EXCERPT
Camera Obscura
by Rosanne
Dingli
Today we bring you an excerpt from Camera Obscura.
This is the third in our special feature on author Rosanne Dingli.
For more books by this author, check out my blog post on Death in Malta and my blog post on According to Luke. Keep an eye out next month for another of Rosanne's books.
Description
An exciting art heist novel.
An explosion in a café blasts a mysterious woman into Bart Zacharin’s
life. Nothing but a monotonous existence in Western Australia and a dull
photographer’s job stand in his way to pursue Minnie Cuff. Her attraction
becomes a fixation, no matter how many lies she tells. It escalates into a
chase to France and Malta, where violence and trickery overwhelm Bart when he
discovers what she is couriering, and for whom. His love must prove more
powerful than the thrill of Minnie’s work and the compelling ruthless man she
works for.
Fast moving yet poignant, Camera Obscura is one desperate man’s struggle with obsessive love that competes with a
million-dollar crime empire: a search for meaning and belonging, frustrated by
bad luck and misadventure.
Excerpt
Now, on the way to St Paul’s Bay in Inspector Formosa’s black car, she
sat in preoccupied silence beside him on the back seat in a dark study, eyes
avoiding his, beautiful face turned away to look out of the car window. Shock
and bewilderment did not allow Bart to question her, especially not in front of
the Inspector and the uniformed sergeant driving the car. But he could badger
the policemen, and did so, in the manner of journalists he had worked with on
the paper. Coming swiftly and loudly, his questions filled the car, until even
Minnie turned to look at him, a small crease between her eyebrows betraying her
surprise at this abrupt forcefulness.
‘What happened, Inspector? How did Mr Kurmi die? Was it an accident? Is
Mrs De Cortis all right?’ He finished by provoking the Inspector’s silence by
raising his voice in frustration. ‘Is there anything you can tell us at all?’
He felt and sounded like an irritated tourist faced with needless bureaucracy
at some European delay. ‘Is this the way you do things here? Won’t you even
tell us what happened? What went on at the house? Is Stella all right?’
‘We do not do things much differently here than you do in Australia,
sir,’ The Inspector found his words then, a touch condescendingly, making perfectly
sound sentences. ‘It would become pointless for me to ask you any questions, if
I were to answer all of yours.’
A spectacular site on
Malta's historical bastions
provides the location for a pivotal scene in this exciting novel.
provides the location for a pivotal scene in this exciting novel.
Praise for the Book
"This is a great book, not only because it races along and lets us
never put it down, but also because of the clever and insightful way that the
story ends with a multi-angled view of what might have been and what could
never be - ultimately culminating in a story of loss and redemption." ~ Hugo
"Well up to the high standard Rosanne Dingli has set with her other
novels, this convoluted tale provides hidden depths for the mystery lover to
enjoy. Laced with fascinating artistic ad historical detail, this international
master of mystery never disappoints. Her plots draw you in and her writing
style keeps you compulsively turning the pages, keen to discover her next
gem." ~ Ian Mathie
"This is the second book that I have read by this author and I found
it to be equally well crafted and compelling! Dingli proves once again that she
is capable of producing well researched and detailed storylines which hook you
from the off and pull you along at a fast pace until a conclusion is reached in
epic proportions. Her style of prose, layers of interesting characters and plot
complexity sit comfortably with-in the vibrantly colourful depictions of her
chosen European destinations making this psychological thriller an action
packed read which will totally engross you. [...] It's a gripping read - I
thoroughly recommend this author, her attention to detail and knowledge of
exotic and historical locations will have you visualizing the scenes from each
page; I am a huge fan!" ~ Andria
Saxelby for the Kindle Book Review
"Camera Obscura, by
Rosanne Dingli has a complexity that is elusive and difficult to describe. But
this mirrors, imperfectly, as does a camera obscura - the subtleties , the
distractions of light and shadow that make each individual's experiences unique
- and uniquely flawed. While Camera
Obscura is a mystery of the first order, in the accepted understanding of
that genre - even more, it is a revelation of the human spirit, the human
condition. No two individuals ever understand the same scene or event in the
same way. Our understanding of our world, our roles and our relationships are
obscured by our wishes, defined by our unwillingness to see what is in front of
our noses, for to see clearly might shatter possibilities we would rather not
see evaporate. We often prefer blindness. What we refuse to see allows hope for
what we suspect is impossible. And so our understandings are uniquely
subjective. Truth is obscured by the veils we place in front of our own eyes,
only half aware that we do so." ~ Yvonne
Herzberger
About the Author
Sought by an international audience for prize-winning short stories and
intricate novels, Rosanne Dingli has published fiction successfully for over 25
years. Most of her body of work is available in paperback and ebook.
This author's fiction centres around the classical Arts, such as
painting, music, and literature. She also uses locations and their allure to
anchor her stories and give them substance.
Rosanne is the author of a number of books, including The Hidden Auditorium, Camera Obscura, and According to Luke. She is now writing full-time after retiring from teaching in 2009. Her
out-of-print short fiction and poetry is once more available in handy
easy-to-read volumes that do not cost the earth.
To sample Rosanne's writing, download a FREE copy of The Red Volkswagen and Other Stories by Rosanne Dingli from B&N, iTunes, Kobo, or Smashwords.
Links
