Venetian Vespers by John Banville

 

Evelyn Dolman is a journalist but not a top-flight one.  His talent has taken him only to a job on a middling newspaper  When he meets Laura Rensselaer, whose father is one of the richest men on Earth and she seems amenable to his romantic pursuit, he is ecstatic.  The two marry and Evelyn expects that he and Laura are set for life.  But Laura and her father fall out shortly before his death and when his will is read, he has left the majority of his estate to Laura's sister.

Mr. Rensselaer had paid for the couple's honeymoon, so they go to Venice.  Laura has acted strangely since the wedding, refusing marital relations and acting like she is distracted and is not sure what Evelyn is doing accompanying her.  Fed up, Evelyn goes for a walk alone the first night they are in Venice.  He stops at a restaurant and runs into a man who claims that he remembers Evelyn from a shared boarding school experience.  Evelyn doesn't remember him but the man is younger and schoolboys don't hang out with younger ones although the younger ones may idolize the older boys.  Evelyn is about to brush off Freddie FritHerbert when he insists that Evelyn come and meet his sister.  

Cesca FitzHerbert is gorgeous, a woman who knocks the newlywed Dolman off his feet.  He believes he has fallen in love at first sight.  All he can think about is how can he find a way to see Cesca again?  He returns to his rented villa and has a fight with Laura.  When he wakes up the next morning, Laura has disappeared with no note left behind.  

John Banville, an Irish author, is one of my must-read authors.  This book was a joy to read.  The reader feels like they aren't sure what exactly is going on.  Cesca wraps Evelyn around her little finger and he is willing to do anything for her to be near her.  The atmosphere is haunting and it feels like everything should be shrouded in fog.  It is unclear what is happening for most of the book and then there is a stupendous climax where everything is explained and the reader is left saying, 'Of course!'  This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction and I won't be surprised if this novel is on the next Booker longlist.