The Commissario Ricciardi Mysteries Series

The ninth Commissario Ricciardi Neapolitan mystery is “noir with a heart, haunting and beautiful . . . A literary thriller of exceptional quality” (NB Magazine).   Years ago, Vinnie Sannino left Naples on a ship bound for America, where he found fame and fortune 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 her husband was recently 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.   “Deep melancholy infuses the crafty whodunit plot of de Giovanni’s superior ninth mystery set in 1930s Italy . . . Ricciardi, who’s literally haunted by visions of the dead, continues to be one of the most nuanced and intriguing sleuths in contemporary crime fiction.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)   “De Giovanni is one of the best historical crime writers out there. His Commissario Ricciardi novels, set during the fascist period in Italy, are intelligent and totally engrossing. Nameless Serenade is a perfect addition to the series; a really satisfying murder mystery, an insight into 1930s Naples and a thrilling chapter in the life of the Commissario. Lyrical prose and intriguing rounded characters contribute to making this one of the finest in the Ricciardi chronicles.” —NB Magazine

The seventh Commissario Ricciardi historical mystery is “an intricately layered whodunit set in Fascist Naples . . . A richly textured story” (Kirkus Reviews).   In the middle of a summer heat wave, as Naples prepares for one of its most important holy days, a renowned surgeon falls to his death from the window of his office. For Commissario Ricciardi and Brigadier Maione it is the beginning of an investigation that will bring them into contact with the most torrid, conflicting, and enduring of human passions. In the world Ricciardi and Maione are about to enter, infidelity appears inextricable from the most joyful expressions of love, and, this interdependence sows doubt and uncertainty in both men, compromising their own attempts at love.   Ricciardi is one of the most intriguing and unique figures to appear in crime fiction in recent years. He possesses the dubious gift of being able to see and hear the last seconds in the lives of those who have suffered a violent death. This ability makes him an unusually effective investigator but plagues him and renders human relationships almost impossible. He is a classic noir hero and the cursed son of a city that, for all its Mediterranean splendor, is a perfect noir city.   In this new installment in the Commissario Ricciardi series, Maurizio de Giovanni creates a large cast of unforgettable characters and a compelling, suspenseful plot that demonstrates once more why he is considered one of the best crime writers working today.   “Complex, lyrical . . . A searing look at the tortured soul of the lead makes this entry especially memorable.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

The fifth Commissario Ricciardi historical mystery in the series of “ingenious crime novels, written with intelligence and enthusiasm” (The Wall Street Journal). As Naples prepares for its holiday celebrations, behind the facade of order and happiness imposed by the fascist regime, lurks terrible poverty and blinding desperation. In a luxurious apartment on the Mergellina beach the bodies of a fascist militia officer and his wife have been found. The woman has had her throat cut while the man has been stabbed over sixty times. Seemingly, the hands of two separate killers have been at work. A statuette of San Giuseppe, patron saint of workers, lies in pieces on the floor. At the scene of the crime, Ricciardi, who has the dubious gift of being able to see and hear the last seconds in the lives of those who have suffered a violent death, listens to the enigmatic last words of the couple. Accompanied by his faithful partner Brigadier Raffaele Maione, and once more troubled by two women who compete for his attentions, the Commissario will have to trace a wide and frenetic arc through the streets of Naples in order to uncover the truth. “The refreshing lack of cynicism of de Giovanni’s two lead detectives, Brigadier Raffaele Maione and Commissario Luigi Alfredo Ricciardi, distinguishes the quietly enjoyable fifth Commissario Ricciardi mystery set in 1930s Naples. . . . Engaging characters and melancholy atmosphere.” —Publishers Weekly “One of the most entrancing series of crime novels.” —Shots Magazine “An absolutely terrific series.” —Open Letters Monthly

The eighth Commissario Ricciardi historical mystery from the author of The Bottom of Your Heart “will surprise readers at every turn” (La Reppublica).   In the abyss of a profound personal crisis, Commissario Ricciardi feels unable to open himself up to life. He has refused the love of both Enrica and Livia and the friendship of his partner, Maione. Contentment for Ricciardi proves as elusive as clues to the latest crime he has been asked to investigate.   The beautiful, haughty Bianca, countess of Roccaspina, pleads with Ricciardi to investigate a homicide that was officially closed months ago. In the tense, charged atmosphere of 1930s Italy, where Benito Mussolini and his fascist thugs monitor the police closely, an unauthorized investigation is grounds for immediate dismissal and possible criminal charges. But Ricciardi’s thirst for justice cannot be sated.   A tightly plotted historical noir novel, this eighth installment in the Commissario Ricciardi series is a gripping meditation on revenge and justice in which each character’s soul reveals itself to be made of glass.   “The construction of Glass Souls is remarkable. It’s like a very sophisticated mosaic in which each protagonist occupies precisely the right amount of space.” —La Reppublica   “Love, longing, and loss suffuse de Giovanni’s elegiac, autumnal eighth Commissario Ricciardi mystery set in 1930s Naples . . . Though Ricciardi risks infuriating his bosses—and unknowingly even greater danger from the Fascist forces who have him under surveillance—he can’t resist the conundrum. Nor in all likelihood will readers.” —Publishers Weekly   “A must read for those interested in exploring International Noir.” —Mystery Tribune

Commissario Ricciardi, “one of the most interesting and well-drawn detectives in fiction,” returns in this historical mystery by the author of By My Hand (The Daily Beast). It is one week before Easter, Naples, 1932. At the high-class brothel in the center of town known as Paradiso, Viper, the most famous prostitute of all, is found dead. Suffocated with a pillow. Her last client swears that when he left her she was alive and well. But when her next client arrived, he found her dead. Who killed her and why? Ricciardi has to untangle a complex knot of greed, frustration, jealousy, and rancor in order to solve the riddle of Viper’s death. As he does so, he will discover no end of conflicting emotions just beneath the surface of a city that lives on passion. De Giovanni’s mysteries unfold with such sinuous ease that they seem to write themselves. They enchant, surprise; they hold readers enthralled. Commissario Ricciardi, whose dubious gift of being able to see and hear the last seconds in the lives of those who have suffered a violent death, is one of the most fascinating investigators to make his appearance in the world of international crime fiction in recent years. And in Viper, the lustful and boisterous city of Naples has never been more seductive. “Engaging . . . melancholy Ricciardi, Brigadier Raffaele Maione, and other characters are compellingly drawn. New readers and returning fans should savor this novel like a Neapolitan pastiera.” —Publishers Weekly “De Giovanni is a fantastic discovery and I’m looking forward to reading the series from the start as there’s plenty here to enthrall the reader.” —Crimepieces

The fourth Commissario Ricciardi historical mystery—following Everyone in Their Place—is “a superb novel for fans of Italian noir” (Library Journal, starred review).  Commissario Ricciardi has visions. He sees and hears the final moments in the lives of those who have suffered violent deaths. It may be a talent or it may be a curse, but it has helped him become one of the most successful homicide detectives in the Naples police force. It’s a rainy autumn in 1930s Naples as its inhabitants celebrate the week of the dead. Ricciardi’s instincts tell him that the death of a street urchin is actually murder, but investigating the homicide is not going to be easy. The authorities want to avoid any sign that things are not as they ought to be in Naples, for they are preparing for the state visit of Benito Mussolini. Ricciardi will have to conduct his investigation hidden from the eyes of his superiors. What’s worse, his sixth sense is no help to him this time; the scene of the crime is silent, still, not a word or a sign, or even a scream from the dead. Has his unwelcome gift finally faded? Or is something more sinister at work? “De Giovanni’s slashing wit cuts deeply into his cameo portraits of the high and mighty, even as his elegant style ennobles the wretched lives he views with such compassion.” —The New York Times Book Review “De Giovanni is a masterful plotter and sub-plotter; it’s a joy to ease into his complete command of his craft . . . These are murder mysteries raised to a brilliant level.” —Open Letters Monthly

Third in “a superb historical series set in Fascist Italy . . . and featuring one of the most melancholy detectives in European noir crime fiction (The New York Times Book Review). Commissario Ricciardi has visions. He sees and hears the final seconds in the lives of victims of violent deaths. It is both a gift and a curse. It has helped him become one of the most acute and successful homicide detectives in the Naples police force. But the horror and suffering he has seen has hollowed him out emotionally. He drinks too much and sleeps too little. His love life is a shamble. Other than his loyal partner, Brigadier Maione, he has no friends. Naples, 1931. Together with Brigadier Maione, Ricciardi is investigating the death of the beautiful and mysterious Duchess of Camparino, whose connections to privileged Neapolitan social circles and the local fascist elite make the case a powder keg waiting to explode. As Benito Mussolini’s state visit to Naples looms and authorities frantically seek to clean up the city’s image, Ricciardi will stop at nothing to find the duchess’s killer. “Reading a novel by Maurizio de Giovanni is like stepping into a Vittorio De Sica movie. The sights and smells of Naples are pungently evoked.” —The New York Times Book Review “Combines a rare setting for a whodunit, Fascist Italy, with a classic fair-play puzzle and a highly unusual lead . . . a lyrical and tantalizing opening . . . intriguing.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “In the popular field of historical noir featuring gloomy but brilliant detectives, de Giovanni’s series easily stands out as a success.” —Library Journal (starred review)

The second historical mystery featuring Commissario Ricciardi, “one of the most interesting and well-drawn detectives in fiction” (The Daily Beast). Commissario Ricciardi has visions. He sees and hears the final seconds in the lives of victims of violent deaths. It is both a gift and a curse. It has helped him become one of the most acute and successful homicide detectives in the Naples police force. But all that horror and suffering has hollowed him out emotionally. He drinks and doesn’t sleep. Other than his loyal partner, Brigadier Maione, he has no friends. Naples, 1931. In a working-class apartment in the Sanità neighborhood, an elderly woman by the name of Carmela Calise has been beaten to death. When Ricciardi and Maione arrive at the scene, they learn that Calise was moonlighting as a fortuneteller and moneylender whose clients were some of the city’s rich and powerful. She predicted their futures in such a way as to manipulate and deceive and made many enemies—those indebted to her, swayed by her lies, disappointed by her prophesies or destroyed by her machinations. Murder suspects in this atmospheric thriller abound and Commissario Ricciardi, one of the most original and intriguing investigators in contemporary crime fiction, will have his work cut out for him. “The promise that each life will intersect keeps Ricciardi and Maione’s investigation lively.” —Publishers Weekly “A well-crafted, ultimately moving crime novel set in 1931 Naples . . . This is a solid series with an intriguing detective, and fans will eagerly await the third volume.” —Library Journal

Introducing Italy’s Commissario Ricciardi. “De Giovanni’s distinct brand of noir . . . will appeal to Agatha Christie and Manuel Vázquez Montalbán fans” (Publishers Weekly). Commissario Ricciardi has visions. He sees the final seconds in the lives of victims of violent deaths. It is both a gift and a curse. It has helped him become one of the most successful homicide detectives on the Naples police front. But the horror of his visions has hollowed him out emotionally. He drinks too much and sleeps too little. Other than his loyal partner, Brigadier Maione, he has no friends. Naples, March 1931. A bitter wind stalks the city streets, and murder lies at its cold heart. When the world’s greatest tenor, Maestro Arnaldo Vezzi, is found brutally murdered in his dressing room at Naples’ San Carlo Theatre, the enigmatic and aloof Commissario Ricciardi is called in to investigate. Arrogant and bad-tempered, Vezzi was adored by millions and hated by hundreds, but with the livelihoods of everyone at the San Carlo opera at stake, who there would have committed such an act? Ricciardi is determined to find out. Fans of Donna Leon and Manuel Vázquez Montalbán will thrill to this fresh voice in crime fiction. I Will Have Vengeance is the first book in a quartet of masterful crime novels set in fascist Italy. “A welcome addition to the pantheon of Italian crime fiction . . . Ricciardi is a suitably principled, charismatic yet enigmatic detective.” —Euro Crime “The combination of an unusual detective, historical setting and Italian opera was impossible to resist.” —Crimetime.co.uk