My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (fiction 2012)

I'm late to the party. SO good, this story of a Neapolitan friendship.  Go get it.

Vita Brevis, a Gaius Ruso mystery by Ruth Downie (historical mystery, 2016)

I love this series - read it from the beginning.  Lovely details about the Eternal City, wonderful characters, new turns in Ruso's relationship with his Britannian wife Tilla.  Fun stuff.

Graveyard of the Hesperides, a Flavia Albia novel by Lindsey Davis (historical fiction 2016)

Another hit in the series.  I love this female detective in the City of Rome.  The characters are always varied and so well-researched, you feel like it's a real time and place.  I recommend starting at the beginning, and you'll be hooked.

Charcoal Joe, an Easy Rawlins Mystery by Walter Mosely (fiction 2016)

I would highly recommend the entire series, although some offerings are better than others.  This offering is one of them, so good it had me from Ch. 1.  Suspense, sex, action, death, beauty.  Mosely is such a fine mystery writer.

Saladin by John Man (nonfiction 2016)

I have read a lot about the Crusades, fiction and nonfiction, mostly from a European perspective.  This book gave me a lot more nuanced information to think about, and a great portrait of the man in question.  He was certainly unique.

The Devils of Cardona by Matthew Carr (historical fiction 2016)

16th c. Spain, the Inquisition, murders, adventure.  This book is awesome fun and suspense.

Only in Naples by Katherine Wilson (nonfiction 2016)

I picked this up because I love Napoli.  It's sort of cute and fun here and there.  It struck me that the preoccupations of a privileged woman from the east coast who goes on to marry into a privileged family in southern Italy make up the whole book.