The Marshal Guarnaccia mysteries, set in Florence, are really wonderful books, both for the Florence setting and the character of Guarnaccia and the many other Florentine types he encounters.
The author, Magdalen Nabb, an Englishwoman and longtime Florence resident, died of a stroke last summer at age 60. But her last Guarnaccia book, Vita Nuova, is supposed to be out this spring, according to the Italian mysteries website. I can't find any other information about this on the net. Does anyone know anything more? I'm almost done with the series, sad to say, and looking for that last title.
Fixed minor typo in title.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Doru,
Posts: 437 | Location: Boston MA | Registered: 19 December 2006
That's great news--thank you. Can't believe I didn't think to check Amazon--just Googled away on "Nabb" and "Guarnaccia". The website for Magdalen Nabb doesn't mention the new book--odd. And how I wish someone would film these--what an opportunity to show off Florence.
Posts: 437 | Location: Boston MA | Registered: 19 December 2006
Thanks for the alert on that, Ginny; I love those books, too. The Marshal is such a great character. And it reminded me that I have to sign up on the library reserve list for the new Donna Leon, which comes out in May.
Maybe one of you Italy residents, or geniuses, has a few mystery books in you? Surely on this board we have the makings of the next Dibdin or whoever! (Don't look at me!)
Charnee Smit: Italian in a previous life.
Posts: 277 | Location: San Leandro, CA | Registered: 21 September 2007
Just notified by my library that they are holding the new Magdalen Nabb for me, so it is out there now for the other fans of Marshal Guarnaccia.
Oddly, there is only one of her books that seems to be unavailable in the US--a mystery in itself. It's called The Monster of Florence and is based on a real case, like her others. My library could not get it for me thru a nationwide search. They said the few libraries that owned it refused to lend it thru ILL--interesting.
Posts: 437 | Location: Boston MA | Registered: 19 December 2006
I am also a fan of mysteries set in Italy (nostalgia for the 2+ years I spent there in the late 70's). There are some other options besides the already-mentioned series by Dibdin, Nabb, and Leon.
Andrea Camilleri is an Italian writer whose Inspector Montalbano series set in Sicily is enormously popular in Italy. Several were made into television movies, and 8 or 9 have been translated into English.
Englishman David Hewson has written several rather gory mysteries, several featuring Roman police officer Nic Costa.
The "Art History" series by Iain Pears featuring Jonathan Argyll is set in Italy and is worth seeking out; I think they were published in the 90's and early 00's.
Bari's prosecutor, Gianrico Carofiglio, has started a series about an attorney that I've enjoyed - in part, because I lived in the area.
There are many Italian crime/mystery writers. Several are featured in a short story collection "Crimini" (no, not the mushrooms) published by Bitter Lemon.
I've just discovered Grace Brophy and her new one A deadly paradise, which is partly set in Venice. She gets compared to Donna Leon, of course, but it's more interesting to spot the ways in which they differ. Commissario Cenni is not a family man - he's more your troubled and obsessed loner, but he thankfully doesn't write poetry or have a thing for the opera. (He does have a cat though, called Rachel.) As a character he'll remind you more of Michael Dibdin's Aurelio Zen and the story has a more muscular feel and more nastiness and bad people than Donna Leon usually gives us. Strong stuff.
I've also been reading these books. I love Brunetti, but the cynicism is almost depressing. But I think that is part of the point of those books.
I have a general question I havn't really figured out.
What is the difference between the police (polizia) and the carabineri? And the questura?
Not really clear to me from either Leon or Nabb... And Brunetti's title seems to be commissario, but he is also sometimes called dottore. Is that "doctor"?
thanks.
Posts: 52 | Location: Oakland, CA | Registered: 06 February 2007
Originally posted by Bryan Gros: I've also been reading these books. I love Brunetti, but the cynicism is almost depressing. But I think that is part of the point of those books.
Gosh, are you sure you are thinking about Brunetti? I'd have said he was the least cynical of all the detectives I've come across. How many others are happily married with a fairly normal family life, young kids and all? Usually detectives seem to be loner's with a real problem settling down. Brunetti doesn't think much of his boss, and he has issues with some of his colleagues, but then who doesn't?
I recently read A Florentine Death which I would heartily recommend. The author was a cop himself and the story seems to be semi-autobiographical. Fortunately, I didn't read that it was until after I'd finished the book otherwise I might have been put off by the portrayal of himself as a major Italian crime fighter. If you read it totally as fiction though, it's well done.
Beebee
Posts: 1951 | Location: London, UK | Registered: 09 September 2002
Originally posted by Bryan Gros: I've also been reading these books. I love Brunetti, but the cynicism is almost depressing. But I think that is part of the point of those books.
Gosh, are you sure you are thinking about Brunetti? I'd have said he was the least cynical of all the detectives I've come across.
I didn't mean that Brunetti himself was cynical, but the books in general highlight the public's belief that all levels of government are currupt and there's little that can be done. In the 3 I have ready, the crime's sometimes go unpunished, covered up by some nameless entity, or a minor crook gets the blame and the rich get off free. This may be an accurate portrayal of Italian sentiment, I don't know. (probably true of the US as well, to some extent). And Brunetti's superior is almost two lame to be believable.
I've only read two of the Nabb books, but I find more of Venice in the Brunetti books than I've found of Florence in the Nabb books. Not that I didn't enjoy them. But, like you, I enjoy the portrayal of the character of Brunetti, his drive for justice despite the prevailing sentiment, and his family life.
Posts: 52 | Location: Oakland, CA | Registered: 06 February 2007
Yes, Leon's books are nearly all characterized by the idea that Venice and Italy are on a downward journey, that rich and powerful people commit crimes and go unpunished whereas poor and powerless people are punished severely for even minor infractions. It's also had to read more than a couple of chapters without a comment referring to the negative effect of Americans on Venice and Venetians: The crowds of them (us), their low tastes (compared to that of Brunetti and his friends), their superficial values, the creep of Americanisms into Italian speech. Never even mind her descriptions of Rom society in the last book.
This is not to say Leon's observations are untrue, rather that she is heavy-handed about it.
Being aware of the corruption and ills of society doesn't make you cynical, just a realist.
American/Americans is/are not always, realistically speaking, seen as 'a good thing' throughout Europe and the rest of the World. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
'A Florentine Death' is a very bad book written by a bad man - one of the corrupt cops who Brunetti is up against.
What is the difference between the police (polizia) and the carabineri? And the questura?
Not really clear to me from either Leon or Nabb... And Brunetti's title seems to be commissario, but he is also sometimes called dottore. Is that "doctor"?
Mr. Gros posted these questions earlier and no one has answered yet. I have also wondered the same things. Does anyone know?
What is the difference between the police (polizia) and the carabineri? And the questura?
The carabinieri are military and the polizia are civilian. Here is a wikipedia article about the various Italian police forces. The Questura is a headquarters office of the polizia, see here.
