The Day of the Dead

Inthis fourth installment of the internationally successful Commissario Ricciardiseries, the commissario investigates the death of Matteo, one of the manystreet urchins who live hand-to-mouth in the dark alleys of 1930s Naples. Whileat first the death seems provoked by natural causes, there’s more to thetragedy than meets the eye.

CommissarioRicciardi is the undisputed wizard of Neapolitan crime scenes. He solves everycrime with an uncanny swiftness that leaves his colleagues dumbfounded. Indeed,there are those who think his abilities are the work of the devil, an unnatural and ungodly gift to be exorcised. And maybe they’re right.Ricciardi sees the dead; he sees and hears the final moments in the lives ofthose who have suffered violent deaths. It may be a talent, or it may be acurse, but it is nonetheless a kind of black magic. Sometimes, however, evenblack magic isn’t enough. It’s a rainy autumn in Naples and the fog lays thickover the city as its inhabitants celebrate the week of the dead. Ricciardi’sinstincts tell him that the dead boy is the victim of a murder, butinvestigating the homicide is not going to be easy. The authorities want toavoid any trouble, any sign that things are not as they ought to be in Naples,for they are preparing for the state visit of Benito Mussolini. Ricciardi willhave to conduct his investigation hidden from the eyes of his superiors. What’sworse, his sixth sense is no help to him this time: the scene of the crime issilent, still, not a word or a sign, or even a scream from the dead. Has hisunwelcome gift finally faded? Or is something more sinister at work?