The Almond Picker: A Novel

Library Journal

Set in the author's native Italy, this prize-winning first novel takes place after the death of Maria Rosalia Inzerillo (known as Mennulara), the title character and longtime servant to the Sicilian Alfallipe family. Much happens in one month as the town wonders why a servant is given such an elaborate funeral, why the local Mafia boss attends, why the family seems to be coming apart at the seams, and where the missing inheritance is hidden. Gossip is woven into a narrative that gradually reveals how the lowly Mennulara came to administer the estate belonging to one of the town's most prominent families. Throughout, Hornby perfectly captures the ambiance of a tiny Sicilian town. With a cast of characters recalling books as disparate as Gabriel Garcia Murquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude or Mario Puzo's The Godfather and as full of secret codes as Don Brown's The DaVinci Code, this is sure to be a popular read. Recommended for all libraries and a likely pick for reading groups. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 11/15/04.]-Leann Restaino, Jameson Health Syst., New Castle, PA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.