Books : End Games (Aurelio Zen Mystery)

Rating: - Excellent
How sad to think that there will never be another Aurelio Zen novel, following the untimely death of Michael Dibdin. This is a fitting finale to the series, following the darker strain of Dibdin's writing rather than the often misunderstood wry humour. Zen is temporarily posted to Calabria, where even more than usual, he is made to feel an outsider. In a complex plot involving local myth and history, organised crime, rich American film-makers and plenty of brutality, Dibdin is on top form. The characters are typically well crafted, always interesting, rarely likeable or comfortable. Zen is clearly getting older and possibly even less tolerant; his instincts seem secure but as ever, his unorthodox methods cause much controversy.

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Rating: - Michael Dibdin - End Games
After the criminally misunderstood Back to Bologna, Dibdin returned to a more traditional (by his standards, in any case) tone for what would sadly prove to be his last Aurelio Zen novel (and, to get this straight: this is all Dibdin's work. The proofs were released a good while before he died, and, I had finished my copy the very day before he passed away. So no more mumbling about it being completed post-mortem, please.) It still has the cruel wit of the previous novel, but lacks the elements of farce and pastiche which made Back to Bologna such an unconventional work in his canon. And, as a result, is far more likely to be appreciated both by existing fans and newcomers. Indeed, in tyhat traditional sense End Games is a complete return to his novels of old, prior to And Then You Die, say, or maybe even Cosi Fan Tuti. Zen is on excellent form, more interesting in this novel than possibly ever before. Posted to Calabria to investigate the disappearance of an American ex-pat lawyer, he meets with a wall of silence and the uncomfortable presence of an American film director looking to film an interpretation of the Book of Revelations, and his backers, who themselves are hunting for something far more related to Zen's profession...

Here, if it is even possible, Dibdin conveys the best portrait of any of his chosen Itaian regions yet, the most atmospheric rendition of a time and place. With both his outsiders and insiders eye, Dibdin consistently manages to produce twistedly authentic pictures of his Italy, laid bare with a logical and sometimes wilfully baffled eye. The writing itself has absolute wit, and can be lushly biting in its description of people and their motives. His can be clear in his prose as well as being able to create sentences that writhe like vines, ripe with humour, insight, and lexical wizardy all at the same time. Above all things, Dibdin was always a supremely brilliant writer of prose, and that is why he never really put a foot wrong. The literary world has lost a great talent, but End Games - completely engaging, full of event, suspenseful and an absolute reader's treat - is a wonderful final note to leave on. In the backlists of crime fiction, long live Aurelio Zen!

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Rating: - Swansong is big improvement on previous novel
After the poor effort that was 2006's 'Back to Bologna' (ridiculous characters, silly coincidences etc), Michael Dibdin is almost back on form for this, his final (sadly) Zen novel. The plot is more complex, the characters more believable (barring an unrealistically stupid internet billionaire) and the 'personality' of the Italian location (this time Calabria in the far South) cleverly captured.

I would recommend this novel to Dibdin fans but - like the previous reviewer - would recommend first-timers start on one of Dibdin's earlier and far superior novels (eg, RatKing, Cabal or Dead Lagoon). For these alone he will be sorely missed.

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Rating: - M Dibdin will be sadly missed
I have a fond affection for this writer who sadly passed away earlier this year. Unfortunately I do not consider this, his last Zen novel, a fitting epitaph. If you enjoy Dibdin then you need to readit but if this is the first of his novels you intend to read can i suggest that you start somewhere else!