"Di Fulvio exposes souls with the skills of a surgeon. It's like turning the pages of something forbidden—seductive, elegant and dangerous."—Alan Rickman

"A wonderful first novel that will seduce the fans of deranged murderers in the style of Hannibal Lecter. And beautifully written to boot."—RTL

"A novel that caresses and kisses in order to violate the reader with greater ease."—Rolling Stone

"A powerful psycho-thriller of spine-shivering intensity. Written with immense intelligence and passionate menace. Not to be read alone at night."—The Times

"Know why she's smiling?" he asked, pointing a small torch at the corpse. "Fish hooks. Two fish hooks at the corners of her mouth, a bit of nylon, pull it round the back of the head and tie a knot. Pretty straightforward, right?" Amaldi noticed the metallic glint at the corners of the taut mouth.

Inspector Amaldi has enough problems: a city choked by a pestilent rubbish strike, a beautiful student harassed by a telephone stalker, a colleague dying of cancer, and the mysterious disappearance of arson files concerning the city's orphanage. Then the mutilated bodies begin to appear.

This novel of violence and decay, with its vividly portrayed characters, takes place over a few oppressive weeks in an unnamed Italian city that strongly evokes Genoa. A finalist for the European Crime Writing Prize.