The Girl from Venice
Martin Cruz Smith
2016, 308 pages
Fiction
It is 1945, and Cenzo is fishing in the waters off Venice when he comes across the body of a young girl in the sea. He can’t just leave her there. He takes her aboard, and covers her body up under a tarp. Then a gunboat of German soldiers stops him. They are looking for prisoners who have escaped from an institution on a nearby island. But when the boat is searched, the girl is gone.
This is the story of an Italian fisherman and a privileged Jewish girl, thrown together as World War II is winding down. Italy is in turmoil and the people fear their allies, the Germans. Cenzo rescues the girl, Giulia, again, loses her and starts off on a journey to find her once more. He is helped by unusual characters, thieves, forgers, diplomats and his estranged older brother, Giorgio.
This well-written story has great dialogue, action, and twists and turns, not to mention intrigue, explosions and missing bars of gold! You should give it a try.
Robbin BaileyConcord Public Library
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