THE LONG SILENCE OF MARIO SALVIATI by Etienne van Heerden

Ingi Friedlander, a young art administrator, sets off into the majestic, stony plains of the Karoo to acquire a sculpture for South Africa's new Houses of Parliament. But when she reaches the small, dusty town of Yearsonend, the artist refuses to sell - he claims the sculpture was not his creation, but sprang miraculously from the ground overnight. As Ingi decides to stay and win his trust, she soon realises that the locals suspect she's on a different trail: that of the legendary wagon of gold, brought in by exhausted Boer War veterans. Intrigued, she starts to probe the tight-lipped community, gradually uncovering what connects the townspeople of all colours and creeds, and keeps them silent about the secrets and scandals of the past. Most silent of them all is Mario Salviati: stonemason, Italian prisoner of war, deaf, now blind - and dumb.

Peopled by ostrich-feather magnates, dam builders, artists, dreamers and a decidedly earthy angel, this captivating novel spans the 20th century, from the Boer War through Grand Apartheid to the present day.

Soft cover, fairly good condition. The cover shows minor signs of wear. Pen inscription on the front page. Slight foxing.