The following article was published on the website writing.ie on 22 June 2026. For a translator, it’s an incredible gift to know what your client thinks of your work!

Filippo Iannarone, author of The Toscanini Conspiracy, on the translation of his novel into English by Lori Hetherington.

When the original Italian version of The Toscanini Conspiracy was published by Mondadori—Italy’s leading publisher—I was lucky enough to receive considerable praise from critics specializing in new literary releases. Most significant to me was from the writer Dacia Maraini—a peer of Pier Paolo Pasolini, Elsa Morante, Maria Bellonci, and Alberto Moravia. She regarded my novel—which had won an award in Como from a jury she chaired—as an excellent story worthy of being published in other languages.

Thus, the idea of ​​editions in other languages was planted in my mind, albeit tempered by the influence of my professional background.

Throughout my law and entrepreneurial careers I have always personally selected my collaborators and I decided to adopt the same approach with my writing.

My Narrative Style

Specifically, I wanted to ensure that the translations of my debut novel reflected my narrative style, faithfully interpreted my vision of the story’s two distinct historical settings, and highlighted the characters’ defining traits—personal, temperamental, and psychological.

I carefully assessed that my professional command of English did not—and still does not—allow me to achieve these objectives. As for the use of AI, I feel an artistic wariness regarding lexical choices driven not so much by a non-human intelligence as by an extra-textual insensitivity: a lack of understanding regarding sensory perceptions translated into narrative, and a detachment from the complex web of cultural, emotional, and experiential values that shape the author’s personality—and, by extension, the personalities of the characters and the narrative as a whole.

The Translation Process

For the sake of accuracy, I should note that the translation process for The Toscanini Conspiracy” took place in 2021–2022, when AI capabilities differed significantly from what they are today.

Nevertheless, I remain convinced that my decision to forgo AI-based translations was the right one—then, now, and for the future.

The process of finding a translator for my book was the same for both the English and German translations—the languages ​​I chose first.

Initially, I turned to the Italian Cultural Institutes associated with Italian embassies; in recent years, the Italian Ministry of Culture has stepped up initiatives aimed at promoting Italian literary works through foreign markets. Indeed, the translation of Italian bestsellers or other high-quality works has been very limited until a few years ago and in part still today, representing a small fraction of total literary output.

In my case, the Italian embassies in the United Kingdom and the United States provided me with a list of qualified, accredited translators from Italian to English language.

I evaluated each of these based on their CVs, skills, and experience, as well as their availability and estimated fees.

Lori Hetherington

In the end, I selected Lori Hetherington. In particular, what swayed it for me was the fact that she has lived in Italy—specifically in Florence, Tuscany—for many years and this fostered a deeper understanding of the text to be translated, including the specific settings and locations involved.

Direct conversations confirmed my decision: a sense of empathy and rapport proved to be shared qualities between myself and Lori.

Every stage of the work with Lori Hetherington was carefully planned and carried out in a step-by-step manner.

The first phase involved her reading the entire novel, followed by my providing a list of the main characters and key settings across the narrative’s twenty-four chapters. Comparing our respective views presented no difficulties or significant disagreements; whenever a potential issue arose, we were able to discuss it and mutually agree on an interpretive solution for any discrepancies between the original language and the English version.

The Quality of the Translation

We then moved on to translating the first five chapters; each was analyzed individually, and Lori’s notes and comments were addressed through my own observations and explanations during online sessions. This gradual approach in the beginning allowed us both to tackle the subsequent chapters with greater speed and a clear understanding of the translation’s quality.

Once the translation work was complete, we carried out proofreading and editing, including the correction of errors and typos.

I must admit that there were no language barriers, thanks to Lori’s deep knowledge of both the Italian language and the Tuscan way of life—including specific locations and characters with distinct historical backgrounds. Minor challenges arose only when dealing with events and historical details that were quintessentially Italian—such as significant private interiors (e.g., the historic headquarters of Monte dei Paschi di Siena) or settings typical of the era (e.g., a notary’s office in the small town of Chiusi).

Our collaboration was characterized by frankness and an openness to critique and refinement throughout the entire translation process; I believe this is evident to the reader and serves as a distinct asset to the English edition of the novel.

I recently spoke with Lori Hetherington about her perspective on the time dedicated to this translation project.

She found it fascinating to discover—paragraph by paragraph and chapter by chapter—the lexical and syntactic solutions required for the translation. In her view, the nuances, tones, and stylistic choices employed to best present the text and the author to the reader yielded a deeply rewarding and exciting result. Furthermore, thanks to the translation process and the subsequent close reading of the English version, Lori derived the greatest satisfaction from the knowledge that she had facilitated the revision of certain passages in the original text for the upcoming Italian edition, scheduled for release in June 2026!

About The Toscanini Conspiracy:

A brutal murder in a quiet Tuscan village. A world‑famous maestro under a cloud of suspicion. A wounded war hero ordered to uncover the truth—before history writes the wrong man into infamy.

In the autumn of 1935, celebrated country doctor Alberto Rinaldi is found savagely beaten outside his home in the village of Piazze. The investigation collapses into chaos: evidence muddled, witnesses coerced, and rumor elevated above reason. An aging miller is convicted, but whispered doubts linger for years.

Fourteen years later, as Italy struggles to define its fragile new Republic, former resistance officer Colonel Luigi Mari is summoned to Rome. His mission is as delicate as it is dangerous: quietly reinvestigate the Rinaldi murder to protect the reputation of a towering national figure—Maestro Arturo Toscanini, Rinaldi’s most illustrious patient and, according to one buried Carabinieri report, a possible presence at the crime scene that fatal night.

Mari and his young aide, Lieutenant Vinicio Barbetti, descend into a labyrinth of forgotten testimonies, political interference, fascist‑era secrecy, and lives shattered by war. Each revelation deepens the mystery: a doctor whose miraculous cures drew the world to his humble door, a village transformed by fame and undone by violence, and a conspiracy that reaches far beyond Tuscany.

As past and present collide, Mari must navigate truth, loyalty, and the shadows of a regime that never fully died—before the real story vanishes forever.

Filippo Iannarone’s The Toscanini Conspiracy is a sweeping blend of postwar intrigue, courtroom echoes, and musical legend that is a haunting pursuit of justice where genius, loyalty, and the long shadow of dictatorship collide.