Involuntary Witness
“A stunner. Guerrieri is a wonderfully convincing character; morose, but seeing the absurdity of his gloomy life, his vulnerability and cynicism laced with self-deprecating humour. It is the veracity of the setting and the humanity of the lawyer that makes the novel a courtroom drama of such rare quality.” The Times
A nine-year-old boy is found murdered at the bottom of a well near a popular beach resort in southern Italy. In what looks like a hopeless case for Guido Guerrieri, counsel for the defence, a Senegalese peddler is accused of the crime. Faced with small-town racism fuelled by the recent immigration from Africa, Guido attempts to exploit the esoteric workings of the Italian courts.
More than a perfectly paced legal thriller, this relentless suspense novel transcends the genre. A powerful attack on racism, and a fascinating insight into the Italian judicial process, it is also an affectionate portrait of a deeply humane hero.
Publication date: 30.08.2002
Publisher: Sellerio
Number of Pages: 336
Country: Italy
Bosnia
1 April 2015
Foreign rights sold in
Bosnia: Buybook
Czech Republic: HOST brno
Denmark: HR Ferdinand
Finlan: Moreeni
France: Rivages
Egypt: Beba Editions
Germany: Goldmann
Greece: Αλεξάνδρεια
The Netherlands: Prometheus
Poland: WAB Foksal
Spain: Urano
Sweden: Telegram; Månpocket (paperback)
UK: Bitter Lemon Press
Audiovisual rights optioned.
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