Death in Autumn

Marshal Guarnaccia Mystery #4

by Magdalen Nabb

When Marshal Guarnaccia, a Florentine policeman, uncovers the identity of a strangled, naked woman found floating in the river, he begins to unravel a tale of international intrigue and personal betrayal

Genres: Mystery, Italy, Fiction, Crime, Procedural, Police, Italian Literature

158 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1985

About the author

MAGDALEN NABB was born in Lancashire in 1947 and trained as a potter. In 1975 she abandoned pottery, sold her home and her car, and came to Florence with her son, knowing nobody and speaking no Italian. She has lived there ever since, and pursues a dual career as crime writer and children's author.

She has written fourteen crime novels featuring Marshal Guarnaccia of the carabinieri, all set in Florence, which she describes as 'a very secret city. Walk down any residential street and you have no idea what is going on behind those blank walls. It's a problem the Marshal comes up against all the time.'

Magdalen Nabb also writes the immensely successful Josie Smith books, set in her native Lancashire, which form the basis of the Granada children's TV series, Josie Smith, scripted by the author. Her first book, Josie Smith, was runner-up for the Guardian Children's Fiction Award in 1989, and in l99l, Josie Smith and Eileen was winner of the prestigious Smarties Book Prize for the 6-8 age group.

Series:
* Marshal Guarnaccia Mystery
* Josie Smith

Reviews

[Ann Sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Marshal Guarnaccia detective series is so enjoyable. I have spent the past few weeks slogging through the first three books of an historical mystery series and have taken a vow not to ever read books I don’t care for. People have different guidelines for deciding whether to finish a book; I’m inclined toward the 30 page rule. If I can’t get into a book, if I don’t care about the characters, then I will put that book in the Half-Price Book pile.
As soon as I make this rule, I remember books that I ended up loving. For example, I must have tried four or five times to get into Women in Love before I became accustomed to Lawrence’s style. I wasn’t crazy about the first Marshal Guarnaccia books I read: Death of an Englishman and Death in Springtime. They were good, but not exciting. But I persisted. I was rewarded by this book.
I was lucky enough to be able to visit Florence several years ago. I wish I could go back and back and back. I saw it as a tourist; Nabb, an Englishwoman, moved there in 1975 and stayed. She knew it intimately. This all adds to the immediacy of and involvement in the story.
It seems that the character of the Marshal is becoming more developed. We are learning more about it and he is becoming more real.
I have two nits to pick: 1) why was it necessary to kill the dog? Marshal Guarnaccia was so indifferent to this dog’s fate. Why are people so important and animals so disposable?
2) What is a Substitute Prosecutor? I wish Nabb had included notes. I Googled this, to no avail. Does anyone know? Is he really a substitute? Why does Italy use Substitute Prosecutors? Where are the Permanent Prosecutors?
I have begun reading Property of Blood – engrossing.

[Kb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magdalen Nabb seems to be finding her stride in this fourth book in the series. It’s like Maigret on steroids, the levels of policing in Italy providing more people examining the case: Marshal Guarnaccia being the base level, a cross between local constable and social worker; Captain Maestrangelo, in charge of running the investigation and answering to the Substitute Prosecutor, a changeable authority from case to case (the equivalent of Maigret’s Magistrate).

Anyway, there are many layers to this story. The body of a woman. The body of a young man. A hotel with a problematic night receptionist. A rundown villa inhabited by lost young men trying to find themselves in Florence. A series of jewellery thefts. There’s even a pet dog in this one, though it ends up being put down (!) because no one wants to take responsibility for rehoming it.

These are Marshal Guarnaccia stories because in the end it is he who draws everything together, though he doesn’t have the wherewithal to express himself coherently. He “feels” a solution, instinctively knowing which direction to exert inquiries. The Captain meanwhile knows and trusts this ability, but is the one forced to deal with external pressures, so sometimes he regrets not involving the Marshal more. This is a running refrain throughout the story.

This is the most engaging of the four I have read. I’m not sure how it would be to read as a standalone, but I can recommend the series if you like an old-school European procedural.

[David C Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very fine series, equal and maybe even better than Simenon’s Maigrets (sacrilege! I know but Simenon became very formulaic if not lazy) because of its perception of human character and behavior; the writing is actually better. One feature is that the Marshal - the titular main character - actually doesn’t appear that much, although, like Maigret, he is implacable. In this one the death of a woman with a mysterious background, found drowned in the Arno, leads ultimately to a very tangled family history and a manipulative international conman/thief. And the poor night porter. . .

[Mark McTague · Rating 3 out of 5]

First the drawbacks, mostly minor but nonetheless irritating. Given that the author, Magdalen Nabb, has authored ten other detective mysteries and that Soho Press (well-established New York crime fiction house) published it, you wouldn't expect missing commas and other such annoyances (shift of speaker without a clear indication of which character was now speaking). I was also struck by the apparent confusion over the central protagonist. "Death in Autumn" is billed as a Marshal Guarnaccia mystery, and though the man is a major police investigator, the main one is Captain Maestrangelo of the Florentine carabinieri, with Guarnaccia getting second billing, which I put down to the publisher's marketing department. Apparently the Marshal became a central character for the author after this story, in which he plays a large, though not central role. Fortunately, these annoyances were infrequent enough to be only minor irritations.

That said, if you like your mysteries with the truth, and surprises, coming out in the last ten pages, this is for you. There are plenty of clues along the way (clues that seem much clearer in retrospect) and enough surprises to make for a satisfying conclusion to the mystery. The ending of the story, however, makes one question the nature of evil and the likelihood of justice. A rather good accomplishment in 158 pages.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read some of the books in this series years ago and when I found several copies in good condition at a book sale, I dived in. The books capture so much about Florence and since I spent time there in two different periods I love to read about the city. When the author describes the low water in the river, I remember a September when there seemed to be more green algae than flowing water. The basic mystery might never have been unraveled without an incredible intuitive leap by Marshall Salvatore Guarnaccia. The office politics (the well-known fact that both Venice and Florence have there own distinctive accents and look down on rubes from the south, such as Sicilians) just add to the enjoyment. For me, this is like a short visit to a city I loved.

[Netti · Rating 3 out of 5]

„Wachtmeister“ und „Hauptmann“ sind seltsam unpersönliche Figuren (absichtlich offenbar). Die Handlung scheint mir doch recht an den Haaren herbeigezogen. Und der Stil etwas holperig – aber das kann natürlich an schlampiger Übersetzung liegen. Dafür spricht der total inkompetente Klappentext: Die Tote trug z.B. eben gerade die Kette nicht, sondern Ringe, Armband und Ohrringe. Und die Inhaltsangabe ist voll daneben. Aber um mir ein Magdalen-Nabb-Buch auf Englisch zu kaufen (im Bücherbus gibt es sie nur auf Deutsch) – dafür hat es mich nicht genügend beeindruckt.

[Charles Gates · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the third in this series that I have read. I was attracted by the setting in Florence, but I have found the stories uneven. One of the three was excellent (The Marshall and the Madwoman), one was weak (Death of an Englishman); this is also weak. It starts out well. But in the second half, information comes too much and too fast; the explanation of the crimes is complicated and confusing. Worst of all, the murderer turns out to be a character who never appears in the book. We are only told about him. This is deeply unsatisfying. Not recommended.

[Tbfrank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in Florence, this novel portrays the police and judicial systems of Italy, and the people who represent them, in a far different manner of Donna Leon's tales of Venice or Andrea Camilleri's set in Sicily.

Nabb's focus is primarily on the characters of Marshall Salvatore Guarnaccia and Captain Maestrangelo of the Carabinieri as they unravel the mysterious death of an unidentified woman found in the Arno River. The plot is complex and requires considerable diligence to ferret out. While the style is fairly dry, the narrative is engaging.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this book on the free cart at my library. It was published in 1984. I found it to be a good mystery where the detectives had to figure things out--no DNA, no social media, etc. Was an extremely interesting story line. I enjoyed reading it and now will look for some others in this series.

[Zachary Mezz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one never really got off the ground for me...a pleasant read, but very light.

[Lisa Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed others of Nabb’s more than this.

[J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a little trouble keeping characters straight and was unhappy with the darkness of the story.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this in my house during quarantine. Entertaining mystery, easy read, gave it away after I finished it.

[Edith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice character studies and Florentine atmosphere. Plot is a bit of an excuse for the rest. Enjoyable.

[Mateu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, short and surprising.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Jenny Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a bit convoluted at the end and I was struggling to follow. Also, the Marshall played slightly less of a starring role than usual. Great characters and atmosphere though.

[George M]

The hotel porter doesn't fare well at the hands of the jewel theft ring.

[Katja K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Netter Krimi für zwischendurch

[LJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Sentence: Dawn still hadn’t broken and the river water lapping the sides of the black rubber dinghy was of the same darkness as the sky except for a path of moving light coming from a lamp attached to the dinghy’s side.

The body of a middle-aged, woman, wearing only jewelry and a fur coat, is found floating in the river. Marshal Salvatore Guarnaccia of the Carabinieri and Captain Maestrangelo must work together to find the identity of the woman and her killer.

This book is not my favorite of the series. I do wish authors would avoid portents, but that is a particular irritant of mine.

Because both Marshal and the Captain worked the case, I often found myself confused as to who was doing what, when. We get bits and pieces about Marshal, but not really a fully-developed picture. What we do get is intriguing. He is married, has a child, is allergic to sunlight, and a dogged investigator. One thing I did particularly like in this book was seeing his humanity and particular concern for all the young men in this story.

The plot was interesting. It went places that were completely unexpected, particularly the ending, which was very different from the norm.

Nabb’s sense of place is not as strong as some authors, but it is there and her love of Italy is apparent from her writing. There is a subtlety to her writing that I do enjoy.

While this may not have been, what I’d consider to be, her best book, I enjoyed it and will continue on with the series.

DEATH IN AUTUMN (Pol. Proc-Marshal Guarnaccia-Florence, Italy-Cont) - G
Nabb, Magdalen – 4th in series
Charles scribner’s Sons, 1985, US Hardcover – ISBN: 0684183374

[Eugene · Rating 3 out of 5]

🍷
Can you hear my gears grinding? I’ve downshifted from the wealthy intelligencia of Ngaio Marsh’s Inspector Alleyn to the stolid and unimaginative Marshall Guarnaccia of the Florence carabinieri, and never has the minutiae of the quotidian looked so appealing in comparison! Alleyn’s milieu is chockablock with folks full of themselves and all their material possessions and bitter about the fact they haven’t more, Guarnaccia’s world is little people trying to make it through another day, grateful for the fact that they haven’t less…
In the chill pre-dawn hours a body is fished out of the waters of the River Arno; it is that of a mature woman wearing jewelry and a fur coat - and nothing more! Captain Maestrangelo begins the process involved in an unusual death, but it falls to Marshall Guarnaccia to attempt to identify the deceased - and he does so while canvassing the many residential hotels in the city. This accomplished, the Captain sets Guarnaccia the task of finding out why the woman was slain, for yes it was murder. This the Marshall will do in his inimitable style and we happily will follow along until the last satisfying page. This series surely grows on one!

[Kimberly Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very intriguing:

Two students come into the Carabineri's office very late at night because they have seen a body floating in the Arno (which is low of water).

The body is that of an older woman living at the local hotel. She is dressed only in a fur coat...and as it turns out died by asphyxiation, not suicide.

Not so far away the remains of a young man has been found in the local park, head skeletonized, body dessicated.

Although at first it seems as if these are two random murders, it ends up that the victims have family ties.......

Slowly but surely, Marshal Guarnaccia is able to tie the two victims together and solve the murders and tie them to a series of major jewel international thefts.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth Magdalen Nabb book in the series featuring Marshal Guarnaccia. Just as fun to read as the first three.

"They found the body in the river just as dawn was breaking over Florence...The dead woman was wearing a lot of rings, a large bracelet, elegant earrings-and underneath her expensive fur coat she was absolutely naked. At first, it seemed like a bizarre suicide. But why didn’t anyone come to claim the body or report a missing wife, mother, or friend? Following a complicated trail of blackmail, jewel theft, and drug dealing, Marshal Guarnaccia finally ferrets out the shocking truths about a very cool-headed murderer and his all-too-trusting victim."

[Nese · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing style of this book reminds me of the well-written books of Cara Black that focus on describing the surroundings in the city where the story takes place instead of the character development or the inner worlds of the characters. The only exception is this story takes place in Florence, Italy, not in Paris like Cara Black books.

As much as I liked the storytelling, there is a lot of action but not much happening in the book and almost no character development to speak of. Possibly the outcome is realistic, but after hoping something would finally happen, the ending is disappointing and depressing. Three and a half stars.

[Desiree · Rating 3 out of 5]

In death in Autumn a body of a woman is found floating in the Arno. It turns out the woman has been living in a hotel in Florence for more than 10 years.
The mystery of her death is solved by the Marshall (a carabinieri) and the captain (city police) .

Sometimes the storylines of both these detectives is a little confusing. In itself it's a strange cooperation between carabiniere and the polizia, who are normaly at odds with eachother.

I found the plot interesting and refreshing.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Marshal worries a little as his family plans to move to Florence from Sicily to be with him. The mystery here is not as clear as others in the series and the Captain, a fine character in his own right, leads the investigation, but there is enough of the Marshal's understanding (the Captain knows his ability despite appearances) to make it a pleasurable read.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Basically I like the books written by Magdalen Nabb about her carabinieri, Marshal Guarnaccia, in Florence. They are usually good, short reads and fun police procedurals. This is one of the better ones with an interesting plot.

[Korynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Marshal in fine form solves a mystery in which disparate elements of different crimes come together to form a final solution. The author gives a wonderful sense of place and has a truly gifted touch for crafting characters that are human and not perversely evil.

[Tom Jenckes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yea! I finally could put the date when I actually finished the book! That was one of my gripes with Goodreads. It used to put the finish date when you logged on.
I've read four of Nabb's books and liked them all.

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another most enjoyable mystery. I like the characters as well as the setting, and the mystery itself is challenging without being unbelievable. I intend to read all of the books in this series.