Description
Saying Goodbye
Book Summary
Marcello Fois weaves a brilliant, intimate, and wintry noir in which the disappearance of a child in the mountains of Bolzano triggers an investigation that goes far beyond a police case. Commissioner Sergio Striggio, mired in a personal crisis, must face his own ghosts while searching for the truth. A novel about wounded childhoods, emotional awkwardness, and the difficult but necessary ability to say goodbye.
What is it about?
During a tense family dinner at a trattoria on the outskirts of Bolzano, little Michele Ludovisi disappears into the woods. The priest, Father Giuseppe, raises the alarm. Commissioner Sergio Striggio, who is going through his worst personal moment—his father has just arrived with sad news and his relationship with Leo is falling apart—takes charge of the case. Amidst poems by Pasolini and the music of Björk, Striggio investigates an impossible disappearance while dealing with the fragility of his own emotional ties. The novel moves forward as a contained thriller, where the snowy landscape and the silence of the forest become metaphors for loss and the need to learn how to say goodbye.
Main Themes
- Child disappearance and its emotional consequences.
- Complex and unresolved parent-child relationships.
- Grief and the difficulty of saying goodbye to loved ones.
- Introspection and personal crisis as a narrative engine.
- The wintry setting as a reflection of the characters' state of mind.
Who is it recommended for?
For readers of crime fiction who are looking for deep psychological plots, with complex characters and an immersive atmosphere. Also for those who enjoy contemporary Italian literature and stories that explore human relationships from an intimate and poetic perspective, beyond the mere thriller.
What this book offers
- A police investigation intertwined with a deep emotional exploration of the characters.
- Careful and atmospheric prose that turns the wintry landscape into another character.
- An honest reflection on the fragility of bonds and the need to learn to let go.
- A sensitive portrait of masculinity and the difficulty of managing emotions.
Technical Specifications
- Author: Fois, Marcello
- Publisher: Hoja de Lata Editorial
- Language: Spanish
- Theme: MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY FICTION
- Collection: SENSIBLES A LAS LETRAS
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication Date: October 2019
- Number of pages: 380
- Weight: 535 g
Editorial Review
Saying Goodbye is a novel that transcends the noir genre to enter the territory of the psychological and emotional novel. Marcello Fois manages to maintain the narrative tension typical of a thriller while building an intimate and moving portrait of his characters. The wintry setting and the literary pulse make this work a recommended read for those looking for a story that moves and makes one think, without giving up the mystery.