Rating: 
Summary: And Then You Almost Die
Review: The last installment in this series by Michael Dibdin gave fans of this Aurelio Zen series a reason to pause. Zen however is most certainly back, using a variety of names other than his own, as he mends from the bomb that nearly ended his run as one of the better detectives that exist only on paper. The folks that wanted Zen dead have not changed their mind, and in this surprisingly humorous book, a series of bodies fall within a few feet of Zen, victims of occupying the wrong spot on a beach or seat in a plane.I have read all the books in the series and this newest addition is easily among the best. Zen has shared his life in a hopelessly corrupt and bureaucratic Italy, the occasional girlfriend and his colorful mother. This time we learn more about Aurelio, as he is required to travel to The United States. It is here we learn of Aurelio's classical view of where travel is appropriate; specifically, reasonable places to go are limited to those areas once in control of The Roman Empire. If the Romans never bothered with America, why should he? And to fly across an ocean is simply madness. His destination is Los Angeles an area he becomes comfortable with seeing because he imagines it as rather a bucolic locale with a great number of Catholics. His rationale for Catholics versus Protestants has less to do with which is better and more to do with the devil you know. As he has with the other installments of this series Michael Dibdin spins a great tale, maintains the tension and suspense, and essentially misdirects the reader through much of the book. Happily for Aurelio he finds a companion, and they become bound together by a combination of love and bizarre events. I hope this new female character appears again for she is a match for Aurelio, and adds a great new personality to the series.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellence truncated
Review: The only criticism of this work is that it's too short. I think Dibdin is such a beutiful writer that the tale (ordinary enough) is almost secondary. Viva Aurelio..e Gemma !!
Rating: 
Summary: A coda
Review: This is the eighth in the Aurelio Zen series. It is really a coda - a "what happened afterwards" - to Blood Rain (my favourite in the series). I don't belive it stands alone at all, and would not suggest this as an entry point to the Zen series. However, if you HAVE read Blood Rain, then I suggest you do read it. Despite the initially sunny and carefree setting, Zen's demons are REALLY dark, and his sanity in question, as a result of events in Blood Rain. Fortunately, things are looking up for Zen by the end, but I have to say I was very disappointed in the plotting in the final section especially. Whereas Zen has previously used guile, subterfuge and some dubious, even 'shady' techniques for getting himself out of trouble, I felt the actions here were too crude and simplistic, and then more closely resembled farce than displaying any plot ingenuity. This was by far the most disappointing in the series for me, but I am glad that Zen is back!
Rating:
Summary: Finally, Zen becomes a man of action
Review: Through most of the prior installments of the A.Zen saga, our hero is portrayed as a cerebral fellow given to melancholy and self doubt. His close brush with death in Sicily and the passing of his mother have changed him, some how, into a man of decisive action. This rather short novel is split, in my mind, in two parts - before Rome and after. Before, the story revolves around the mystery of murders that seem to be some how tied to Zen. Coincidence? Was he betrayed? Is he being set up by his enemies within the Mafia or maybe even the Police? All of the carefully crafted suspense leads up to a confrontation in the streets - one that gives us our first gimpse of a new Zen, a man capable of physical and well as mental gymnastics. Afterward, he returns to Rome, but instead of reverting to form, he stays that new man. One whose actions are more focused and decisive (at least for him!) The ending is pure Dibdin with more than a few close calls and surprises to keep you turning the pages. But regular readers need not fear these changes. The author remains a master of dialogue and the conversations between Zen and his new love, Gemma, show he has a great ear for not only what people say but how they say it. I only wish the book was a few pages longer (the only reason for 4 stars). At under 200 pages, the end arrives too soon. I wanted more and anxiously await the next installement - I hope it comes before my next trip to Italy!
Rating:
Summary: Zen Takes a Breather
Review: Zen is back, recuperating on one of the rent-a-chair beaches between the resort towns of La Spezia and Viareggio where he awaits word that his surprise and critical anti-mafia testimony is needed in Los Angeles. Of course, as with the other Zen installmenets, murder and mayham pursue him, even as he sits idle, in mid-flirtation with Gemma, the saucy potentially new lady in his life.
Fans of Zen's will be thrilled that he has weathered the storm of the previous novel and uses this one to pull himself physically and mentally back together.
Dibdin's portrayal of the Italian resort town is pricelessly on-the-money amusing. His detour to Iceland with its Clousseau undertones would probably be a lot funnier on film. Best of all, prepare yourself for an extremely absurd end scene where Gemma, whose cynic approach to life is even more down to the nitty-gritty than his own, proves to have as amoral a mind as his.
The story barely stretches to 200 pages and is more farce than the other novels except perhaps for 'Cosi Fan Tutti'. Likewise, the mystery is comparably slim when matched against "A Long Finish" or "Dead Lagoon" Instead, the concentration focuses on Zen's reawakening into the world rather than the intrigues of a criminal mastermind. Nevertheless the whole experience comes across as bright and funny and should segue into an even more delightful new installment with the worldly designer-clad Gemma as sidekick.
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