Books like The fig eater by Jody Shields
Set in Vienna in 1910, the novel follows the murder of an 18‑year‑old girl found in the Volksgarten Park. The investigation is led by a newly schooled inspector trained in rationalist criminology, while his Hungarian wife, Evzenbeth, guided by Gypsy superstition, and a teenage English governess, Wally, conduct a parallel inquiry based on female intuition. They conclude that the figs discovered in the victim’s stomach—a fruit not typically available in Vienna at that time—hold the key to identifying the killer. The narrative weaves a stylish portrait of turn‑of‑the‑century Vienna, incorporating detailed depictions of city life, Gypsy folklore, gastronomy, photography, botany, and the unsettling medical and sexual practices of the era.
First publish date: 2000
Genre: Mystery & Detective/Historical Mystery
Authors: Jody Shields
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