The White Devil

by Domenic Stansberry

Hammett Prize Winner for Best Crime Fiction

Sunday Times (UK) Times Top 10 Summer Crime Club Selection

Edgar Winner Domenic Stansberry returns with this sultry, irresistible murder mystery. THE WHITE DEVIL tells the story of an aspiring American actress, who, together with her too charming brother, is implicated in a series of crimes dating back to their childhood days in Texas. The novel begins in Rome, among the American ex-patriot community, and from there follows the siblings’ latest obsessions: an aging Italian actress and her charismatic husband. The young woman at the heart of this tale plays a deadly game, a cipher of unwholesome impulse and erotic intrigue. The result is an elegant tour de force, a psychological noir that has won international acclaim and attention.


PRAISE FOR THE WHITE DEVIL

"Stansberry nails the sultry, decadent, and erotically charged tone with one perfectly placed hammer stroke after another". BOOKLI(ST

"Edgar-winner Stansberry takes the reader on a wild ride in this exceptional noir ... compelling reading. "PUBLISHERS WEEKLY Starred Review

"A glittering noir triumph ... recounted in a delirious, shimmeringly erotic flow, The White Devil is a possessed, fever dream of a book, an unwise third cocktail that proves impossible to resist. " IRISH TIMES

"Perhaps the most surprising feature of this tour de force is its pervasive links to both Jacobean tragedy and contemporary Mediterranean noir. Who knew?" KIRKUS

"Gripping from beginning to end, The White Devil is an unforgettable novel by an author at the height of his powers.". FOREWORD REVIEW (5 stars)

"Intoxicating, ... Rome is brilliantly captured, as is Italian society, but it is the tragic heroine and her flawed brother that linger in the mind." LONDON DAILY MAIL

"A stunning piece of noir ... evokes both the Rome of Fellini and shades of Patricia Highsmith ... a breathless tale which shifts effortlessly from beauty to crime." CRIMETIME.COM Book of the Month

"Voluptuous and sharply delineated ...The story is glamorous, and the political and judicial system in its Italian fluidity is well portrayed ... The backdrop of sultry and crumbling Rome lends the whole story a hot and crackling ambience". TRIPFICTION.COM

"An absolutely incredible book, it's an intoxicating and exciting tale of jealousy and murder ... Reading Domenic Stansberry's prose in THE WHITE DEVIL is like entering a dreamscape: everything is familiar yet peculiar; erotic yet sinister ... both a gripping crime novel and a literary one." LITERARY COCKTAIL/ Carolanne Johnson

"THE WHITE DEVIL based on a 400-year-old play of the same name by John Webster. But there is nothing derivative ... Narrator Vicki is a cypher and also an archetype. The ultimate femme fatale, she emits loneliness and sadness that make her as compelling an anti-heroine as she is prospective bride.: SHOTS: CRIME & THRILLER E-ZINE

Excellent ... Menace, murder and eroticism lurk ... moves slinkily amid the corruption of Rome, the Vatican, and Malibu. THE TIMES (UK) Summer Top Ten Selection

HONORS
Hammett Prize for Crime Fiction
Eric Hoffer Award
Lyra Award
Forward Review Finalist
Summer Top Ten Selection THE TIMES (UK)
Book of the Month CRIMETIME.COM

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Domenic Stansberry is an Edgar award-winning novelist known for his dark, innovative crime novels. His North Beach Mystery Series has won wide praise for its rich portrayal of the ethnic and political subcultures of San Francisco. An earlier novel, THE CONFESSION, received the Edgar for its controversial portrait of a Marin county psychologist accused of murdering his mistress. He is the author of nine novels and a collection of stories.

Genres: Fiction, Crime, Noir, Mystery

268 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2016

About the author

Domenic Stansberry is an Edgar Award winning novelist known for his dark, innovative crime novels. His latest novel, The White Devil, tells the story of a young American woman in Rome, an aspiring actress, who— together with her too charming brother— is implicated in a series of crimes dating back to her childhood days in Texas. Stansberry is also the author of the North Beach Mystery Series, which has won wide praise for its portrayal of the ethnic and political subcultures of San Francisco. Books from the series include The Ancient Rain, named several years after its original publication as one of the best crime novels of the decade by Booklist.

An earlier novel, The Confession, received the Edgar Allan Poe Award for its portrayal of a Marin County psychologist accused of murdering his mistress.

Stansberry grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and currently lives in a small town north of that city with his wife, the poet Gillian Conoley, and their daughter Gillis.

Reviews

[Roman Clodia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a novelization of John Webster's Renaissance tragedy The White Devil set in modern day Italy. The blurb and concept are enticing, a kind of dark 'La Dolce Vita' peopled by minor film stars, louche aristocrats, assassins and revengers. In reality, though, the book doesn't really live up to expectations: the writing is flat and the characters lack depth, consistency and inner lives. There are instances of non sequiturs, as if chunks have been cut out from the text and the edges left disconnected.

To be fair, Webster's original play is quite messy with too many characters and the lack of a coherent trajectory. Stansberry also pulls off a bold ending which I liked - nevertheless, a book which failed to engage me beyond a very superficial level.

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

My, my, my, what a dark and sordid tale of jealousy, desire, and cold-blooded murder this proved to be… and I absolutely loved it. With a down-to-the-bone, spare prose style, so resonant of the American hardboiled noir tradition, and scenes that would not be out of place in a Fellini classic, The White Devil is quite simply perfect in its execution. As we become more deeply entwined with this ice-cold female narrator, Victoria, who slowly reveals her tangled and murderous early history, and the strange dynamics at play in her relationship with her brother Johnny, I began to fear more and more for the unsuspecting individuals whom they set in their sights. The book has the pace and sudden shock value of pure classic Hitchcock, and indeed there is a superb visual quality to Stansberry’s writing, as he leads us amongst the upper echelons of Italian society, the starry world of the movies, and the dimly lit and dangerous streets, that lay behind the glamourous façade of Rome.
In addition, Stansberry draws on themes of politics, religion, and money, drawing on the marked differences, and frames of reference, that Victoria and Johnny as Americans abroad harbour, sharply putting into focus their new world gaucheness, and drive to succeed at any cost,  both to themselves or others. I loved the style of Stansberry’s writing, both in its tautness, and, at times, supreme subtlety, and the eminently unlikeable cast of characters with their selfish intentions, or inherent stupidity, exposed as the dastardly Victoria and Johnny inveigle themselves into their world. Woe betide them…
Hardboiled noir to die for. Highly recommended.

[Sid Nuncius · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm afraid I was disappointed with The White Devil. It has won an award and some enthusiastic reviews, but it wasn't for me.

This is a modern re-telling of the 1612 play The White Devil by John Webster, set in 2005, largely in Rome. The narrator, "Vittoria", is a married American woman with a very dubious past in which she and her amoral brother may have been involved in murder and all sorts of other things. She begins an affair with a rich, powerful and corrupt Italian senator, from which gossip, intrigue and death follow; if you are familiar with Webster's play, you'll have an idea of how things play out.

I have to say that for me, the story isn't strong enough to bear this reworking. It's a format which can work very well; some of the current series of Hogarth Shakespeare reworkings – like Shylock Is My Name and Dunbar, for example – have been brilliant, but they have been in the hands of outstanding authors who are working with plays of depth and insight into what it means to be human. With The White Devil, it seems to me that neither the author nor the play fits those descriptions. The writing is decent enough and Stansberry develops an oppressive atmosphere, but there's a curious emotional flatness to the whole thing which may fit the narrator's character but makes for a rather tedious, disjointed and unengaging narrative. Also, something made me a little uneasy about this woman's voice written by a male author. In principle there's nothing wrong with that, but although this is not particularly sexually explicit, the whole thing is steeped in sexuality and for me it's not quite well enough written to be convincing and therefore to avoid being slightly creepy.

Others seem to have found this very good, judging by some of the quoted reviews, but I'm afraid I really can't recommend it.

(My thanks to the publisher, Orion, for an ARC via NetGalley.)

[Thebooktrail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Travel to Rome

Vicki Wilson is climbing up the slippery pole of italian high life and wanting marriage and the trappings of a life of privilege. She’s known in Italy as Vittoria so sounds and acts rather better than she is but this is how she wants others to see her and, more importantly, to want her. Sadly, the men who come her way seem to end up dead. There’s no laws or morals where this woman is concerned – or the men of course. There’s even hints of her brother being involved, but I hope I read this wrong.

I was surprised to find out that the story was inspired by the infamous case of Amanda Knox (stated by the author in the afternote) as there’s only a tenuous link there. More likely is the fact that the real life story of Vittoria Accoramboni, a Renaissance figure at the heart of an infamous love triangle back in the times of the Medici family, was probably more likely.

It’s all very cinematic and stylish but take away the scenes, the props and the costumes and the script is lacking in substance. There’s not much to the Italian judicial system either judging by the novel and the religious overtones are loud and clear.

Good but not great.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short chapters, short sections, shifting times and places… Domenic Stansberry’s The White Devil is a fast, first-person read with deeply flawed characters, an unrelenting sense for noir, beautiful cities and people, and a deep dark tie to a modern time of change. The protagonist is fleeing a danger, as yet unexplained, when the story begins. She is guilty or innocent, beautiful or ugly, powerful or weak… the reader has yet to learn. And in learning, the reader will see Rome’s darkness, man’s inhumanity, sexual temptation and power all rolled into one—or into two, since this protagonist has a brother and their lives are wholly intertwined.

Politics and religion form a backdrop, not unsurprisingly as the story’s set in Rome around a time of papal change. But the foreground is painted in decadence, where power replaces romance, and temptation replaces hope. Emotions true and manufactured, like the highs and lows of society’s underworld, bleed from the page. The story’s very European despite its American protagonist, definitely noir despite its soul-searching, and hauntingly Hemmingway-esque.

Not for the faint-hearted or the pure of spirit, The White Devil is a fast, furious read of trials and temptations, love, lust and loss.

Disclosure: I was given a copy and I freely offer my honest review.

[Colline Vinay Kook-Chun · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading this novel as the blurb had intrigued me. I could not help thinking of the black widow spider who kills all of the males she mates with. Was this story a reflection of that behaviour? I cannot tell, as that would spoil the story for you. 🙂 What I can tell is that the storyline in this novel is interesting with a few unexpected twists. The main character, Vittoria, seems so unaware. But as I read on, I could not help questioning this belief. Stansberry guides the reader to a slow understanding of his protagonist, an understanding that ends with a sense of sadness. This novel is brilliantly written and takes the reader on an unusual reading experience. If you enjoy thrillers and mystery novels with a bit of a difference, this is a book for you.

[Tripfiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Literary Wanderlust to ROME



3.75*

Voluptuous and sharply delineated in a monochromatic and cinematic format, this is the story of Vicki Wilson and her climb up the slippery pole of marriage, politics and intrigue, with several deaths along the way (mainly men who are close to her). Set in Rome, there is of course a religious aspect, in the form of the perceptive and accusing eye of her first husband’s uncle, who is close to the Pope and unwavering in his assessment of the burgeoning situation between husband numero uno and lovers to come…

Living in Rome with her first rather tedious husband – and now more a Vittoria than a Vicki – she is easily seduced by the power and politics of Senator Paolo Orsini, a corrupt and manipulative politician, who is already married. A wife, however, is no stumbling block as Vittoria and Orsini pursue their goals – unsurprisingly la moglie attuale is found dead in New York.

In the background is Vittoria’s brother Johnny, who is a mover and shaker, and the sibling relationship is intense and perhaps a touch incestuous – this aspect is merely hinted at with the odd suggestive caress or sweeping kiss. She is biddable when he is around.

The story is glamorous, and the political and judicial system in its Italian fluidity is well portrayed. Essentially it is all a bit lugubrious, the characters are unlikeable, but the backdrop of sultry and crumbling Rome lends the whole story a hot and crackling ambience. The story without its well rendered setting would, I think, diminish.

The novel is inspired by the real-life figure of Vittoria Accoramboni, a Renaissance ingénue from fading nobility. This Vittoria was at the heart of an infamous love triangle, involving figures from the Medici and the paper families. The author states that the case of Amanda Knox was also inspiration for his writing.

Overall it feels like this novel is written by a European writer who has drawn inspiration from European celluloid narrative, Cinecittà and the films of old but in written form… add death, politics and religion and you have a festering plot. Will it stay with me? That remains to be seen.

[Candice Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am VERY excited to be a stop on the blog tour for The White Devil by Domenic Stansberry - this is one of those books that have serendipitously landed on my to-read pile, and which I am so happy it did, because it is a dark, twisty, marvel. Many thanks to Orion Books for bringing this piece of work into my world. #partner #freebook

A psychological noir set in the shadowy streets of Rome. With echoes of The Talented Mr Ripley and The Flamethrowers - and just a touch of Hitchcock.

IN THE STREETS OF ROME, VICKI WILSON'S LOVERS KEEP TURNING UP DEAD.

Vittoria, as she's known in Italy, is a small-time actress who left behind a dark past in her native Texas and followed her fading writer husband to the Eternal City.

Guided by her controlling brother Johnny, Vittoria soon enters the upper circles of Roman society, mingling with shady cardinals and corrupt senators. Among them is Paolo Orsini, who quickly falls prey to Vittoria's charms. Too bad he's married; too bad his wife, an aging film icon, is murdered.

From the ravishing beauty of Rome to the pristine beaches of Malibu, Vittoria finds herself at the heart of a lethal chase, spiraling dangerously out of control...

My friends - this book is something special. It pays homage to the play The White Devil by John Webster - and feels like your deeply entwined in a dark 1950's noir film.

Set largely in Rome, the story follows Vittoria and her brother as suspects in a series of murders that seem to follow them wherever they go. Don't for one minute think that this is a standard crime whodunit - its not anything of the sort. Domenic Stansberry has re imagined the crime genre entirely with this book, making it sexier, more sinister, smoldering, and tense.

I could not put this book down - the story moves along at the perfect pace, and has the most wonderfully flawed lead characters - unreliable, untrustworthy and somehow, completely delightful nonetheless. Domenic slowly unravels Vittoria and Johnny's backstory, chapter by chapter, in a way that has you simultaneously horrified and curious at what could be coming next. I was completely absorbed by this story, and I was desperate to find out what had happened, and who had done it.

Domenic writes so gorgeously that you feel like you are IN Rome - all I wanted to do while reading this was find an outdoor cafe to sit at, while sipping wine and wearing oversized sunglasses. He manages to bring Rome to life as a character in itself - I will absolutely be taking this to read when I travel over there, there could not be a better pairing.

This book is truly something unique, delicious and intoxicating. If you love a crime and drama, with a splash of high society, then make a point of getting a copy of this onto your to-read list ASAP.

Happy Friday!!

[Stel · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read with short chapters that were in all fairness very intriguing. The plot has so much potential if it was executed well - however I feel as though it wasn’t in most places. Superficially it is mysterious and intriguing, that cannot be denied.
However, it’s never really confirmed how all the lovers of Vittoria meet their ends, whilst most likely inferred to be at the hands of her (utterly and completely) creepy brother, I feel like a touch more clarity on this aspect would’ve elevated the plot somewhat.
The narrative style is easy to comprehend (besides the occasional Spanish or Italian that isn’t always explained, however this added an authentic touch in some ways). Although, I never really grasped how Vittoria was recounting the story, the occasional asterisk still confuses me and many details were left out (which in all honesty was a nice touch that I enjoyed in most aspects).
Vittoria had the potential to be much more. her characterisation was two dimensional, why was she barely phased by the five-ish deaths of men she was involved with?
Weird undertone of incest with the creepy brother Johnny, it’s implied in almost every interaction they have, just a bit odd really, I see how it could be seen as motive for johnny, but that needed to be emphasised more if so.
Ambiguous ending that was very interesting and I quite enjoyed but I love closure so personally wish it was more concrete (that’s just a me thing).

All in all, I read this in two days and until around part four of five I did really enjoy the book on a superficial level. A fun and somewhat scary read. A good quick one to get out of a slump or to pass time !

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

The White Devil feels like a slow descent into hell.
Vittoria is an emotionally blank, affectless woman with a creepy brother called Johnny. They are unnaturally close, and the author stops just short of accusing them of incest. She finds it really hard to say no to him.
Vittoria is married to a much older man called Frank. Johnny is always hanging around. An incident involving Vittoria and Johnny in the past has lead to a mysterious death, which she is strangely incurious about. Frank is a dissolute writer, who relies upon a disapproving uncle for money.
A series of mysterious deaths are strewn throughout the book, each one of them happening around Vittoria. Vittoria appears completely clueless about all of the deaths, and the likelihood of her brother being responsible .
The story leads inexorably towards a grim conclusion in an unknown South American country. The end is pretty inevitable and depressing and left me feeling numb.

[Race Bannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting.
Before starting this I did not know of a previous
play on the same subject, as well as it being a true story
recounted by both tellings.
The author in this one uses point of view of a woman
who with her brother may or may not have murdered
a few people over their lifetimes. Alot of the narration
however is more suggestive than anything deliberate
lending an air of mystery to the events.
Nonetheless it was entertaining reading and
recommended as a diversion from a too rich diet
of police procedurals or whodunits.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just didn't see the point in this book. There was minimal character development, no background, the 'story' was all over the place, and not a single likeable character in the whole book. Too short to be of any value and I didn't get why the author bothered to write it. Biting review, I know, but I'm frustrated I spent my time reading it.

[Donna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Such a pointless book. The characters were really unlikeable, I didn’t feel like we really got to know them at all. The murder side of the book was all really obvious, there was no real whodunnit aspect, and the end was terrible. Also really strange relationship between the main character siblings.

[Ian Yarington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm normally not a noir, suspense, thriller, fan but this book was certainly a page turner. I enjoyed the Italian element and the fact that the main character was so intriguing. The plot was well thought out and certainly executed to a tee. I rather enjoyed this book.

[Edward Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read, it was tough to put this down. I immediately went out and checked out another of his books from the library.

While the story was to some degree predictable (it is based on a 16th century novel) the writing and the tension in the story were phenomenal.

I would highly recommend

[Ali Kennedy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dark and twisty tale of betrayal, seduction, and politics. The setting is perfect by using Italian society, and more specifically Rome as the backdrop for the escapades of two non-Italians who don't quite understand the system they have gotten themselves into. Lovely writing and intriguing plot.

[Rebecca Cornaby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started this book, but found it really hard to get into. Haven't finished it and not fussed I haven't picked it back up again

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway

At first I didn't know if I would enjoy this book, it's not the type I usually read. I couldn't really decide whether I liked the main character or not at first but later decided that I very much did. Every character was very well rounded which I always enjoy. I wouldn't have wanted the ending to turn out the way it did but as I reread it I embraced it more and more and I can't really picture it ending any other way. I enjoyed the author's voice; the metaphors and imagery he used made the story feel very real. Anyway great book I recommend it.

[Diane Lefer]

I had so much to do but started reading and couldn't stop. One of Stansberry's very best.

[Hitomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

なんだか古典的だわと思っていたら、昔の戯曲かなんかがベースになってるんですね。
空気かんとかよく伝わってきて、おしゃれだし。

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: an aspiring American actress and her brother are implicated in crimes dating back to childhood.