Murder in Matera : a true story of passion, family, and forgiveness in Southern Italy
(Book)

Includes bibliographical references (pages 297-300).

"Since childhood, Helene Stapinski heard lurid tales about her great-great-grandmother, Vita. In Southern Italy, she was a loose woman who had murdered someone. Immigrating to America with three children, she lost one along the way. Helene's youthful obsession with Vita deepened as she grew up, eventually propelling the journalist to Italy, where, with her own children in tow, she pursued the story, determined to set the record straight" -- provided by publisher.

"From the age of four, Helene Stapinski heard lurid yet inspiring tales about her great-great-grandmother Vita, a loose woman back in Southern Italy who fled to America in 1892 with her three children after committing murder. Gripped by her family's story, Helene embarked on a decade-long fact-finding mission, making numerous trips to Basilicata, the rural 'instep' of Italy's boot--once known for its superstitions, criminals, and desperate poverty. It's an undiscovered land filled with badlands-like hills, ancient caves, and fertile valleys with silver-tinged olive trees, whose isolation is matched only by its forlorn, incredible beauty. In a stunning turn of events, Helene comes to learn what really happened, sparking an upheaval of her own identity and sense of history. Deeply researched and reported, Murder in Mates is a remarkable true story about one family's hidden secrets. It is also a powerful and timeless story of immigration and motherhood--a profound testament to how far one woman would go in search of a better life in America, not only for herself, but for her children and the preservation of her family."--Jacket.