A great crime thriller but the real star is Bologna!

• Book: A Quiet Death in Italy
• Location: Bologna
• Author: Tom Benjamin

Review Author: NickL

I loved Tom Benjamin’s first novel ‘A Quiet Death in Italy’. Yes, it’s a good crime thriller where everything is not quite as it seems, and it’s got some great characters, but the real star is Bologna itself. The novel really captures the city in all its beauty, history and complexity. As the story unfolds you step past the medieval buildings, porticos and piazzas to see the city’s seamy underside as well as the lifestyle of its richest citizens. Mixed in with all this is a back-story of red brigade terrorists, anarchists, bent cops and corrupt politicians but, as is always the case in Italy, no one is ever quite who they seems. You’re left scratching your head wondering who the good guys really are right to the end (and beyond, I really couldn’t decide about some of the characters). A great read for anyone who likes crime yarns but loves Italy.

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