フィレンツェに消えた女

Characterized by crisp phrasing and an impressive clarity of description, Dunant has fashioned a story that easily transcends the typical mystery-thriller genre. With a practiced and skillful hand, Dunant steers her readers through the intricacies of familial relationships and affairs of the heart.
At the core of it all is Anna, a single mother who adores her daughter, Lily, and has constructed a loving, if unconventional family with the help of close friends. In her almost obsessive love for Lily, the beautiful, independent Anna begins to fear the loss of herself in the constant fascination of the ever-changing Lily. So she takes a short holiday to Italy, there to renew neglected facets of her life in a tryst with a new lover, seeking the assurance that motherhood hasn't robbed her of the stimulation of physical and emotional passion she occasionally craves. Anticipating a short escape into the arms of pleasure, Anna's finely tuned intelligence senses something amiss in her personal Garden of Eden. Her brief but intense affair with the mysterious "Samuel" sends a shiver of uncertainty below the seemingly uncomplicated cloak of pleasure, while Lily remains safely ensconced at home in London with her mother's dearest friend, Estelle, and "surrogate" father, Paul. But pinpricks of anxiety also begin to intrude upon their purposefully domestic facade, segueing into the worst-case scenario when Anna fails to return as planned. For the child's sake, the adults maintain a united front, quietly enduring an increasing sense of impending tragedy.
Anna's motherhood is finely rendered, artfully exposed and vulnerable, her character the very essence of rapturous first-time motherhood, the pure joy of watching a child bloom, whose very existence is celebrated by those who surround her. Equally comfortable in her sensual skin, Anna explores the boundaries of a sexual relationship with a natural earthiness that is seductive and imaginative. There is a genuine engagement of intelligence by this author, beyond solving a clever crime, and the reader wants nothing so much as to see this child reunited with this mother, to put that small, but perfect, universe back in balance. Dunant clearly respects the aptitude of her audience, the ability to appreciate the blending of intellectual curiosity and mystery, in a compelling tale of love, betrayal and compassion.

While there IS unquestionably a mystery to be solved in this book, I'd hate to classify this one as simply a "mystery" novel. It is just as much a book about the way we all classify the borders of safety and risk in our lives, walking that fine line everyday - and how a sudden decision can change everything. Rich and rewarding to read, I felt like I'd been shown parts of myself as well as those of the characters in this book. I absolutely loved reading this one! Anna is a single mother, unquestionably devoted to her daughter, Lily, but also torn between the self-sacrifice required of parenthood and the equally strong need for adult pleasure, companionship, passion and love. A pivotal moment occurs when Anna takes off rather suddenly on a trip to Europe - leaving her young daughter in the hands of trusted friends, Paul and Estella. When Anna doesn't return as expected, both friends become worried and then, in turn, more concerned and suspicious. Where is Anna? Is she safe? And could she possibly be a willing part of her own disappearance? The book is written from several points of view - that of Paul and Estella and also that of Anna herself. As the days unfold, so do the events and the mystery deepens. Who is Anna meeting in Europe - and why? Who is the mysterious stranger Anna meets unexpectedly and what part will he play? While I was drawn into this novel, potential readers should know that it can be a bit confusing and tricky to follow at times, as there are several subplots and the action isn't always sequential, jumping from one plot to another in the same day. I understood that this was done to deepen the various mysteries which were unfolding but some readers might find it more than a bit irritating and hard to follow. The mystery and intrique kept me going, however, and made it more than worth the effort. I'm looking forward to reading more books by this author.