My tango with Barbara Strozzi

2007 · Book · Russell Hoban

Phil Ockerman falls hard for Bertha Strunk at a tango lesson in a church crypt in Clerkenwell. Bertha also bears a strong resemblance to the 17th century Venetian singer and composer Barbara Strozzi - with whom Phil happens to be obsessed. On their first serious date, they watch 'The Rainmaker', a tale of battered wives and the murder of an ex-husband. Could it be that Barbara's choice of film is not entirely innocent - especially considering that Phil afterwards finds himself carrying around a potential murder weapon? by Russell Hoban