Part memoir, part mystery, Murder in Matera is a gripping pageturner! Her whole life, Helene Stapinski heard stories about her passionate great-great-grandmother Vita, who came to America in 1892. According to family legend, Vita was a "loose woman" who murdered someone in her remote village in southern Italy, then took her children and fled to the United States. Helene - a curious journalist with strong family ties and a spirited sense of humor - traveled to her ancestors' home province to research the century-old crime. And what a story she discovered! In this unique book, Helene recounts her exciting investigatory work among the locals, vividly re-creates Vita's life and the events surrounding the murder, and shares how the newfound revelations affect her own sense of self and family. (CH)