Praise for Ben Pastor's Lumen:
"Pastor's plot is well crafted, her prose sharp. . . . A disturbing mix
of detection and reflection."--Publishers Weekly
Rivets the reader with its twist of historical realities. A historical
piece, it faithfully reproduces the grim canvas of war. A character
study, it captures the thoughts and actions of real people, not
stereotypes."--The Free Lance-Star
"And don't miss Lumen by Ben Pastor. . . . An interesting, original,
and melancholy tale."--Literary Review
Italy, September 1943. The Italian government switches sides and
declares war on Germany. The north of Italy is controlled by the fascist
puppets of Germany; the south liberated by Allied forces fighting their
way up the peninsula.
Having survived hell on the Russian front, Wehrmacht major and
aristocrat Baron Martin von Bora is sent to Verona. He is ordered to
investigate the murder of a prominent local fascist: a bizarre death
threatening to discredit the regime's public image. The prime suspect is
the victim's twenty-eight-year-old widow Clara.
Haunted by his record of opposition to SS policies in Russia, Bora must
watch his step. Against the backdrop of relentless anti-partisan warfare
and the tragedy of the Holocaust, a breathless chase begins.
Ben Pastor, born and now back in Italy, lived for thirty years in
the United States, working as a university professor in Vermont. The
first in the Martin Bora series, Lumen, was published by Bitter Lemon
Press in May 2011.
