Synopses & Reviews
Commissario Alec Blume, on leave for health problems, fleeing his partner Caterina and their newborn daughter, retreats to a villa somewhere in central Italy, where he enrolls in a natural remedies class conducted by a young woman named Silvana.
But rather than finding comfort, Blume becomes increasingly ill—and ill at ease—in his new environment, and immediately makes an enemy of Niki, Silvanas ambiguous fiancé. Then a Romanian girl who works in Nikis nightclub comes to Blume and asks for his help in finding her disappeared friend, Alina. And Blume, isolated and sick, unadvisedly delves into the dark histories of the people around him.
Review
"[Alec Blume] says the wrong things repeatedly, alienates both loved ones and colleagues, and acts impetuously and often unwisely. An, yet, he cares about people . . . and he is a shrewd judge of and dangerously sympathetic toward human frailty . . . He is utterly fascinating, his human shortcomings mirroring our own and forcing us to root for him. If you're drawn to Andrea Camilleri's [Salvo Montalbano], you'll be equally hooked by Alec Blume." —Bill Ott, Booklist
"Fitzgerald has created another gripping mystery featuring the irresistibly stubborn Blume . . . Readers cannot help but root for him . . . Fans of Donna Leon or Andrea Camilleri are bound to enjoy." —Shelf Awareness
"Alec Blume is an inspired creation . . . a sly, sardonic loner who gives the impression of knowing Rome better than its natives." —The Guardian
"[An] exciting series . . . If your readers loved Michael Dibdin's Aurelio Zen series, get them started on this one." —Library Journal, starred review
“An outstanding detective.” —Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
Blume is back! This “inspired creation” of an inspector—“irresistibly stubborn” and “utterly fascinating”—returns in another smart and unexpected thriller.
About the Author
Conor Fitzgerald has lived in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and currently lives with his wife and two children in Rome. He has produced a current affairs journal for foreign embassies based in Rome, and founded a successful translation company. This is the fifth in his series of Alec Blume nobles. Visit his website at www.conorfitzgerald.net.