Sometimes a good dose of humor is all you need. I've been in a bit of a slump lately. Not a reading slump, more of a mood slump. I didn't really feel like socializing - it was more of a read, work, sleep kinda thing. Even my book conversations were somewhat uninspired.  Then, I picked up an ARC of Out of Season by Antonio Manzini, and my mood completely changed.

Out of Season was originally written in Italian, and the ARC I read was translated into English, with an expected publication date of 10/2/18. Knowing ahead of time that this novel is an Italian murder mystery/thriller, I found myself asking what this novel could offer me, that I hadn't already read. After all, this was my first time reading a translated book. Let me just say, I have never been more wrong.

First of all, this novel is a mystery, and mystery you do get. I usually like to hazard a guess as to whodunnit at the beginning of the novel or at least partway in. This time, I had absolutely no clue as to how the book would turn out. And if that isn't suspenseful, I don't know what is. Each new clue that Rocco found out completely changed my perspective on what was happening, and more than once my theories were completely wrecked. 

Now it may have been a little hard for me to keep up as well, because everything was just so Italian. This resulted in me being a little slow on the upkeep of names, and I had to write them down. They were all so foreign to me that remembering them was nearly impossible for the characters that were secondary. It didn't help that they would randomly switch between first and last names when addressing or talking about someone throughout the novel. Basically, if you're hopeless with Italian names, I suggest you take notes. However, this novel is also a great exposure to northern Italy. The places, the food, etc., are all described just enough for you to feel as though you are a tourist in this town, and just happen to have arrived in the middle of a police investigation. If you enjoy being exposed to other cultures, this book is for you. 

However, the absolute star of this novel was not the mystery, nor the authentic-ness of the setting and characters. The development of the characters themselves was what really made this novel for me. Every character, every conversation is humorous, sarcastic and witty. The main character, the deputy chief, in particular is an ornery man that I fell in love with. He whines and he whines, but give him a little room and he grows on you so much. He has such a zest for his work, that he can't help but circumvent police procedure, and I love him for it. And of course there's his zingy one-liners that sound exactly like me; this is a man with no speed bump between mouth and brain when it comes to his officers. Even the laughingstock of the police headquarters D'Intino and Deruto (who I have privately labeled Dumb and Dumber because I can not for the life of me remember the Italian characters that Rocco compares them too) are adorable - they made me laugh all throughout the novel, and I even felt a little sorry for them towards the end. 

Guys, I'm serious - if you want a thriller but also want a light read, some adult humor to lighten your day you absolutely. must. read. this!!! As I mentioned earlier, you can preorder it now, so when it comes out on the second of October, you'll be all set to read it.   Apparently, this novel is coming to the States as a TV show soon as well, so if you're like me and have to read before you watch, now's the time to do it. 

And me? Well I'll be sitting around laughing at Rocco's epic zingers.