“Masterful . . . Brunetti allows readers to share his belief that decency and honesty can, for a little while, stave off the angst of the modern world.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

With his hometown of Venice, Italy, beset by hordes of tourists and baking under a glaring sun, Guido Brunetti’s greatest wish is to go to the mountains with his family, where he can sleep under a down comforter and catch up on his reading. But before he can go on vacation, a folder with court records has landed on his desk, brought by an old friend. It appears that cases at the local court—hardly known as a model of efficiency—are being delayed to the benefit of one of the parties. A creative new trick for corrupting the system, perhaps, but what can Brunetti do about it?

But just when it looks like Brunetti will be able to get away, a shocking, violent crime forces him to stay in the simmering city, in this atmospheric mystery in the New York Times–bestselling series.