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Adam Strickland is a Cambridge University student who is approaching his education somewhat lackadaisically. One of his professors assigns him a special summer project in Italy. Adam is to study the Docci memorial garden and write a thesis about its meaning. As this will only occupy three weeks of his summer vacation, Adam is not greatly upset with this assignment. At first, he is more interested by the Villa Docci than the garden as it is striking. Once he discovers the memorial garden to Flora Docci, who died in the 1500s, he is hooked. Adam believes the garden provides clues that reveal that Flora was murdered and her murderer was a Docci family member. This idea captures his imagination and causes him to make unusual connections in his research. In addition to Flora's murder, he finds himself questioning Emilio Docci's death as well. Emilio was killed during the German occupation in World War II or at least that is the story put out by the family. After Emilio's death, the attic of the Villa was locked and no one has entered it since. It is now 1958 and Adam cannot believe that the attic remains locked. He also finds a couple of things suspicious about the story and begins asking probing questions. These questions prove dangerous as his life is threatened. Adam must determine who in the family he can trust and who is out to murder him. Only then will he be able to prove his art history thesis and reveal a more modern day killer. THE SAVAGE GARDEN could be best described as a literary or academic thriller. The action and drama of this book rely more on the mysteries and secrets Adam reveals through his questioning and probing than through any physical violence or suspense. While Adam does find himself in dangerous situations, this danger does not drive the plot. When these violent confrontations occur, they seem out of place among the rest of the plot. Due to the lack of attention to suspense and danger, this book moves slower than traditional thrillers. This deliberate and unhurried pace makes the story seem more thought-provoking and literary than gripping or enthralling. Overall I did enjoy reading THE SAVAGE GARDEN. Its calculated pace takes a bit of time to adjust to and Adam's fascination with the beautiful Signora Docci did seem overly dramatic at times. Once I accepted these two characteristics, I found myself curious as to how the story would end.
Reviewed by Sarah Dudley, April 2007
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