The author Michele Giuttari was an Italian police chief from 1995 to 2003 who was involved in fighting the Mafia. He became a best selling novelist whose fictional police hero, Michele Ferrara, is also involved in fighting the Mafia.
FLORENTINE DEATH
This is Book 1 in the series about Chief Superintendent Michele Ferrara. He is investigating a series of brutal and apparently random murders.
CONNIE: The first few chapters got her confused. She couldn't keep pace with the people. Once she got all the murders sorted it was okay. She found it complicated and too fragmented but she enjoyed it at the end when it was all sorted out. She would like to try another one of his books.
ED: This is the author's first book. It was easy to read but the names were hard to pronounce. She said it was well done and she suspected the identity of the serial killer.
DIANE: It flowed well and leads you on a merry chase. Inspector Ferrara receives threatening letters. There is emphasis on the priests and what they were doing. "All in all a good read" Di said.
JUDY J: She read it on the plane. She thought it was a bit clumsily written. The dialogue was corny in places. Very quickly something happens, right at the end. Judy also said it didn't given you a feel of the city.
LESLEY: She also read it on the plane, but only got half way through. She said it could have been set anywhere. She quite enjoyed it but thought the characters were not well drawn. She said it was a bit simple but would like to finish the book.
DEATH IN TUSCANY
This is Book 2 in the series. In a picturesque Tuscan town the body of a scantily dressed young girl is discovered lying by the edge of the woods.
PAMELA: It begins with the death of a young girl. She is thought to have died of an overdose. Inspector Ferrara is not convinced. The plot becomes complicated and convoluted. There are two police forces and there are always problems between them about who has the right to conduct the investigation. A lot of different things are going on and Pamela found it a bit incredible when a solution was so easily found. She said it was an okay read with a satisfactory conclusion.
SHEILA: She didn't like it and couldn't remember what it was about. She also said the translation wasn't all that good.
PAT: There was one murder and one kidnapping and Pat enjoyed reading the book to see how they were connected. It was easy to follow but seem to go on and on a bit in the middle. She got the feeling it was true to life as the author was head of the flying squad before he became a writer.
BEV: She enjoyed every minute of it. Read it in a day and a half. She liked the way it all fitted together. Bev enjoyed the story and the conclusion.
DEATH OF A MAFIA DON
This is Book 3 in the series. As Ferrara is driving to work through the busy streets of Florence, a bomb explodes putting him in hospital. Ferrara has only recently organized the arrest of a Mafia boss.
KRIS: A Mafia boss is found dead in his cell and Inspector Ferrara is determined to find answers. There is military involvement and talk of terrorism, as well as talk of rival groups within the Mafia. All the different names of the Mafia were confusing and it was difficult to keep track of who's who but apart from that, it was an easy, quick read. It was quite enjoyable with lots of twists and turns.
TAM: She thought there were too many characters at once and it could have been set anywhere. She still thought it was good and an easy read.
ROSEMARIE: She thought the characters weren't well developed and it was far too long. She didn't like the style and said perhaps something was lost in the translation from Italian to
English.
CLAURENE: She found the names difficult and there were too many people.
DARK HEART OF FLORENCE
This is Book 6 in the series. After enduring years at the mercy of a serial killer, the people of Florence rejoice at news of his death until a senator is found brutally murdered.
JUDY A: A senator and his butler are savagely murdered. You soon know who did it but Judy kept reading it to find out. She said is was amateurly written and she wouldn't read another one of his books.
DEATH UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN
This is Book 7 in the series. In a dark prison cell, a serial killer plans his retribution.
VAL: She had read this author many years ago. She read it in 2003 and enjoyed this one and read several others. She didn't remember his books could be so gruesome. She feels the author is writing very much from experience.
A DEATH IN CALABRIA
This is Book 4 in the series. Calabria, a wild and beautiful region of Italy is home to a deadly organized Mafia crime operation.
JOAN: It's the story of the Ndrangheta - the Calabrian Mafia formed around 1890. There is a death in the USA leading back to the root problem of drug smuggling in Calabria. The Sicilian Mafia are weakened and the Calabrian Mafia take the opportunity. Joan said it was very mediocre. She thought it was shades of juvenile and compared the Mafia wives luxuriating on couches to a Joan Collins story.
DIANN: She enjoyed the Godfather novels so she enjoyed reading this book but hasn't had time to finish. Giuttari's writing is simple and she would recommend his novels.
WENDY: It was complicated with lots of different characters and too many law enforcement agencies. The Mafia wives drove her mad and she felt they were unnecessary to the plot. Wendy thought it might be the translation from Italian to English. She read it all but would not read another one.
JULIA: There were too many characters and she only got half way through. She did enjoy it and thought the flashbacks from New York to Calabria were done well.
JO: She read it and enjoyed the story.
CHARIS: She liked the way it carried across from USA to Calabria. It was easy to read and quite a good read but she was frustrated with the descriptions of the men. Charis said she was not enamoured with the writing style and thought it was more a journalistic style of writing.
JUDY D: She did finish it but wouldn't read another one. Judy does like murder mysteries and the Italian author, Donna Leon but didn't want to read about the Mafia and politics.
OTHER BOOKS RECOMMENDED
PRUE: THE SHADOW DISTRICT by ARNALDUR INDRIDASON
The story is about a modern day detective solving cold cases from the war. It's the first in a series of wartime mysteries set in Iceland. One chapter is current and one is in the past. She liked the differences between the people from the country and the city. Prue liked the book and said it was an easy read.
MARINA: OMERTA by MARIO PUZO
Omerta means Sicilian code of honour for silence. The plot centres around a New York mob boss who is assassinated and no-one will talk. The story is beautifully told from a cultural perspective. The characters depict the world we live in today - the politicians lie, the rich are merciless in their power struggles; the poor are vicious and then there are the law enforcers who justify whatever promotes their aims and interests, while receiving rewards from the proceeds of crime. Marina always enjoyed reading Mario Puzo's books.
APRIL: DI MORRISSEY
Choose your own titles
MAY: KAZUO ISHIGURO
Remains of the Day, Never Let Me Go, The Unconsoled, When We Were Orphans
Kris
