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Booklist: "This short but nearly flawless novel offers an intriguing and satisfying blend of crime and literary fiction."

Date: Sep 22 2008

This short but nearly flawless novel offers an intriguing and satisfying blend of crime and literary fiction. When one of the tenants in a Rome apartment building dies, the police suspect another resident and interview each one. The entire book is a series of first-person testimonies—one from each of the residents—alternating with first-person diaries from fellow resident Amedeo, the main suspect who has disappeared without a trace. This literary device works remarkably well and is used without pause from first page to last. While it can be slightly disconcerting for the reader to jump among so many different points of view, the multifaceted character profiles that begin to develop are fascinating, particularly as the monologues discuss the bulding’s elevator, a source of great conflict among all the residents. Recommend to crime readers looking for something unusual or those who prefer character development over plot and action, and literary fiction readers interested in Italy and crime stories.