The White Devil by Domenic Stansberry is a more than a thriller, it is a noir. The story follows Vicki Wilson, or Vittoria as she is known in Italy. A small time actress, she leaves behind a dark past in her native Texas to follow her fading writer husband to Italy. Guided by her controlling and obsessive brother, Johnny, Vittoria soon enters the upper circles of Roman society. She becomes a paparazzi darling and mingles with shady cardinals and corrupt senators among whom is Paolo Orsini, a man who falls prey to Vittoria’s charms. His wife, an aging film icon, is murdered and Vittoria finds herself at the heart of a lethal chase.

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.

I give this novel ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️ 4 stars.

© Colline Kook-Chun, 2018

(This novel was the 50th in my 50 book pledge for 2018)