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In Blood Rain, Zen has been exiled to Sicily under the guise of acting as a sort of watchdog, observing a recently reestablished anti-Mafia taskforce. By the nature of the locale--Sicily makes its own rules--the fact that the work of this commission will inevitably be compromised seems clear. But where the cracks in the system will reveal themselves is harder to figure out until, of course, it's too late. Distracted by his dying mother back in Rome and by the island's perverse feuds and even stranger loyalties, and paying not quite enough attention to the professional travails of his beautiful adopted daughter, Carla, a computer specialist, Zen travels his usual idiosyncratic route to a crime's resolution. As always, he is most intrigued by the ambiguities of the situation--and is doomed to be the sacrificial scapegoat.
Dibdin seems to be incapable of writing a bad book, and the Zen novels are his best work. Blood Rain causes the reader to gasp frequently in genuine surprise, as well as in admiration for the way Dibdin accomplishes his effects. The intensity of these sensations is something to be grateful for, since most books these days, even with their ability to shock, make us feel so little. --Otto Penzler
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Don't forget the authentic background detail,
By MR JESSE A LAWRENCE "Jess" (Sandy, Bedfordshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Blood Rain: An Aurelio Zen Mystery (Paperback)
Great read.Don't internationalize it too much. For example, Corinna Nunziatella's mother came from some, apparently obscure place called Manchester. Yet, she joked to Carla Arduini that the only time her mother had been abroad was to the Isle of Man. Michael Dibdin sometimes forgets which audience he is addressing -you'd have to be British to appreciate the Isle of Man joke but the reference to Manchester probably appeals to an American audience. I found B. Jones Diary (the film) confused at times. The language, clothes and setting were aimed at the American market at times. Nevertheless,Mr Dibdin's books are wonderful. You can even forgive him for the earth tremor which allows Zen to appear in the May new release. Don't kill him off yet - who knows, Zen could end up in an old people's home eventually and solving mysteries such as who's hogging the Umberto Echo.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Characterization but What About the Story,
By A Customer
This review is from: Blood Rain: An Aurelio Zen Mystery (Paperback)
Blood Rain is a dark and melancholy book that, sadly, only captures a part of the essence of Sicily. However, the part it captures is perfect. In this book, Aurelio Zen is...Aurelio Zen, and he's even more human and fallible than in the six books preceding.Michael Dibdin is certainly a prose master and Blood Rain is a wonderful showcase of that prose. The writing is as smooth as silk and every word and nuance seems to be perfectly placed. While Blood Rain is a wonderful character study of Aurelio Zen, I didn't find it a very suspenseful mystery. In fact, the central mystery in the book seemed to take a definite backseat to the study of Zen. I kept asking myself, "Okay, so when is Dibdin going to write about that body found in the railroad car? And what's it got to do with anything?" I found I had to deduct one star for the thin and not very suspenseful plot, but Blood Rain is still a wonderful book that is also highly atmospheric and one that lovers of Italy will adore.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not Your Usual Crime Fiction,
By gresh00 "gresh00" (Mansfield, TX United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Blood Rain: An Aurelio Zen Mystery (Paperback)
Didbin writes in a very dreamily descriptive way, a style uncommon to most detective novels. After reading this book, I want to hop on a plane for Sicily (Mafia apprehensions and all), just to see first hand what the author writes about. The pace is tense, and, as should be the case with all good novels, is impossible to put down until the very end. The end, by the way, is the most dramatic aspect. The twist ending is not of the usual far fetched detective fare, where you find out so and so is still alive, or the best friend is the real killer, etc.. but of eerie realism-- (and reading through some of the other reviews, I don't think I'm spoiling this for anyone) the hero of six previous novels, Detective Aurelio Zen, is killed. The somewhat somber ending in no part takes away, (if anything it enhances) the power and valueness of the story. Brilliant read.
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