Christobel Kent
A dark, unsettling psychological mystery set in a Florence mired in crisis, this is the dark heart of modern Italy: corrupt officials, dusty strade, and pickpockets on the Ponte Vecchio… And, amid the small-town claustrophobia and the faded decadence of the city, dark and violent secrets.
Silvano Rosselli, the gaunt, charismatic leader of a Green grouping in Florence, collapses at a rally. His longtime partner Flavia has disappeared, leaving him literally holding their new baby, at least until Rosselli's formidable mother takes charge. And the daughter of policeman turned private detective Sandro Cellini's best friend Pietro has abruptly decided to leave home and cohabit with a man she won't let her parents meet.
Meanwhile, Sandro himself has been reduced to looking into a possibly fraudulent insurance claim and his wife Luisa is pondering breast reconstruction after cancer. But soon both of them, along with Sandro's dogged assistant Guili, are drawn into the mystery surrounding Rosselli, and when Flavia's fate is revealed, events take an alarming turn.
From the reviews of the Sandro Cellini series:
“Death, espresso, and political manoeuvering... An ex-cop plying his trade outside the boundaries of normal Italian police procedure. Brooding Italian noir.” Independent on Sunday
“Bridging the gap left by Michael Dibdin... Suspense, atmosphere, and the architectural beauty of Florence... Fantastic.” Irish Examiner
CHRISTOBEL KENT is the author of five novels, A Party in San Niccolo, Late Season, The Summer House, A Florentine Revenge, A Time of Mourning, A Fine and Private Place and Dead Season. She lives near Cambridge with her husband and five children.
Edited manuscript available: October 2012
Extent: 320pp
Publication: May 2013
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