Tartufo

By Kira Jane Buxton

Book Overview

From the author of Hollow Kingdom, a fantastically funny story featuring a cast of colorful characters in a dying Italian village and a giant truffle that changes their fate forever in this "deliciously absurd tale....I savored every page of this book." (Shelby Van Pelt, author of Remarkably Bright Creatures)

After nearly losing the election to a geriatric donkey, newly installed Mayor Delizia Miccuci can't help but feel like the sun has finally set on the rural Italian village of Lazzarini Boscarino. Tourists only stop by to ask for directions, Nonna Amara's cherished ristorante is long shuttered, and the town hall is disgustingly overrun with glis glis poo--even Postman Duccio has been disgraced. All that's left is Bar Celebrit , a rustic establishment where weary locals gather to quibble over decades-long disputes, submit their poor stomachs to bartender Giuseppina's volcanic espresso, and wonder what will become of the place where together they've spent their entire lives.

Little do the villagers know that local truffle hunter Giovanni Scarpazza has just happened upon something that could change everything. A truffle--un tartufo, that is--sits beneath the soil with the power to either be the greatest gift or the foulest curse the village has ever seen.

Written in the same enchanting style and raucous humor that defines Hollow Kingdom and Feral Creatures, Tartufo is a reflection on the interconnectedness of life in all its manifestations--and how holding on to harmony in the face of hardship can grow something beautiful and rare beneath the surface.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1538770822
• ISBN13: 9781538770825
• Release Date: October 2025
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
• Length: 352 Pages
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

A cozy and colorful tale!

What a delightful slice of small town Italian life! The town of Lazzarini Boscarino may not be doing well, but it does not stop the residents from living their lives and doing their best. So many color characters and multiple points of view from a tiny ant, to a truffle hunting dog, and on to the lively people of Lazzarini Boscarino. This was a joy to listen to and the narrator did a wonderful job of being it all to life! I could see the town quite clearly and feel what the characters were feeling, their joys and trials as the giant truffle changed everything with its arrival and though both good and bad things happened because of it, I still feel that this was a nicely cozy tale of a town brought together and surviving and thriving! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to listen to this advance copy of an audiobook. And again, props to the narrator for the wonderful job they did in bringing this book to life!