Book description
For five hundred years a statue of the Madonna has watched over
Venice. Now, dulled by time and pollution, she is prepared for
restoration. As Simon Raikes immerses himself in the painstaking task
of cleaning and repairing, he is inexorably drawn to the stories of
violence and lust which have surrounded this stone virgin.
Simon's investigations lead him to Chiara Litsov, the wife of a
renowned sculptor. A dangerous attraction develops between them and it
appears inevitable that once again the stone virgin will bear witness
to passion, betrayal and murder.
Barry Unsworth was born in 1930 in Durham. He was the author of many
novels, including
Pascali's Island
, which was shortlisted for the 1980 Booker Prize;
Stone Virgin
(1985);
Sacred Hunger
, which was joint winner of the 1992 Booker Prize;
Morality Play
, which was shortlisted for the 1995 Booker Prize;
Losing Nelson
(1999);
The Songs of the King
(2002);
The Ruby in Her Navel
(2006);
Land of Marvels
(2009); and
The Quality of Mercy
(2011), which was shortlisted for The Walter Scott Prize for historical
fiction. Barry Unsworth died in 2012.
