Antony Shugaar

Commissario Ricciardi, a compulsively private man, is haunted by his the ability to see and hear the dead repeating their final moments. He still lives with his “Tata” Rosa, who has cared for him since he was a baby. He feels a romantic attachment to Enrica, a young woman he admires from afar and is too shy to talk to. Meanwhile, Livia Vezzi, a beautiful and wealthy widow, has moved to Naples and is pursuing Ricciardi.

Along with his loyal colleague, Brigidiar Maione, they investigate the murder of a little orphan boy, Matteo, found dead on the steps of the Tondo di Capodimonte staircase, still guarded by his small dog. Called Tette because he stutters so badly he can't pronounce his own name, he has found shelter in the back room of a church, along with six bullies who constantly torment him. Hungry and alone, his only friend is the small dog. Ricciardi knows something is wrong with the boy's apparent death and decides to take some vacation time to investigate.

This was my very favorite of the four Commissario Ricciardi books I've read, even though it was breathtakingly sad on so many levels. The author intersperses flashbacks that reveal Tette's life, leading up to his death. This technique had such a powerful impact because we know from the first pages that Tette is dead. I know very little about the rise of fascism and Mussolini in the early 1930s but the author does a fantastic job of giving the reader a feel for the people gripped in political repression and economic depression. There is no humor in this book. With starving children as a major character, we are filled with overwhelming sadness as we hurtle towards the devastating conclusion.

I'm happy to report that this isn't the final book of the seasonally based Commissario Ricciardi series. Next up.......Viper, No Resurrection for Commissario Ricciardi, one of the most fascinating characters I've ever met.

… (més)

A recent drug scandal in the Pizzofalcone district of Naples has resulted in the arrest of four police officers. Amidst talk of closing the precinct entirely, the administration us throwing one last lifeline. Law enforcement officials have selected four new police officers to replace the corrupt ones. Each of the new officers has a problem that made them persona non grata at their old jobs, including the star of this series, Sicilian Lieutenant Giuseppe Lojacono who recently captured a serial killer in The Crocodile.

Cecilia De Santis has been found bludgeoned to death with a snow globe from her huge collection. She came from a wealthy family and her husband is a well known notary. There doesn't seem to be any clues at the crime scene but Lojacono, teamed with another rogue detective, is able to put together a series of people to question, which eventually leads to a list of possible suspects. Meanwhile, the other two detectives are investigating a complaint from an old woman that her young and beautiful neighbor never answers the door or leaves her apartment.

I'm a huge fan of Maurizio de Giovanni’s Commissairio Ricciardi series, set in fascist Italy of the 1930s. He is probably my favorite crime novelist. Lojacono is a completely different protagonist than Ricciardi but they have some things in common that make them a fascinating change from the usual police procedural. This series reminds me a bit of Ed McBain's 87th Precinct novels where the main characters work as a team, rather than the lone wolf style mysteries that are usually popular. I love the setting of Naples, and the misfit Bastards of Pizzofalcone, each of whom is richly developed. I just picked up book 3 – Darkness for the Bastards of Pizzofalcone and can't wait to read what happens next to this interesting group.
… (més)

I love, love, love the Commissario Ricciardi mysteries, set in 1930s Fascist Naples and couldn't wait to read this as soon as it was available. This is the eighth book of the series but the first one I've read in print, having listened to all the others in audio. We join Ricciardi and his partner Brigadier Raffaele Maione in the cool of fall, where the police case load is lighter than usual.

The countess of Roccaspina pleads with Ricciardi to investigate a homicide that was officially closed months ago. Her husband has been imprisoned for the murder of Piro, a loan shark. He has confessed to the murder but his wife knows he was at home with her during the time of the murder. He refuses to recant, and the police regard the case as closed. Ricciardi is intrigued and decides to take a second look, despite threats from his superior.

Long time fans are treated to appearances by some of our favorite characters. Dr. Modo, the irreverent coroner who will say anything, especially after having a few drinks, is still accompanied by his adoring dog, the former pet of an orphan boy who died in a prior book. Maione, a warm hearted family man is commanded to contact the transvestite prostitute Bambinella, who often serves as an informant, but only for Maione. As always, the two of them together are uproarious.

Commissario Ricciardi, whose aristocratic family died when he was a child, sees the dead. Not every dead person, just the ones who have died a violent death. Whenever he arrives at a murder scene, he hears the last words of the dead. Their voices are a lonely burden for Ricciardi, compelling him to seek justice for them. Ricciardi is the focus of two women we've met in the previous books. Livia, the widow of the world's greatest tenor, who moved to Naples to pursue Ricciardi. He is still secretly longing for Enrica, a shy young woman who lives across the street from him, but contentment for Ricciardi proves elusive. This book is a feast of fascinating characters, the foreboding events of 1930s Italy, and the beautiful prose of Maurizio de Giovanni. His writing makes me wish I could read Italian, because it must be so beautiful in the original language. As much as I loved this book, I don't recommend it to new readers of the series. To understand and appreciate Ricciardi you must start at the beginning, I Will Have Vengeance.… (més)

Set in Naples, Italy just before World War II, as fascism is beginning to take hold, Commissario Ricciardi and his faithful subordinate Brigadier Maione, are instructed to investigate the murder of beautiful Adriana, Duchess di Camparino. The Duchess was the elderly duke’s nurse before his first wife died. When they married, the general assumption was that the duchess was a gold digger. There are plenty of suspects, especially Ettore, the bedridden and dying duke's son, who cannot hide his hatred of Adriana.

Meanwhile, the blinding summer heat puts both our investigators in a bad mood. Overweight Brigadier Maione, has put himself on a severe diet. His wife has been flirting with a local fruit vendor and Maione has the idea that the thinner man might be trying to take her away. Commissario Ricciardi, a compulsively private man, is haunted by his the ability to see and hear the dead repeating their final moments. The only joy he has has in his life has been looking out his bedroom window to the sitting room of Enrica Colombo, a young woman who spends each evening working on her embroidery. Even though they met only once, they both are attracted to one another. At the same time Enrica’s mother sets up a surprise dinner with a suitable young man, Enrica sees Ricciardi with the beautiful elegant Livia, the widow of opera singer Arnaldo Vezzi, who was murdered in an earlier book. They both become heartbroken and this misunderstanding is a major part of the story.

I absolutely love this series but admit it definitely is not for everyone. Ricciardi is an especially sensitive character, who could have become a caricature, but instead shows us a wistful humanity. This is a beautifully written crime story with a cast of memorable characters. This is the third book in the series and the author continues to bring together a a rich and compelling mix of class struggle, love and loneliness. I can't wait to read book four, The Day of the Dead: The Autumn of Commissario Ricciardi.… (més)