Nameless Serenade

Years ago, Vinnie Sannino left Naples on a ship bound for America, where he found fame and wealth as a boxer. But his gilded life in the new world came to an abrupt end when, during a fight, with a heavy punch to the head of his opponent, Vinnie killed a man in the ring.

Now, Vinnie's back in Italy, pining for the woman he left behind. Cettina, however, is now a married woman. She was, at least, until recently when her husband was found dead, killed by a single blow to the head. For Commissario Ricciardi, one of the most faceted cops in fiction, and his partner Maione, it is a going to be a long, rainy, week in Naples.

Nameless Serenade (World Noir)

By Maurizio De Giovanni

Europa Editions

ISBN #978-1609454609

Price $18.00 (Paperback)

Price $9.99 (Kindle)

399 Pages

Rating 5-Stars

The publisher sent me a copy for an honest review. It’s autumn in Naples, and raining. 16 years previous a young boy and girl declared their love for each other, but the boy, Vinnie stows away on a ship to America to make money and promises his sweetheart, Cettina he would return for her when he had enough money. He becomes a boxer, known as the Italian Snake, and obtains the light heavyweight championship. After accidentally killing a man in the ring he decides to return to Naples and his sweetheart. But things have changed. Cettina has married, not waiting on him any longer. In a drunken rage Vinnie threatens to kill her husband and the next morning her husband’s body is found. He has been beaten to death. Pressure is put on Commissario Ricciardi to arrest the boxer, but the detective doesn’t believe the case is closed and continues the investigation.

What a wonderful story. The author’s writing and story-telling ability keeps you turning the pages, and the mystery is never what it seems. This is the best mystery series coming out of Italy, and Maurizio De Giovanni is my favorite author in the genre. My one complaint, Commissario Ricciardi and Enrica Colombo should finally get together, and the sooner the better. Highly recommended.

Tom Johnson

Author of THE MAN IN THE BLACK FEDORA

The Bastards of Pizzofalcone

A new series of hardboiled crime fiction set in contemporary Naples by the author of the internationally bestselling Commissario Ricciardi series. 

They've made a fresh start at the Pizzofalcone precinct of Naples. They fired every member of the investigative branch after they were found guilty of corruption. Now, there's a group of detectives, a new commissario, and a new superintendent. The new cops immediately find themselves investigating a high-profile murder that has the whole town on edge.

Heading the investigation is Inspector Lojacono, known as "the Chinaman," a cop with a checkered past who is currently riding a reputation as a crack investigator after having captured a serial killer known as "The Crocodile." Lojacono's partner is Aragona, who wants to be known as "Serpico," but the name doesn't stick. Luigi Palma, a.k.a. "Gigi," is the Commissario, Francesco Romano, known as "Hulk," is the slightly self-deluded lieutenant. Lojacono, Aragona, Palma, and Romano are joined by a cast of cops portrayed by bestselling author Maurizio de Giovanni with depth and intimate knowledge of the close-knit world of police investigators. 

The Bastards of Pizzofalcone (Police Procedural)

By Maurizio De Giovanni

Europa Editions www.europaeditions.com

ISBN # 978-1609453145

Price $18.00

323 Pages (Uncorrected Proof)

Rating 5-Stars

“The Author Is In A Class of His Own.”

Set in contemporary Naples, the Pizzofalcone precinct is about to be shut down; the previous detectives had intercepted a drug deal, but only reported a portion of the merchandise, keeping the rest to sell on the streets. Caught, the precinct was now called the Bastards because of the bad cops. It’s decided to give them another chance by bringing in Commissario Luigi “Gigi” Palma, who originally appeared in THE CROCODILE, and four detectives: Inspector Giuseppe “The Chinaman” Lojacono, who also appeared in THE CROCODILE; Corporal Aragona Marco; Warrant Officer Francisco “Hulk” Romano; and Officer 1^st Class Alessandra Di Nardo. All are considered rejects from their old units, and by reassigning them to Pizzofalcone, they are out of everyone’s hair. Working with them are Deputy Captain Giorgio Pisanelli and Deputy Sergeant Ottavia Calibreose from the original squad, whom were proven innocent of the drug deal. The Magistrate, Dottoressa Piras, introduced in THE CROCODILE, is also a regular cast.

Their first case is the murder of the wife of an important family. Everything points to the husband as her killer, but the detectives must find evidence that will stand up in court. Lojacono and Marco are assigned the murder, while Di Nardo and Romano are sent to investigate the report of a girl held prisoner in an apartment. Meanwhile, Calibreose uses her electronics skills to follow the computer trail the investigators need on suspects. Pisanelli uses his knowledge of the area, and people, to assist in the investigation while also searching for a killer he suspects in a series of suicides.

Maurizio De Giovanni is one of the top mystery writers in the field today. He is in a class of his own. He is certainly the best writer coming out of Europe that I’ve had the pleasure of reading. Although the plot and mystery are topnotch, it is the characters that drive the story. These are characters you want to know, they are your friends, and you feel their emotions. They keep you turning the pages, and you never want them to leave you. Highly recommended to mystery readers, and anyone who loves well-written stories with characters that come alive.

Tom Johnson

Author of CARNIVAL OF DEATH

  

The Bottom of Your Heart

The Bottom of Your Heart (Murder Mystery)

By Maurizio de Giovanni

Europe Editions www.eropaeditions.com

ISBN #9781609452940

456 Pages

Price $18.00

Rating 5-Stars

Professor Tullio Iovine del Castello, chair of gynecology at the university suddenly takes a dive out the topmost window from his office building, but the investigation reveals that he didn’t jump; somebody threw him. Someone who is big and strong enough to physically throw him through a window. Now it’s up to Commissario Ricciardi and Brigadier Maione to discover whom the murderer is. The trail leads to several suspects, a gangster known as the Wolf, a huge and strong man, whose wife died at the hands of the doctor during childbirth; he had vowed to kill the professor. Another suspect is the son of a competing doctor; also a huge, strong man. The professor had wronged them, and there was a letter of warning from the father. Yet, to prove either is the murderer it will be a hard case of unraveling real evidence to prove which one.

This was another fantastic trail of crime in 1930s Naples, by the chief investigator cursed with “sight” that reveals the final moments of the victim, and their last words. Although those words don’t point to the murderer, they do reveal final thoughts, and Commissario Ricciardi must ponder their meaning while speaking with witnesses and suspects in the case. The characters capture the reader from the start, and take them on the journey to find the answer to the riddle. Personally, I think this is the best series coming out of Italy. I love the characters, and the writing of Maurizio de Giovanni, and have enjoyed every novel by this fine author so far. Highly recommended for mystery lovers.

Tom Johnson

Detective Mystery Stories

I Will Have Vengeance

I Will Have Vengeance (Mystery)

By Maurizio De Giovanni

ISBN #978-1609450946

Europa Editions www.europaeditions.com

Price $12.60

216 Pages

Rating 5-Stars

“A Page Turner!”

It’s 1931 in Naples, Italy, and the great opera tenor, Arnaldo Vezzi is murdered in his dressing room minutes before performing. Luigi Alfredo Ricciardi, Commissario of Public Safety in the Mobile Squad, Royal Police Headquarters, and his partner, Brigadier Raffaele Maione are assigned the investigation. The murderer could have been anyone in the cast or stage crew, and it’s up to the investigators to unravel the mystery. Ricciardi is cursed with second sight, and sees the ghost of victims at the point of their death, and hears their final words. Usually misleading, but he must figure out what it means. In this case it is an aria the victim sings.

This is actually the first in the series about Commissario Ricciardi, so I am already familiar with the main characters.  But the mystery is topnotch, and the characters come alive. The reader doesn’t want to put the book down, and it is a page-turner. Basically, the story introduces the main characters we will be seeing more of in future stories. One is mentioned, but we don’t meet him/her yet; we will in the second novel. There are no exciting action scenes, but they are not needed in this brilliant new mystery series. Highly recommended for readers who love a good plot, and interesting characters.

Tom Johnson

Detective Mystery Stories

Blood Curse

Blood Curse (World Noir)

By Maurizio Giovanni

Europa Editions

ISBN #978-1609451134

384 Pages

Price $12.84

Rating 5-Stars

“A Mystery With Twists, And Characters That Come Alive.”

It’s 1931 Naples, and an old woman is found murdered. Investigation reveals that she was working as a fortune-teller and loan shark. Luigi Alfredo Ricciardi, Commissario of Public Safety in the Mobile Squad, Royal Police Headquarters, and his partner, Brigadier Raffaele Maione are assigned the case. They discover a notebook that lists the dead woman’s clients and their record of debts. Any of them could have killed the old woman, but it’s their job to find the guilty party.

The reader is captivated from the first page, and holds on for the full ride. We are never let down. Ricciardi has second sight; he can see the ghost of the victim’s final moments, and hear their last words. But this is merely a vague clue, and he must uncover the hidden meaning behind the final words. This is the type book that you either hate or love. I loved it. Although there is little or no action, we follow the investigators as they uncover clues and question suspects. We also get a view of their own lives in the background, and the story has two strong points: a great plot, and characters that come to life. It’s the characters that pull you into the story, and the plot that entangles you into the mystery. Just as the reader thinks they know who the killer is, twists will throw them off the scent again. I highly recommend this novel to pure mystery lovers.

Tom Johnson

Detective Mystery Stories