End Games - 11

From Publishers WeeklyThe wry 11th and final Insp. Aurelio Zen mystery (after 2006's Back to Bologna) will leave the series' many fans in renewed mourning for Gold Dagger–winner Dibdin (1947-2007). When the corpse of American attorney Peter Newman is discovered in Calabria after an apparent botched kidnapping, Zen finds himself probing the rumor that Newman was not only born in Italy but heir to a family of southern Italian landowners. The detective must sort out other possible motives for the crime, including the dead man's work for an eccentric Hollywood producer hoping to outdo Mel Gibson with a film based on the Book of Revelations. The writing occasionally soars (There is a unique flavor of melancholy to remote railway stations during the long intervals between the arrival and departure of trains), and Zen's apt observations of his country's foibles and the unromantic portrayal of Calabria help to balance the sometimes brutal plot. This quirky series will be missed. (Aug.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review"Didbin's Italy-based Aurelio Zen tales are among the best in the mystery genre."--_The Boston Globe _"Didbin has an abundance of gifts: bracing wit, the ability to wring unexpected poignance out of dark comedy, and a gift for striking imagery."--_The Wall Street Journal _"Didbin belongs to that hierarchy of innovative stylists who make it a point of honor never to repeat a singal trick."--_The New York Times Book Review _"Didbin's work deserves comparison with such...giants as Raymond Chandler."--_The Oregonian _"Didbin is esential reading for those who love mysteries and Italy without illusions."--_The Washington Post_