Target in the Night

Celebrated Argentine writer Piglia's unconventional whodunit explores the curious characters and insular world of a small town in the province of Buenos Aires. Elegant outsider Tony Duran, a Puerto Rican%E2%80%93American, causes a sensation when he arrives and starts sleeping with the richest twin sisters in town. His murder at the Plaza Hotel three months later causes an even bigger sensation. A suspect is quickly arrested and Cueto, the prosecutor, considers the case closed. However, Croce, the investigator charged with solving the case, isn't satisfied%E2%80%94something about it bothers him. Most of the novel concerns Croce's quest to discover the truth behind Duran's murder, even if it leads him to disturb the rich Belladonna family and the horse-racing industry they dominate. A reporter named Renzi arrives from the big city to cover the case and soon finds himself playing Watson to Croce's Holmes. Over the course of their wandering investigation, Piglia focuses in on the stories around the characters rather than just the murder case. Piglia is a talented storyteller and this is a compelling potboiler, but it's less Agatha Christie and more a tale about the transformation of the Argentine pampas. Piglia opens a window into a fascinating world, leaving the reader hungry for more. (Nov.)