A young girl, "little more than a child", is found dying near a remote village in northern Tuscany; a week later the police still do not know her identity and the case notes find their way to the desk of Chief Superintendent Michele Ferrara, head of Florence's Squadra Mobile. The girl died of a lethal heroin dose but the fact that forensic examination confirms she was not an addict, coupled with her very young age, persuades Ferrara that he should investigate a likely murder. As he gets deeper into it, another murder takes place and the implications of the case begin to stretch out both across Tuscany as well as much closer to home for Ferrara.
AS one-time head of the police in Florence, this is familiar territory for Giuttari and the insight into the police, their poor relationship with the Carabinieri and the workings of the Italian justice system provide a solid, believable backdrop for the story he unfolds. The pace is good and the plot twists and turns and draws the reader in. Perhaps the many threads are brought together a little too succinctly but this is an accomplished novel and the translation by Howard Curtis is crisp and seamless. It is a refreshing addition to the genre and an excellent read.
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