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Martin Booth

The American

€6,95

The locals in the southern Italian town where he lives call him Signor Farfalla--Mr. Butterfly: for he is a discreet gentleman who paints rare butterflies. His life is inconspicuous--mornings spent brushing at a canvas, afternoons idling in the cafes, and evening talks with his friend the town priest over a glass of brandy.

Yet there are other sides to this gentleman's life: Clara: the young student who moonlights in the town bordello. And another woman who arrives with $100,000 and a commission, but not for a painting of butterflies.

With this assignment returns the dark fear that has dogged Signor Farfalla's mysterious life. Almost instantly, he senses a deadly circle closing in on him, one which he may or may not elude. Part thriller, part character study, part drama of deceit and self-betrayal, "The American" ("A Very Private Gentleman)" shows Martin Booth at the very height of his powers.

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Format: Paperback
Published: in USA in 2010
Publisher: St Martins Press
Pages: 274
Language: English
ISBN 13: 9780312430016
ISBN 10: 0312430019
Edition: 2 MTI

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Please allow us 24-48 hours to prepare your order. Once your order is ready to be dispatched, we will send it via Deutsche Post DHL which quotes the following delivery times:


Within Germany: 3-5 working days
Within Europe: 7-10 working days

We currently only ship to countries in Europe and the United Kingdom. If you have a request for shipping to another area of the world, please contact us at shakespeareandsons@gmail.com.

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At Shakespeare & Sons you can shop with confidence. We are happy to provide a refund or voucher of equal value where the goods are returned within 21 days of purchase unused, in original condition, accompanied by proof of purchase.

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Please note we do not offer discretionary exchange or refunds on Gift Vouchers, Sale Items, or damaged products. 

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Shakespeare & Sons offer gift wrapping and greeting cards. To have your items gift wrapped, head to our Gift Wrap collection, choose the paper you prefer and add it to your cart. We will wrap the items for you and send them to the address you have submitted or have it ready in store for you to collect (depending on what option you select at check out).

Check out our Greeting Card collection here. If you would like us to include a message in your selected card, forward your purchase confirmation onto shakespeareandsons@gmail.com with some words and we will add these in for you. 

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The American

€6,95