AGONY IBD

Sinopse

The beautiful young Countess Fiorenza dâÇÖArda has died dramatically at her villa near Lake Geneva. JudgeáFranúois Ferpierre, the senior magistrate assigned to LausanneâÇÖs central court, arrives to investigate whether it wasámurderáor suicide. In either case, who is responsible? A diverse set of characters - including two Russian anarchists and a melancholy young poet, each struggling with their own complex moral, political and artisticádilemmas - all become suspects. Ferpierre works on shifting ground as each new revelation uncovers another aspect of the case, another quandary shedding new light on intertwining motivations.'Agony' is the first English-language translation of Federico De RobertoâÇÖs Spasimo, a psychological-detective novel. Here, for the first time, a Sicilian author has written a detective procedural. De Roberto, a master of verismo, is celebrated today for his acute political, social, and psychological insights.áHis work was held in high esteem by Leonardo Sciascia, who deemed I Viceré the greatest Italian novel after I promessi sposi.