Review: A persistent heroine!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 8, 2013
Historical mysteries don’t often land on my reading list, but the complex plot of Death in Bagheria intrigued me and rightly so. The strong characters, detailed settings, and emotional dialogue transported me to a different time and place—1870 in Sicily, to be exact—and held my attention to the end. Eloquent writing moves the story forward at a steady pace while offering visual treats along the way: “…his face like the chiseled stroke of a master sculptor, dark hair tightly curled in the back…”The author creates a realistic ambiance at every turn and fills it with memorable characters, like Serafina, a fearless and tenacious protagonist who is hired to seek out a killer. Poignant scenes depicting Serafina’s life with her family and her secret love affair with Loffredo add realism to the storyline and further develop the characters.The plot offers unexpected twists and turns, and suspense builds as Serafina runs into dangerous confrontations while digging up clues. But nothing deters our persistent heroine, and the mystery is skillfully wrapped up in the last pages, making this book an enjoyable read!