Commissario Alec Blume took leave of his job, his partner, and their newborn daughter and traveled to central Italy to attempt to regain his health. He enrolled in a natural remedies class being taught at a villa only to discover the class had been cancelled.
Instead of being able to relax, however, he finds himself becoming more ill, and enters a world of secrets, confused relationships and misunderstood motives. A world of sex, drugs, alcohol, and death.
Among the people he encounters is a Romanian girl who story is told simultaneously with Alec’s. Her story began earlier in Romania where she and a girlfriend wound up a victims of human trafficking.
Fitzgerald has good command of the English language. One of my favorite segments is:
“The mechanic dug his hand into his pocket and produced a handkerchief that might once have been red. Its purpose now seemed to be to apply more black grease to his forehead. When he had finished applying his paratrooper’s camouflage, he said, ‘Hot this afternoon.’”
BITTER REMEDY is one of a series. Not having read the previous ones is not a problem. It’s fast moving and full of action and interesting characters. It frequently uses foreign words, mostly Italian. They are not translated and, while irritating, did not detract from the story.
I received this book from Goodreads First Reads. ( )