The Venus of Salò

A new Investigation for Wehrmacht Officer Martin Bora.October 1944, in the Republic of Salò, the last fascist stronghold in the country, Bora must investigate the theft of a precious painting of Venus. While the inquiry proceeds among many difficulties, the discovery of three dead bodies throws an even more sinister light on the scene.

Caught in an unforeseeable web of events, hounded by the Gestapo, hopelessly in love with an enigmatic, real-flesh ＂Venus,＂ Bora must resort to all his courage and ability - not only in order to solve the mystery and expose the perpetrator, but also, in a breath-taking crescendo, to try to save himself from the firing squad.

＂Murders, conflict with the Resistance, feuds within the SS, conspiracies within the Nazi élite, the Gestapo constructing a case against Bora, and rivalries within the Fascist élite. A triumph as a novel and a murder story.＂ The Critic

Praisefor the Martin Bora series

＂Dark Song of Blood is historical crime fiction at its best.＂ Sunday Times

＂Tin Sky is the best crime novel of the month. This fine story is packed with moral ambiguity.＂ The Times

＂Lumen’s plot is well crafted, a disturbing mix of detection and reflection.＂ Publishers Weekly

Ben Pastor, born in Italy, lived for thirty years in the United States, working as a university professor in Vermont and has since returned to her native country. She is the author of the Martin Bora series and other novels including The Water Thief and The Fire Waker (set in Roman times and published to high acclaim in the US by St. Martin’s Press), and is considered one of the most talented writers in the field of historical fiction. In 2008 she won the prestigious Premio Zaragoza for best historical fiction. She writes in English.