Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Aug 2010
288 pages
Genre: Thrillers
Publication Information
Paperback. The locals in the southern Italian town where he lives call him Signor Farfalla - Mr. Butterfly: for he is a discreet gentleman who paints rare butterflies. His life is inconspicuous - mornings spent brushing at a canvas, afternoons idling in the cafes, and evening talks with his friend the town priest over a glass of brandy.
Yet there are other sides to this gentleman's life: Clara: the young student who moonlights in the town bordello. And another woman who arrives with $100,000 and a commission, but not for a painting of butterflies.
With this assignment returns the dark fear that has dogged Signor Farfalla's mysterious life. Almost instantly, he senses a deadly circle closing in on him, one which he may or may not elude. Part thriller, part character study, part drama of deceit and self-betrayal, A Very Private Gentleman shows Martin Booth at the very height of his powers.
"[B]rilliantly creepy psychological suspense...With first-rate characters and a gradual buildup of suspense, Booth constructs his most focused, tightly written novel to date, reminiscent of William Trevor's classic Felicia's Journey and the late Patricia Highsmith's Ripley novels.
"Starred Review. Readers looking for thought-provoking literary fiction can't do any better than this." - Booklist
"Booth has no trouble creating the beautifully detailed thoughts of this cool customer, but it may be difficult for some readers to believe the combination of intellect and industrial skills. ... The scenery, however, is always exquisite. Bitter, but possibly good for you. Like those Italian digestive liquori." - Kirkus
"Suspense builds artfully in this classy novel, and the prose is measured carefully." - Library Journal
"With Farfalla, Booth has created a rich, conflicted anti-hero whose clever rationalizations mask a soul weary with self-doubt." - The Boston Globe
"With this book, Booth sets an interesting triple task for himself. It is a psychological suspense thriller, yet it is invested with the life-and-death gravitas more typically found in a conventional novel. It also contains such a finely honed appreciation for the Italian culture that it could be construed as a travelogue." - The Seattle Times
This information about The American was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Martin Booth is a critically acclaimed novelist and a documentary and feature film writer. He has written thirteen novels including Islands of Silence, Hiroshima Joe, and The Industry of Souls. His most recent non-fiction books include Opium: A History and The Doctor, the Detective and Arthur Conan Doyle - a biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A Very Private Gentleman was first published in hardcover in 2004.
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