Candida Martinelli's Italophile Site News-Web-log, my YouTube Channel, or Browse all Italy Posters at AllPosters, and my shops at Zazzle & PrintFection
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Gialli
- Mystery Books and Police Thriller Series set in Italy
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| Venice from above, the setting for more than one series on the page.
This link goes to the Amazon.com Kindle page for Italy Mysteries.
Here is an image of the canal-level entrance to the Grand Canal palace Ca' Rezzonico.
And the main staircase of Ca' Rezzonico.
And a view from the top floor, looking out on the garden in the back (to the right), and the view over the rooftops and rio (a small canal).
Check out my other Books Set in Italy Pages
Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome, the seat of the Italian government and a setting that occurs from time to time in Pears' books'
Venice sitting on the water, the setting for vice-commissario Guido Brunetti's investigations
Carabinieri and their "Gazzella" and helicopter, like the ones used by Marshal Guarnaccia in Florence, click on the helicopter to go to the official Carabinieri site (in Italian).
Marshal Guarnaccia's office is part of Pitti Palace in Florence. It's the part protruding on the left, a Carabinieri office, in the books, I'm not sure in real life.
Images from "Il Commissario Montalbano", an Italian series of film-length episodes based on Andrea Camillieri's police procedural novels, several of which have been translated into English.
The Montalbano series is filmed on location in Sicily which brings stunning locations to the police-dramas. And they score it with Sicilian music for added flavor. Dear to Montalbano's heart is eating, especially at his favorite restaurant with his favorite chef. He's known to lie to colleagues and girlfriend about his whereabouts to conceal his preference for eating over their company.
The series stars Luca Zingaretti and is a huge hit in Italy and Germany (a German actress plays his long-suffering girlfriend).
Here are some clips via YouTube.
Also see my pages:
Historical Novels set in Italy
If you're interested in books set in Italy, but not necessarily mysteries, you can use this Search tool to find what you are looking for from Amazon.com. Just enter 'Books' in the 'Search' field, and something like 'thriller Italy' in the 'Keywords' field. Then click on the 'Go' button to see the list of thrillers set in Italy, or having to do with Italy. You can combine 'Italy' with whatever genre interests you: biography, history, humor, inspirational... |
Edward Sklepowich and Urbino MacIntyre Iain Pears and his Jonathan Argyll Donna Leon and her Guido Brunetti Magdalen Nabb and her Marshal Guarnaccia Michael Dibdin and his Aurelio Zen Andrea Camilleri and his Commissario Montalbano Beverle Graves Myers and her Tito Amato
IntroductionGiallo is Italian for the color yellow, and this was the color of the covers on police thrillers and mysteries printed in Italy for quite a long time. Since then, the book cover color has became the common name for a mystery or a police thriller in book and any other form.
Edward Sklepowich and his Urbino MacIntyreEdward Sklepowich's detective is amateur sleuth and longtime Venice resident Urbino MacIntyre. MacIntyre is an ex-pat from the States and an author of biographies of Italophiles who have lived in Venice. His partners in sleuthing are an Italian Countess and Venice, both beautiful and glorious. Sklepowich is a solid writer who leaves no loose ends, and who writes in the style of the classic mystery writers. These are not police procedurals, but the classic three act mysteries, with the murder happening at the end of Act I, after we've met all the potential suspects. Lengthy ruminations on facts uncovered fill Act II. And the killer is revealed at the end of Act III, followed by an Epilogue that wraps up all the loose ends. Here are direct links to some of the books in the series at Amazon.com. I've purchased the books at wonderfully reasonable prices, secondhand, from Better World Books, who ship worldwide for free.
The author was inspired by Henry James, with his first proposal for the series, actually intending on having Henry James as the sleuth. I imagine the Contessa character might have been originally intended as Mrs. Arthur (Katherine) Bronson, a famous ex-pat society hostess and philanthropist who lived in Venice for twenty years, had a Grand Canal villa, and who was a close, platonic friend of Henry James. All of James's friends were platonic, something which seems to interest people today, more than his novels or essays. There has been much too much speculation about the neurotic, talented man's sexuality. Most hypothesize that Mr. James was a closeted, celibate homosexual. But there is no proof for it. He could have simply been a heterosexual celibate, as he claimed. So the speculation is moot. Sklepowich departs from Henry's model during the course of the Urbino MacIntyre series. Urbino is presented in the early books as repressed, bookish, eccentric, and asexual, despite a weakness for flirty, green-eyed redheads (auburn). His relationship with the Contessa Barbara is emotionally intimate but not physically intimate. By the end of the book Black Bridge, the Contessa is gently leading Urbino out of the closet, telling him that he is too young to lock himself away in celibacy, and that passion comes in all shapes and forms, and that a woman needs more in a relationship that what Urbino can offer. And at the end of the book Death in the Palazzo, the Contessa gives her blessing when Urbino escapes to Morocco with her androgynous, gay and very young nephew, who also happens to be a flirty, green-eyed redhead. Urbino is spared having to tell the Contessa. He is relieved to discover that she already knows, and has known, about his repressed sexuality. At the beginning of the next book, Deadly to the Sight, the Contessa welcomes Urbino back from a two-year stay in Morocco. Urbino returns with a very young Moroccan lover, Habib, not a green-eyed redhead, perhaps suggesting a maturing of his sexuality. Urbino had a falling out with the Contessa's nephew, and met Habib soon afterward. Urbino's sexuality is downplayed and never spoken of directly. Only subtle allusions are made to or about it. In fact, Urbino is said to approve of lies, presumably about private things such as sexuality, in this imperfect world of ours, because the truth might cause too much damage to the innocent. In Deadly to the Sight, Urbino refuses to state directly to the police, who suspect Urbino's young friend of murder, that Habib is Urbino's lover. This is to protect Habib from the repercussions he would suffer from, presumably, his conservative family, if their relationship were discovered to be something other their professed public patron-protégé relationship. I imagine it was necessary for the author to let Urbino out of the closet, because in today's world, even with the remaining homophobia, a supposedly Henry-James-like repression is less believable in an American-born, Europeanized ex-patriot. The novels continue with Urbino often solving the murders when his lover is busy elsewhere, conveniently leaving Urbino alone with Contessa Barbara, Urbino's "Watson".
Iain Pears and his Jonathan ArgyllIain Pears writes a series featuring art historian Jonathan Argyll and the woman who becomes his wife during the run of the series, Flavia di Stefano, a member of an Italian police squad that aims to prevent the theft of art from Italy's famous museums, private collections, and churches. Of all the series on this page, I have to admit this is my favorite, and I've read books from them all!
My list of this author's books at Amazon.com
Donna Leon and her Guido BrunettiDonna Leon authors a police procedural series set in Venice and featuring Guido Brunetti, a vice-commissario of the Venice police. I've read six of the Brunetti series books, but I think I'll pass on the rest. Ms. Leon's books have become progressively more offensive in the views espoused by her characters, often having nothing to do with the plot, but seemingly only there to introduce views held by the author in an unpleasant soapbox manner. Those views are unpleasant, to say the least, concerning:
Here is a quote from Ms. Leon from an interview she gave to a Scottish paper: "I trust intelligence more than I trust feeling. I guess that makes me not an American. I go back as seldom as possible. I haven't lived there for over 40 years, so why should I? To eat badly? To look at fat people? Why should I want to be there? It's like being with teenagers, being with Americans. They are always willing good things, feeling good things, having good intentions, but they don't do anything." There were worse things in the interview, but I'll leave it there, along with my recommendation to pass on her books, no matter how much you might be an Italophile and no matter how beautiful Venice is. And the books in the series seem less polished as they continue, in my opinion. Leon doesn't bother to keep track of characteristics she has assigned to Brunetti, contradicting them later, and even altering the arrangement of his apartment. There are copious loose ends and weak plots. The books come across as rush jobs so the author can get the money from them, and move quickly on to what interests her more, with little respect for her readers. Her editor seems to have done nothing more than look for typos. The writer comes across to me as a thoroughly unpleasant person. And I don't like to help make thoroughly unpleasant people make money. Venice deserves a better book series than this one. Try Edward Sklepowich's series. Oh, and don't trust the Amazon reviews. They seem to be hijacked by her publishing company's drones. Lots of suspicious 5 star reviews. C.M.
Magdalen Nabb and her Marshal GuarnacciaBritish expatriate Magdalen Nabb writes a police procedural series set in her adopted hometown, Florence, featuring Marshal Guarnaccia of the Carabinieri. He's a modest, unambitious type who nevertheless succeeds with plodding police work, moments of inspiration, and deep compassion. To read more about Ms. Nabb and her books, click here to link to her page on a British mystery site.
My list of this author's books at Amazon.com The Carabinieri are actually a branch of the Italian military that reports directly to the Italian head of state, the President. They were set up soon after Italian unification and patterned on the French Gendarmerie. Ms. Nabb passed away in 2008. You can read a lovely endorsement of her work here.
Michael Dibdin and his Aurelio ZenMichael Dibdin has written several Aurelio Zen police procedurals set in various locations in Italy. To read more about Mr. Dibdin and his fictional police inspector Mr. Zen, click here. This links you to Mr. Dibdin's page on his publisher's site. The first three books have been adapted to television as films for British television. Oddly, unlike the British adaptation of the Swedish 'Wallander' mystery books, where all the actors are British, the adaptation of 'Zen', as it is called, mixes British actors with Italian actresses. While this may be 'nice' for the production staff and casting directors, it does disrupt the suspension of disbelief that all those Brits wandering around Naples fighting crime and/or acting corrupt are really Italians. When you have Zen with his neutral British accent, affected by the star, Rufus Sewell, talking with a hot female suspect (and lover) who answers him in what sounds like an impersonation of Sofia Loren, I can't help but think: "Why the Hell are British cops policing Italy?" Here's a clip. See what you think:
Sadly, Mr. Dibdin passed away in 2007. The last book in the Aurelio Zen series was publish posthumously: End Games.
My list of this author's books at Amazon.com
Andrea Camilleri and his Commissario MontalbanoAndrea Camilleri is Italy's most famous writer of gialli. Before he wrote them, he produced them for television, making the acclaimed Maigret series. But it's for his Commissario Montalbano that he's most famous. Montalbano works in Sicily, and when he's not solving crimes and arresting bad guys, he's enjoying the beaches, good wine, great food, and quirky inhabitants of the ancient island. Click here for a wonderful site dedicated to Mr. Camilleri.
My list of this author's books at Amazon.com
The series has been filmed for Italian television and is available on DVD. Be prepared for beautiful location filming, some incomprehensible language, and macho men who lie far too easily to their women, who are not treated with much respect.
More Books Below...
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book:Poole’s first novel begins a historical-mystery series starring Francesca Giordano, a young woman who takes over her father’s job as head poisoner for the Borgia family. Working for Cardinal Borgia as he attempts to become pope is a deadly and dangerous business—Francesca’s father is already dead in mysterious circumstances, and threats lurk everywhere: the Borgias’ meals and clothing must all be checked for poison planted by rival families. But Francesca has one key advantage; no one takes a woman seriously. That’s unfortunate because Francesca happens to be one of the greatest poisoners in late-fifteenth-century Rome.
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Beverle Graves Myers and her Tito Amato
This the first in a series of historical mysteries set in 1700s Venice. From a Reader Review: "Filled with lush description of Venice during Carnivale, its political and social structure, the inner workings of the opera company and Tito's relationships with his family, friends, colleagues and himself, this is a rich, wonderful book. 'I also found it a good mystery with a couple of twists and some good suspense. This is a series I shall definitely follow." Here are other entries in the same series. Visit the author's website.
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David Hewson's Nic Costa
From Publishers Weekly: "...Hewson presents the first in a line of thrillers set in Italy and features detective Nic Costa and an ensemble cast drawn from the ranks of the Rome state police. University professor Sara Farnese is at her desk in the Reading Room of the Vatican Library perusing a 10th-century copy of Apicius's first-century cookbook De Re Coquinaria when former lover and fellow university professor Stefano Rinaldi careens into the room..." More Nic Costa books:
Also see my pages: Historical Fiction set in Italy
This link goes to the Amazon.com Kindle page for Italy Mysteries.
There is a website dedicated to mysteries set in Italy. It is not the easiest site to navigate. But it has some nice interviews with the authors, and list of the books in the series.
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Interrupted
Aria by Beverle Graves Myers
A Season for the Dead
by David Hewson
