A Very Private Gentleman
Martin Booth
(Reviewer - Rebecca Brown)
2004 Thomas Dunne Books
ISBN: 0312309082

The locals call him Signor Farfalla: Mr. Butterfly because he's a harmless old man who paints butterflies for a living.

That is not all this mysterious gentlemen does, wandering summer hills above a southern Italian town. His life might seem innocuous: mornings spent brushing at a canvas, afternoons idling in cafes, & evenings talking with his friend the priest over a glass of brandy. His nights, however, are when his hands are busy crafting something else entirely.

Tucked away, on the top floor of a 600 year old apartment building where the loggia offers a magnificent view of the river valley; where the courtyard gives anonymity, & his CD players masks the sounds of his industry, Signor Farfalla creates his unique & sought-after wares.

Except, this very private gentleman is about to tell you his story, his one regret being he never took on an apprentice to carry on after he retires, & this project will be his last. He knows he is losing his touch & ... his heart. For he is falling in love with the life this little town gives him ... & with Clara, who has stirred more than his loins.

Come then, into Signor Farfalla's world, where beauty & death cohabit quite comfortably. Where anonymity is tantamount, where subterfuge & almost-truths are the language of the day. Where contacts are made via convoluted means, goods are contracted for large sums of cash, projects are accomplished under cover ... & the tranquil bright summer in a charming town is suddenly darkened by the arrival of the shadow-walkers ... whose intentions he must fathom.

A Very Private Gentleman is a very good read! Martin Booth's writing is tasty, smooth & piquant, like ripe peaches plucked from the tree, sparkling & chilled with frissons of suspense, like perfect Italian ice-cream.

An extraordinarily rich & satisfying read, truly a work of art in the form of a thriller. Both Webmaster & I were quite sad to say goodbye to Signor Farfalla: we thoroughly enjoyed his stories & his take on life. We hope he's found some new adventures wherever he landed for he fascinated us, as few protagonists have of late.

More from Martin Booth:
Hiroshima Joe
The Industry of Souls
Islands of Silence
Non-fiction:
The Doctor and the Detective: A Biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Opium: A History
Cannabis: A History
The Book of Cats with George Macbeth
(07/18/04)

Rebecca