The book of secrets / Anna Mazzola
What is it: a story of poison, death, and intrigue
Did I like it: very much so
Reader123, thank you for providing me with this category because it turned out to be a thrill of a read! I love reading historical fiction so I have to say it was a treat to have this on the challenge!
This story is set in 1659, which is definitely not World War Two.
It takes place in Rome and kicks off when young prosecutor Stefano is appointed lead investigator for the case of a mysterious death. Rome, like most of Europe, is just recovering from years of the plague, and the people in power want to prevent another disease spreading like wildfire. Stefano, eager to prove himself worthy, teams up with a doctor who can help him with the necessary medical insights. They quickly conclude that this isn’t about a disease but poison, and because the list of mysterious deaths keeps growing, the pressure is now on them to track down the poisoner.
The Governor of Rome and the Pope are so eager to get this solved, that Stefano is allowed to have his own taskforce, and a building to house all suspects. This building is an abandoned jail that was used during the inquisition and handily still has the torture rooms intact.
Soon, the prison is filling up with suspects, as Stefano closes in on the source of the problem. As he gets deeper and deeper into the investigation, Stefano slowly starts to lose himself in the process and even though friends and family warn him to step back, quitting is not an option for him, afraid as he is to lose face.
The story is alternately told from Stefano’s perspective, and those of Anna and Giolama. Anna and Giolama are two of his many suspects. All his female suspects astound Stefano, but none as much as Anna and Giolama. Giolama is uneducated and of a lower class yet she manages to outwit Stefano whenever he questions her. Anna is a woman of a higher class, with money and connections. How can she possibly be involved with poisoners or have a reason to want to kill her husband?
Stefano’s views of women are frustrating because although he seems at times aware that society, and especially the law, does not favor them, he refuses to understand that he can make a change and by not doing so he is part of the problem.
I guess that’s what defines the patriarchy even to this day, which is doubly frustrating as we’re four-hundred years on and not enough has changed.
This book proved difficult to put down: it’s well-written, and the buildup around the mystery is well-paced, getting more pressing by the page.
Very impressive that this story is based on true events. Imagine! The author explains a bit about the process of turning such an old event into a story, and provides some further reading materials for those that are interested. I am, but I’ve already got some follow-up material ready so keep an eye out for that!
Bookworm in the City 