If Two of them are Dead - (A Leah Contarini Mystery) by Libi Siporin (Paperback)

About the Book

On her nostalgic return to Tuscany, the now-widowed Leah Contarini discovers that the idyllic village where she had lived with her husband has become a quagmire of secrets.

Book Synopsis

On her nostalgic return to Tuscany, the now-widowed Leah Contarini discovers that the idyllic village where she had lived with her husband has become a quagmire of secrets. Leah is bewildered. Why is a woman screaming at a corpse? Who is the man being beaten with a bucket in the middle of the piazza? Why is another man running through the woods slobbering? Who is the new stranger in town that won't go away? Confused by this turmoil and unsuspecting, Leah walks straight into the grasp of a murderer.

Review Quotes

"Author Siporin's novel works on a couple of different levels, first, as a murder mystery-and a very good one at that-and second, as a paean to the Tuscan region, its customs, culture and its colorful residents, all of which are richly drawn by the author. A far cry from the usual noir-ish streets of New York or Los Angeles, Bitter Maremma is a highly entertaining read, one that I most certainly recommend." - Gregory Stout, Winner of Best First PI Novel from 2022 Shamus Awards; author of Lost Little Girl, Gideon's Ghost, and Connor's War

"Reckless and impulsive, Leah is a travel writer and is married to steady and long-suffering Nick, a folklorist working on a book he hopes will bring him tenure. They are in Italy doing research on the Befanata, a folk custom celebrating Epiphany still being practiced by locals of a small town in Tuscany. From the poetic descriptions of place and time, to the carefully drawn characters, to the rapidly-paced plotting, Bitter Maremma is a great read." - Steve Sharp, Professor of Political Science

"I am glad to report that I was quite stunned to learn the identity of the murderer. The descriptions of the landscape were mesmerizing to me. Murder is a fairly wild action (as in wild animal) so the murders taking place in the great outdoors were scary and reminiscent of mythology--almost with a dancing quality. Your array of local characters was great! My favorite was the cop." - Laura Fisher, M.D.