Synopses & Reviews
Personal clashes with professional for Michele Ferrara in the second book in the series of compelling and authentic Italian police procedurals In the picturesque Tuscan hill town of Scandicci, the body of a girl is discovered, scantily dressed and lying by the edge of the woods. After a week the local police investigating the case haven't even identified her, let alone gotten to the bottom of how she died. Frustrated by the lack of progress, Chief Superintendent Michele Ferrara, head of Florence's elite Squadra Mobile, decides to step in. Because toxins were discovered in the girl's body, many assumed that she died of a self-inflicted drugs overdose, but Ferrara quickly realizes that the truth is darker than that: he believes that the girl was murdered. When he delves deeper, there are many aspects to the case that convince Ferrara that the girl's death is part of a sinister conspiracya conspiracy that has its roots in the very foundations of Tuscan society.
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"absorbing" and "Giuttari does a good job of fostering an atmosphere of menace, with powerful dark forces operating behind the scenes." —Publishers Weekly
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"Michele Giuttari knows of what he writes . . . his books set their insights into the reality of police work against an authentic Italian backdrop." Independent
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"The plot is intricately woven, with enough gasp-worthy twists to sustain a reader to the end." Financial Times
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"Astonishing plot range and emotional depth." —Booklist
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"“Giuttari offers extremely credible procedure, a hero who gets more fascinating with each book, and scenes of Florence that may even surpass Donna Leon’s of Venice.” —Booklist
Synopsis
A strikingly beautiful young woman is found dead in her Florence apartment. She lies on her bed, naked, a black rose between her legs. And the murders do not stop there: shortly afterwards, a woman is burned to death in a church, and a man is shot on the Ponte Vecchio.
Chief Superindendent Michele Ferrara is all too familiar with the dark side of Florence. But he has never seen anything of this magnitude before - he is up against a mysterious, powerful enemy who would do anything to hide his identity, and manages to controls events at every turn.
As more violent deaths occur, Ferrara has to face the most dangerous investigation in his entire career and must confront deadly secrets from his own past . . .
Originally published in Italian as Le rose nere di Firenze.
Synopsis
A dramatic return to Florence for Chief Superintendent Michele Ferrara
A strikingly beautiful young woman is found dead in her Florence apartment. She lies on her bed, naked, a black rose between her legs. And the murders do not stop there: shortly afterwards, a woman is burned to death in a church, and a man is shot on the Ponte Vecchio. Chief Superindendent Michele Ferrara is all too familiar with the dark side of Florence. But he has never seen anything of this magnitude before—he is up against a mysterious, powerful enemy who would do anything to hide his identity, and manages to controls events at every turn. As more violent deaths occur, Ferrara has to face the most dangerous investigation in his entire career and must confront deadly secrets from his own past.
About the Author
Michele Giuttari is the former head of the Florence Police Force (1995-2003), where he was responsible for reopening the Monster of Florence case and jailing several key Mafia figures. He is now a special adviser to the interior minister in Rome, with a special remit to monitor Mafia activity.