Paul's Reviews > The American

The American – A Brilliant Follow Up

When Nadia Dalbuono made she crime debut with The Few it earned rave reviews, for not just its brilliant storyline, or being based in Rome or the excellent use of prose, it was a mixture of all with a stunning pace thrown in. A major new talent, with a bright future ahead of her and with her latest thriller has not only equalled but surpassed The Few, but The American is simply brilliant.

The American asks some tough questions of Detective Leone Scamarcio whether he can balance his own private life during an investigation and not bring Rome’s Flying Squad in to disrepute. This is not easy for him when both the Church and the State, and its allies are conspiring against the police investigation and anyone he may come in contact with.

This is a brilliantly researched thriller that gives nods to the Years of Lead and American interference through the CIA, in Italian and European affairs during the Cold War. As well as how CIA funds were funnelled through the Vatican for Solidarity and Contras in Nicaragua and how that double dealing is starting to unravel around the CIA and the Vatican. At the same time the conspiracy theories that run wild about the actions of the Americans in the Middle East. The scope of this thriller is it literally crosses the seas and back and everyone from a Pope down could be a suspect. This is a world where nobody can be trusted, all have blood on their hands and at times some of the honest men are the criminals.

Detective Leone Scamarcio is on duty and called out to a body under the Ponte Sant’Angelo an apparent suicide with a nod to an historic murder of the Vatican Banker in London during the 80s. Scamarcio rapidly learns things are not going to be easy, especially when the body of the dead man disappears from the morgue. With the murder of a Cardinal in the Vatican a couple of days later Scamarcio is convinced there is a connection but getting blocked at every attempt to move forward.

At every move he realised that he is being watched, at the same time upsetting a mafia family as well as being blocked and threatened at every turn by some unknown Americans. He is not helped by his own State machinery as they attempt to close down his investigation at every attempt.

Leone Scamarcio character is developing yet further throughout this novel as we see his tenacity as he attempts to uncover the truth. At the same time we also see that Scamarcio cannot escape his past and that of his father as he is often reminded of it at any opportunity. He also realise the conflict that gives him especially as every time he tries to up hold law and order it is the justice system that lets him down every time.

Nadia Dalbuono’s writing impresses yet again in The American as she weaves together an intricate plot, taking the Cold War, CIA, Mafia, history, Vatican, politics and secrets in to a wonderful story. Dalbuono’s intricate plot could easily fail with so many strands but she has successfully brought everything together and gives us a stunning thriller. The prose that she uses makes this book an absolute pleasure to read, keeps you on the edge of your seat.

This is an intelligent crime thriller that delivers on every level and takes you through the beauty of Rome to the depths of society.