Death in Florence - A Novel (Inspector Bordelli Mystery) - Tapa dura

Vichi shows us ever more secret and dark sides to an otherwise sunny city. But his happiest creation, in my opinion, remains the character of Inspector Bordelli.--Andrea Camilleri

As delicious and satisfying as the Tuscan cuisine that Bordelli savors every chance that he gets.

Bordelli is a marvelous creation. He's a WWII vet with still-vivid memories of its horrors, a dedicated policeman who is close friends with a former prostitute and a thief, a man who administers his own punishment to a shopkeeper gouging flood victims, a hopeless romantic who falls in love easily and totally with a beautiful young salesgirl, and a man who takes a dangerous gamble to try to nail Giacomo's killers.

Inspector Bordelli has a lot on his mind. He wonders why he's never found a great woman, he's got to cut back on cigarettes, and he should probably figure out who killed that wealthy older lady in her 17th-century villa.

For those who have wandered the streets of Florence or who want to inhabit another person's head for a while and to delve into the musings of a dogged detective, this is a rewarding read. Indeed, as I approached the end, I couldn't put it down.

Vichi's stellar first in a new mystery series delivers a plausible solution worthy of a golden age crime novel.

Florence, 1966. The rain is never-ending. When a young boy vanishes on his way home from school the police fear the worst, and Inspector Bordelli begins an increasingly desperate investigation.Then the flood hits. During the night of November 4th the swollen River Arno, already lapping the arches of the Ponte Vecchio, breaks its banks and overwhelms the city. Streets become rushing torrents, the force of the water sweeping away cars and trees, doors, shutters and anything else in its wake.In the aftermath of this unimaginable tragedy the mystery of the child's disappearance seems destined to go unsolved. But obstinate as ever, Bordelli is not prepared to give up.