A Beautiful Crime is a 2020 crime fiction novel by the American writer
and editor Christopher Bollen (pictured). It was first published in the
United States by Harper on January 28, 2020. The story, which is set in
Venice, centers on boyfriends Nick and Clay, who sell an inherited
collection of forged silver antiques to a wealthy acquaintance from
Clay's past. Their deception quickly leads to more serious crimes, as
Clay attempts to sell an expensive property that he does not fully own
and Nick murders a silver appraiser who threatened to expose their sale
of forgeries. The novel explores the overtourism and depopulation of
Venice, and the intersection of greed, moral ambiguity, and social
inequality. Critics praised Bollen's depictions of Venice and the
relationships between the characters but disagreed on the effectiveness
of the narrative's pace. A Beautiful Crime has drawn comparisons to
novels by Patricia Highsmith, particularly The Talented Mr. Ripley
(1955).
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Beautiful_Crime>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1863:
American Indian Wars: The U.S. Army led by Patrick Edward
Connor massacred Chief Bear Hunter and Shoshone forces at the Bear River
Massacre in present-day Franklin County, Idaho.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_River_Massacre>
1911:
Mexican Revolution: The Magonista rebellion began when Mexican
Liberal Party troops captured the town of Mexicali.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magonista_rebellion_of_1911>
1959:
The first Melodifestivalen, an annual Swedish music competition
that determines the country's representative for the Eurovision Song
Contest, was held in Stockholm.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melodifestivalen>
2017:
A lone gunman carried out a mass shooting at a mosque in Quebec
City, Canada, killing six people and injuring nineteen others.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_City_mosque_shooting>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
Rafflesian:
1. Of or relating to Sir Stamford Raffles, a British colonial statesman
known for his founding of modern Singapore and British Malaya.
2. (Singapore) Of or relating to an educational institution named after
Sir Stamford Raffles.
3. (Singapore) A current or former student of an educational institution
named after Sir Stamford Raffles.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Rafflesian>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
A life of kindness is the primary meaning of divine worship.
--Emanuel Swedenborg
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Emanuel_Swedenborg>