The American

The locals in the southern Italian town where he lives call him Signor Farfalla-Mr. Butterfly for he is a discreet gentleman who paints rare butterflies. His life is inconspicuous-mornings spent brushing at a canvas, afternoons idling in the cafes, and evening talks with his friend the town priest over a glass of brandy.

Yet there are other sides to this gentleman's life Clara the young student who moonlights in the town bordello. And another woman who arrives with 100,000 and a commission, but not for a painting of butterflies. With this assignment returns the dark fear that has dogged Signor Farfalla's mysterious life.

Almost instantly, he senses a deadly circle closing in on him, one which he may or may not elude. Part thriller, part character study, part drama of deceit and self-betrayal, The American (A Very Private Gentleman) shows Martin Booth at the very height of his powers.

Booth is a critically acclaimed novelist and a documentary and feature film writer. He has written thirteen novels including Islands of Silence, Hiroshima Joe, and The Industry of Souls. His most recent non-fiction books include Opium A History and The Doctor, the Detective and Arthur Conan Doyle - a biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.