About a week before we left for Europe, I read his novel Inferno. A big chunk of it takes place in Florence, including a key scene where two characters hide in the Medici Grotto at the Boboli Gardens (pictured). I always knew Dan had problems with character development, dialogue, and narrative structure. But now I also realize that his plotting sucks: There’s no way anyone could hide out here, or at any other guidebook-mentioned spot in this crowded city!