrophobic, atmospheric novel, which vividly evokes a city full of ghosts and painted angels.’
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
Only in the beautiful city of Florence can the faces of angels mask a terrifying killer
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This has to be one of the best books I have read in a long while, and I read lots of books all the time. In fact it has prompted me to write this review which is a first. It was written with such intelligence and originality. The author brings Florence alive as she writes so that as you read the book you are really there, and it was such a compulsive read that I finished it within two days. She drops tantalizing hints along the way, that just tease you at the back of your mind as the book unfolds so that you start to think about them a little bit like the main character of the book, or you grasp some of them before the main character, which I think shows the talent of the author. The twists and turns are so clever that by the time the book concludes nothing is obvious, and practically nobody is above suspicion. I loved this book, and went straight out to get hold of 'The Nightspinners'. I will definitely be watching out for any new books that she writes.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is, I believe, the second of Lucretia Grindle's thrillers set in Florence. I am reading them in the wrong order having read Villa Triste first. They only share one character in common, the detective, Pallioti, and his role in this book is less important than in Villa Triste.
The story is told by Mary Warren, an American, and we see everything from her point of view. She has been the victim of a near fatal attack in the Boboli Gardens during which, in an attempt to save her, her husband has been murdered. Two years later, the suspected murderer having been killed in a car crash, she has returned to Florence to be with her lover. She is studying History of Art and sharing a flat with a fellow student, Billy (a woman). She is not open with her fellow students and we begin to have doubts as to whether she is being totally open with us. As other murders come to light, it appears that Mary may have been the victim of a serial killer and not the suspect the police had arrested. Information comes out slowly and unwillingly. As Mary says, she is a very private person and she does not want her life to be controlled by her attacker. Billy is interested in Mary, suspecting there is a mystery and (she says) by googling her, discovers what has happened. She needles and teases Mary until she opens up and reveals what has happened. For Mary, the past is the past, but Billy wants to open things up and discover what has happened. There are more deaths and multiple suspects, among them Mary's lover, two of her fellow students and a priest.
In the end the crimes are solved but a feeling of disquiet remains. The characterisation is very strong. Mary is a complex and not totally sympathetic character. Billy, although anxious to find out the truth, can be difficult and unpleasant. Mary's lover seems too good to be true. The priesthood, as exemplified by members of Opus Dei, is sinister and threatening, but completely credible. (This book is far more effectively derogatory about Opus Dei and its influence on the church than the Da Vinci Code is.) Clichés and stereotypes are avoided. The villain was on my list of suspects, but was not the most obvious.
This is a very powerful thriller. I was completely enthralled but it is not always an enjoyable read.
The story is told by Mary Warren, an American, and we see everything from her point of view. She has been the victim of a near fatal attack in the Boboli Gardens during which, in an attempt to save her, her husband has been murdered. Two years later, the suspected murderer having been killed in a car crash, she has returned to Florence to be with her lover. She is studying History of Art and sharing a flat with a fellow student, Billy (a woman). She is not open with her fellow students and we begin to have doubts as to whether she is being totally open with us. As other murders come to light, it appears that Mary may have been the victim of a serial killer and not the suspect the police had arrested. Information comes out slowly and unwillingly. As Mary says, she is a very private person and she does not want her life to be controlled by her attacker. Billy is interested in Mary, suspecting there is a mystery and (she says) by googling her, discovers what has happened. She needles and teases Mary until she opens up and reveals what has happened. For Mary, the past is the past, but Billy wants to open things up and discover what has happened. There are more deaths and multiple suspects, among them Mary's lover, two of her fellow students and a priest.
In the end the crimes are solved but a feeling of disquiet remains. The characterisation is very strong. Mary is a complex and not totally sympathetic character. Billy, although anxious to find out the truth, can be difficult and unpleasant. Mary's lover seems too good to be true. The priesthood, as exemplified by members of Opus Dei, is sinister and threatening, but completely credible. (This book is far more effectively derogatory about Opus Dei and its influence on the church than the Da Vinci Code is.) Clichés and stereotypes are avoided. The villain was on my list of suspects, but was not the most obvious.
This is a very powerful thriller. I was completely enthralled but it is not always an enjoyable read.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a very good read. It tells of a series of horrible murders in Florence and the unwilling involvement of the heroine, an American called Mary, who has herself come very close to death. It's an excellent story but what make it especially good is the author's feel for location and the sense of atmosphere she manages to create. I had a holiday in Florence five years ago and remember the place as well as you might after one week spent that long ago, but time and again this book brought it all back to me, recalling places and detail I have not thought about in all that time. She captures the beauty, the crumbling age, the culture, the sense of history and the dark-alley sinister quality of the place beautifully and uses it to enhance her story. I enjoyed this book a lot and would recommend it highly.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
You'll need a lot of patience with this one!
Normally, I can 'indulge' a few Americanisms, e.g. 'Anyways' (so overused in this book!), if the book has a strong plot. Read more
Published 1 month ago by MickW
Feet of clay?
This book is written in the present tense, which can make things more immediate. But few authors do it well and I am sorry to say this isn't a good example. Read more
Published 16 months ago by P. Hawkins
Shades of Dan Brown
I was travelling to Italy, so I wanted an easy read, with an Italian theme. I came across this book by chance, and I enjoyed re-experiencing the atmosphere of Florence, although I... Read more
Published on 12 Aug 2007 by Dr. Michael Rowlands
Anyways!
I am about three quarters through this book and am very much enjoying it, I have several 'suspects' floating round my head as to who the killer might be, which is always a sign of... Read more
Published on 4 July 2007 by samueljbookworm
You really cant put it down.
I loved it, you really can't put it down. Sucked in from page 1 all the way to the last page. Will tell everyone I know to buy it now!!
Published on 14 Dec 2006 by M. Richardson
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