Trevi Noir

I was lucky enough to be invited to the very first Trevi Noir festival in Umbria, Italy at the weekend.

Many thanks to the event organisers, Michael Jacob and Daniela de Gregorio, the husband and wife writing team who are together Michael Gregorio, author of Critique of Criminal Reason and Days of Atonement. Two fabulously dark and gripping books, by the way.

I did a full round-up of Trevi Noir for the Rap Sheet and there's the definitive summary from Mike and Daniela themselves on the Michael Gregorio blog. I thought here I'd just post a few photos from the event:


Rachel and Mike.


Daniela.


Laura Wilson and Maxim Jakubowsky


Caroline and Andrew Taylor.

I think it's fair to say, a fabulous time was had by all.

The headless gambler

Photo Credit: The Michael Gregorio Collection.

Inspired by the Israeli cover of A Gentle Axe, Michael Jacob - who happens to be one half of crime author Michael Gregorio - sent me the headless photo above from his collection of Victorian photographs and daguerreotypes. He has very kindly given me permission to use it here.

Here's what Michael said about the image:

Double-exposure trick photography of this sort first began to appear in the 1860s. The more common examples featured men drinking, playing chess or cards, the same sitter appearing twice, and thus – to the great amusement of our Victorian forebears – playing with himself!

‘Beheaded’ portraits are extremely rare, so I thought you might like to see another one from my collection of Victorian photos.

This example was made by Enrico Andreotti, a photographer who was working in Florence in the 1860s. It portrays a card-player who has lost everything – including his head – by betting on the lowest card in the pack.

Don't forget, I'll be talking to Michael and his wife Daniela (the other half of Michael Gregorio) at the Trevi Noir Festival, on the first of November. Book your tickets now!

And I thoroughly recommend 'A Critique of Criminal Reason' - a wonderfully atmospheric and grisly tale.