The marketing of “The Death of Noah Glass” suggests a literary mystery, and while there is a puzzle nestled in the book’s pages, this novel produces few thrills. Rather it’s a nuanced, immersive journey with a son and a daughter of an art historian suddenly found dead in a pool. The languorous (in a good way) narrative splits between Sydney and Palermo, and the interspersed back story of Noah Glass fills out the details. All three characters are complex, worthy individuals tossed around by their natures and by fate, and Gail Jones, a splendid writer, delves deep into their natures. Locales are vividly drawn. If the plot offers more, in the way of thrillerly thrills, than it promises, that highlights the gentleness of “The Death of Noah Glass,” a reflectiveness that is memorable.
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