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| Jan Merete Weiss (photo from Google) |
An ancient practice of praying over skeletons in the city's crypts, performed by the Jesuits centuries ago, is still continued some parishioners today with the assistance of those faithful who go to wash the bones of loved ones as an act of sanctification. One such "bone washer" goes about this unique duty when she discovers a young woman in the crypts--a recent murder victim. Enter Captain Monte and her partner Sergeant Pino Loriano into a case where the murder investigation and suspects range from the academic, the clerical and the local organized crime (or the "Camorra").
And set in Naples, the book pulls back the cover to show an old world city that does not take too many steps away from its past.
Comments about the novel included the following:
- so many shires are located throughout the city
- one said the use of inserting Italian language and phrases broke up one's concentration to understand the story (if you didn't know the language) but another thought the book did a good job of sharing Italian language and translations
- Natalia has an interesting set of dilemmas at the end of the book
- the book's writing was choppy
- the book's title can have multiple meanings with the darkness of the hearts of people involved in the story and even how the bones of skeleton turn dark after a period of time
- the book didn't grab the attention of one book club attendee
- a map of Naples would have helped the reader.
