This is one of Leon's best in the Brunetti series. The themes are the church and religion, on which she is more than cynical, and gypsies or Rom as they are called.
Other books with church/priest themes reviewed on this blog:
The Bishop's Man * by Linden MacIntyre
The Italians **** by Luigi Barzini
Don't bother with this book unless you like being frustrated. For some reason, MacIntyre has used 10 times the amount of suspense that is necessary in a good novel and doesn't resolve the mysteries he sets up.
On the positive side, he does portray the rationalizations of the church, the priests, and the parishioners regarding sexual abuse of children very well. Also, the characters, esp. the priests and the protagonist Father Duncan, the ultimate passive personality, without whom the task of disqualifying, invalidating, and diminishing the effect of the abuse would not be possible, are believable.
I also admire MacIntyre for taking on the topic. But I wouldn't recommend the book.
2009 Giller Prize.
