'For heaven's sake, please break down the door.'
'Signorina, I cannot, under any circumstances . . .'
She looked at him. That was enough. With a single shoulder-thrust, Montalbano sent the plywood door flying. He went inside, but before he had even felt for the light switch, he yelled: 'Don't come in!'
He'd detected at once the smell of death in the room.

As he gets older, Inspector Montalbano is plagued by existential questions. But he doesn't have much time to wax philosophical before the gruesome murder of a man - shot in the face at point-blank range with his pants down - commands his attention. Add two evasive, beautiful women as prime suspects, dirty cocaine, dead politicians, mysterious computer codes, and a series of threatening letters, and things soon get very complicated at the police headquarters in Vigàta.

'A magnificent series of novels' Sunday Times

'The best company in crime fiction today' Guardian

'One of fiction's greatest detectives . . . utterly gripping' Daily Mirror