Death of a Serpent


Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
300 Pages
Reviewed on 02/02/2012
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Author Biography

I was born on the north side of Chicago, Evanston to be precise. After attending Marywood High School for Girls and St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, I received a B.A. in English Literature from Marquette University.

I am a writer, a mother, a grandmother, a widow. I’ve taught language arts and creative writing, worked for a major publisher, worked for a major airline, worked on an assembly line, driven equipment on airport ramps I’ve known and loved, traveled. Like Faulkner’s Dilsey, I’ve seen the best and the worst, the first and the las; seen worlds blow apart and life turn inside out in less time than it takes to type this sentence. Through it all, and to understand it somewhat, I write.

DEATH OF A SERPENT, the first in the Serafina Florio series, published January 2012. I am working on another novel, DEATH IN BAGHERIA, a mystery that takes place on the northwest coast of Sicily in the 1860s.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Kristie Ingerto for Readers' Favorite

Susan Russo Anderson's novel, "Death of a Serpent" (A Serafina Florio Mystery),is an engrossing mystery that jumps right into the action and holds the reader's attention to the very end. Three of Rosa's girls have been on her doorstep, dead, with a knife to their hearts and a carving of a spiral snake on their foreheads. As these girls are prostitutes or "fallen women," it appears that the law local enforcers do not really care to put in too much effort into finding answers. Therefore, Rosa takes it upon herself to solve these murders and she enlists the help of her friend Serafina to find the responsible party. As each suspect is added to the equation, the higher becomes the stakes for Rosa and Serafina, not just physically, but emotionally as well. Everyone has secrets that are hidden below the surface as well as suppressed memories that eventually come to light.

Anderson's novel is quick moving and filled with twists and turns as this mystery is pondered and solved. It is easy to follow and the story flows well. I felt I was actually in Italy in 1866 as the author writes with such vivid descriptions and imagery throughout the book. Historical details with regard to dress, language, activities and landscape add so much to this story. This is an author and series not to miss if you enjoy a good mystery!