After Hannibal

November 1, 1996
Weaver left no question about his King Kong status among thriller writers with his first two novels (e.g., Deception, LJ 3/1/95). In this latest, an endangered U.S. president, taken hostage by crazies at an international conference on human rights, is aided by a journalist and an intelligence agent.

February 1, 1997
The life of a literary expatriate often is far from rosy, even in Umbria. Unsworth has set his latest novel (his twelfth) in the rural Italian region where he also resides. In this vibrant book, three sets of expatriates of sorts become ensnared unsuspectingly by danger in the midst of rustic beauty. A retired American couple building a dream house risk losing their savings to a devious "buildings expert." A British financier and his wife become embroiled in a peasant blood feud. Two gay lovers looking for autonomy in the countryside suffer deceit and betrayal. All are manipulated by the devious lawyer Mancini. Although an interesting addition to the author's oeuvre, this work is lighter in tone and substance than his other works, e.g., "Morality Play" (1995). One wonders whether Unsworth is projecting his own expatriate frustrations on his characters and perhaps longs for the bland consistency of England. ((Reviewed February 1, 1997))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1997, American Library Association.)