Superior Holiday NovelJuly 4, 2008 wolf This first novel is an entertaining and engaging gothic thriller. Plausiblity and realism take something of a backseat to atmosphere and plot. Venice hasn't seemed so sinister since Don't Look Now. No one invloved, at least from the skewed perspective of its narrator, appears particularly normal - and many are grotesques. The central character perhaps owes something of a debt to Patricia Highsmith's sympathetic monster, Ripley. The result was more than enough to keep me turning the pages.
The only problem is the ending. Not only did its general nature seem guessable, but I was disappointed that it seemed so poorly executed - reduced to something fairly ludicrous for the sake of a twist in the tail.
Incidently, please note that the other review here really should have some sort of spoiler warning since it pretty well gives it away. [appears to now have been edited to remove this]
good enough to want to read more by this authorJune 7, 2008 G. THORBURN(Scotland UK) I was hooked immediately by this book - I was right there in Venice with Adam and his strange experiences getting to know the reclusive author.
I liked the gradual exposition of Adam's past and I expected some twists in the tale - and there were plenty of them that I didn't see coming and delighted me - but the ending left too many unanswered questions - Still good enough to make me want to read anything else this author writes.
