Description
Praise for the Marshal Guarnaccia series: "It takes a writer as good as Magdalen Nabb to remind us how subtle the art of the mystery can be. . . . Nabb has Simenon's knack."-"The New York Times Book Review" "Nabb's uncanny portrayal of Florence, its pace, scents, sounds, the rhythm of its language . . . is so vivid."-"The Boston Globe" "If you didn't make it to Florence this summer, don't despair. It was probably too crowded anyway-and there's a new Marshal Guarnaccia investigation to keep you abreast of the sights, smells, tastes, and traffic problems of that great Italian city."-"Chicago Tribune" "There is no other series quite like the Guarnaccia stories . . . in their moody charms. . . . His tender heart casts a wide net; people trust him, talk to him, seem to feel he is more prescient than he knows he is. The result is a narrative in which the marshal serves as a mirror to the world around him."-"The Washington Post Book World" "Strongly recommended for readers who like sophisticated, literate mysteries in foreign settings."-"Library Journal" The body of a woman has been found half-submerged in an ornamental fish pond high up in Florence's Boboli gardens. At first, the woman cannot be identified; only her skull remains. The marshal must use her clothing and a shoe to trace her. She turns out to be a young Japanese woman apprenticed to one of Florence's legendary custom shoemakers, crotchety old Peruzzi. Could he have killed his protA(c)gA(c)? Or did jealousy drive his other apprentice to murder? The neighbors have seen Akiko with a lover-a brilliant young carabinieri-who has disappeared. Has he fled to avoid arrest? The marshal must go to Rome to complete his investigation. When he returns to Florence he can identify the killer, but can he bring him to justice?
