Tartufo

In the rural Italian village of Lazzarini Boscarino, newly elected Mayor Delizia Miccuci faces a town in decline. Tourists pass through only asking for directions, the local ristorante has closed, and the town hall is overrun with glis glis droppings. The only gathering place left is Bar Celebrità, where weary residents meet to settle old disputes and drink bartender Giuseppina's strong espresso. Local truffle hunter Giovanni Scarpazza discovers something extraordinary buried in the soil: a truffle with the potential to either save or curse the village. Written with the same style and humor as Kira Jane Buxton's previous works Hollow Kingdom and Feral Creatures, Tartufo explores how life's interconnectedness and the pursuit of harmony during hardship can produce something rare and valuable. A 2025 Washington Post Notable Work of Fiction.