Here, writer Stapinski (Five-Finger Discount) pursues the study of her family's criminal genealogy with unexpected emotional results. Having grown up with tales of roguish relatives and even a murder, the author began a ten-year search for the facts of the alleged murder involving her great-great-grandparents Vita and Francesco. The venture required multiple trips to Basilicata, a southern Italian region with colorful inhabitants and a dismal past. Despite initial roadblocks, interviews were conducted and a valuable criminal file and archival information unearthed. Revelations about the murder itself, Francesco's incarceration and demise, and Vita's new life with a wealthier man of surprising significance to the family are engagingly conveyed. The author also reconstructs the harrowing details of Vita's journey to America in 1892, including the loss of a child. The book concludes with a testimony of gratitude and admiration for Vita rather than shame for any misdeeds. VERDICT Combining elements of a travelog about an unlikely tourist destination, quirky family history, and a thrilling detective story, this entertaining memoir should appeal to fans of the author's earlier work and general readers interested in immigration history.—Antoinette Brinkman, formerly with Southwest Indiana Mental Health Ctr. Lib., Ev ansville