French Nocturne

The wrong train going in an unexpected direction, with new travel companions. Vince Corso was meant to be taking a train towards Naples to meet his girlfriend Feng, but ends up heading north, towards Milan, and meets Saverio, a mysterious, very cultured and enigmatic man. Thus begins a very different journey which leads the book therapist and detective into a very important and personal investigation: discovering who his father is. And while the journey may not have been planned, as Saverio tells him, perhaps it’s one he needs to make. The journey is an existential one, as well as geographical, full of quotes and allusions to other books: a story made up of other stories. His quest will take him from Genoa to the French Riviera and features mistakes and coincidences, pieces of a puzzle that gradually come together in the mystery. The title of the novel recalls the book that Vince always carries with him before leaving: Indian Nocturne by Antonio Tabucchi. The elegant writing of Fabio Stassi imbues this nocturne with melancholy and nostalgia as well as irony and a healthy dose of hope.  

Notturno francese
Fabio Stassi
Sellerio, 2023