Michael Dibdin‘s last book, and the end of Aurelio Zen’s adventures. He (Zen) isn’t the same character as he was in earlier novels, but then we all change as we grow older. Set in a provincial capital in Calabria, a location even more remote than Naples from Zen’s Venetian roots, we find Zen in the … Continue reading “End Games – Michael Dibdin”
Unlike recent reads, I really enjoyed this Aurelio Zen mystery, although the man himself didn’t make an appearance until well past page 40. Set in the independent minded mountain borderlands between Italy and Switzerland, this Zen outing provides a darker by more credible plot stetching back 30 years, and Zen’s sleuthing reveals relationships and careers … Continue reading “Medusa – Michael Dibdin”
I’ve read a lot of Michael Dibdin’s Aurelio Zen series, but Thanksgiving is a very different book. For starters, it’s more of a novella, and its plot is less finely/densely woven. The narrative jumps in time, location and voice, but each chapter builds on and informs the last to produce a though provoking tale of … Continue reading “Thanksgiving – Michael Dibdin”
This most recent Aurelio Zen mystery proved a bit of a disappointment. I’ve missed out on Medusa, the novel that covers events between And then you die and Back to Bologna, which turn out to have been pretty key in relation to Zen’s romantic life. I dislike reading things in the wrong order – it … Continue reading “Back to Bologna – Michael Dibdin”
A bit disappointing this one, especially as I walked straight into the spoiler resulting from the previous instalment in Aurelio Zen’s career and life. I won’t do the same to you, dear reader! Suffice it to say, that this novel lacked the strong characters that have populated Aurelio Zen’s world to date, and Michael Dibdin … Continue reading “And then you die – Michael Dibdin”