Sanctuary

At the start of this twisted thriller set in 1974 Italy from D’Andrea (Beneath the Mountain), Marlene, the wife of a criminal named Wegener, steals a pouch filled with sapphires from her husband and flees. Her plan is to exchange the sapphires for identity documents and start a new life. Driving in the Dolomites, she takes a wrong turn, loses control of her car, and crashes. Marlene is rescued by Simon Keller, a Bau’r (a peasant who’s also a priest), who brings her to his farmstead to recover from her injuries. Initially, Marlene thinks Simon is a friend, but the longer she stays with him, the more she realizes he may be as dangerous as Wegener. Trapped in the snow-covered mountains miles from civilization, Marlene must make tough choices in order to survive. The tension rises as she realizes that sinister events appear to be connected to tales of the Brothers Grimm. Disjointed flashbacks won’t stop readers from turning the pages to the suspenseful conclusion. Fans of contemporary dark fairy tales will want to check this one out. Agent: Piergiorgio Nicolazzini, Piergiorgio Nicolazzini Literary. (Jan.)