With his hometown beset by hordes of tourists and baking under a glaring sun, Commissario Guido Brunetti’s greatest wish is to go to the mountains with his family, where he can sleep under a
down comforter and catch up on his reading of history. But before he can go on vacation, he has police work to do. A folder with court records has landed on his desk, brought by an old
friend. It appears that certain cases at the local court—hardly known as a model of efficiency—are being delayed to the benefit of one of the parties. A creative new trick for corrupting the
system, perhaps, but what can Brunetti do about it? At the same time, Brunetti is doing a favor for his colleague, Inspector Lorenzo Vianello. The inspector’s aunt has taken a strong interest
in astrology and has been regularly withdrawing large amounts of cash from the bank. But she won’t listen to her family, and Vianello doesn’t know what to do. Brunetti agrees to help. He
assigns the Questura’s new recruits, who need training in following a suspect through Venice’s complicated streets, to see where the money is going. And just when it looks like Brunetti will
be able to get away for his well-earned rest, a shocking, violent crime forces him to shake off the heat and get down to work.
