Synopsis "Invisible Country"
Paraguay, 1868 A war against Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay has devastated Paraguay. Ninety percent of the males between the ages of eight and eighty have died. Food is scarce. In the small village of Santa Caterina, Padre Gregorio advises the women of his congregation to abandon the laws of the church and get pregnant by what men are available. As he leaves the pulpit, he discovers the murdered body of Ricardo Yotté, one of the most powerful men in the country, at the bottom of the belfry. Suspects abound; Eliza Lynch, a former Parisian courtesan, now the consort of the brutal dictator Francisco Solano López. Comandante Luis Menenez, local representative of the dictator, who competed with Yotté for López's favor. And a Brazilian soldier who has secretly taken up with a village girl. To avoid having an innocent person being dragged off to torture and death, a band of villagers undertakes to solve the crime, but each carries a secret they seek to protect from the others, complicating their quest for the truth.Lyrical, complex, and meticulously researched, Annamaria Alfieri's Invisible Country is an ingenious cross between Isabel Allende and Agatha Christie. "An engrossing, fast-paced mystery packed full of historical fact that illuminates the story but never overshadows it; a great read, highly recommended." -Historical Novel Society "Alfieri has written an antiwar mystery that compares with the notable novels of Charles Todd." -Kirkus Review "The author's recreation of Paraguay in the 1860s is perfectly entwined with the plot and never comes off like a travelogue or historical research. Fans of historical mysteries should not pass this one up." -Mystery Scene Magazine
