A gripping and atmospheric crime novel that continues to delve into the troubled mind of Inspector Bordelli, set against the backdrop of a city under siege by natural disaster and political unrest. Set in the winter of 1966, when the Arno River floods Florence, the novel merges the chaos of the city with the darkness of Bordelli’s latest case: the sudden dark disappearance of a young boy.

Vichi masterfully uses the setting to enhance the tension of the story. The floodwaters of Florence become a metaphor for the moral and emotional deluge Bordelli faces as he navigates a city torn apart not just by nature but by the lingering aftershocks of fascism and war. The descriptions of the devastated city are vivid and haunting, and you can almost feel the cold dampness of the flooded streets as Bordelli trudges through them in search of answers.

Bordelli is at his most complex—he’s not just solving a mystery but wrestling with his own disillusionment with the justice system and his growing sense of isolation. The case is, dark, personal, and his determination to find the missing boy pulls him into a world of corruption, hypocrisy, and deep-rooted trauma. Vichi’s portrayal of the inspector’s growing frustration, both with the case and with society, makes Bordelli more relatable than ever, a flawed but deeply moral character.