by Martin Booth
First published 2010
The villagers know him as Signor Farfalla, the quiet gentleman who paints butterflies in their small Italian town. They see him studying rare specimens, sketching delicate wings, living the peaceful life of a nature enthusiast. But Farfalla crafts something far deadlier than art. He builds custom weapons for killers, considering himself a master craftsman of death rather than beauty. Farfalla has made his decision. One more commission, then he will retire permanently to the village he has come to cherish. No more looking over his shoulder. No more dangerous clients. Just butterflies and quiet Italian mornings. But his past refuses to release him. A web of enemies draws tighter around the man they call Mr Butterfly. His dream of a peaceful retirement may cost him everything he has worked to build in this place he now calls home.
Genres: fiction, american, mystery, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, retirement
Setting: Italy
Period: 20th-century
384 pages · Kindle Edition · Transworld Digital
Content warnings: violence