And Then You Die

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.