The Bastards of Pizzofalcone
Maurizio de Giovanni
9781609453145 p/b £10.99
Europa Editions
One of our most anticipated April releases is The Bastards of Pizzofalcone, the first in a new series of hardboiled crime fiction written by Maurizio de Giovanni. Fans of Italian crime fiction will undoubtedly be aware of de Giovanni, who lives and works in Naples and often uses the city’s gritty reputation as his inspiration and setting. He is perhaps best known for his internationally bestselling Commissario Ricciardi series, which includes I Will Have Vengeance (2012) and By My Hand (2014).
Set in the Pizzofalcone precinct of Naples, Bastards sees the local precinct make a fresh start, firing every one of their investigators – in true Neapolitan crime writing fashion, they were all found guilty of corruption – and bringing in a group of detectives, a new commissario and a new superintendent to investigate a high-profile murder in the neighbourhood.
Heading up the investigation is “The Chinaman”, Inspector Lojacono; de Giovanni fans will remember this cop with a chequered past who repaired his reputation in 2013’s thrilling page-turner, The Crocodile. Lojacono is joined by a cast of cops portrayed with depth and intimate knowledge of the close-knit world of police investigators who bring both conflict and comic relief to the dark underlying current of this noir masterwork.
Expertly written in the dexterous style for which Maurizio de Giovanni is renowned, The Bastards of Pizzofalcone has thus far been praised for its “Colorful, fully drawn characters and several intriguing subplots” (Publishers Weekly). De Giovanni “is in a class of his own” (Pulp Den) and “provides satisfyingly logical answers to every riddle” (Kirkus Reviews). This brilliant vision of the criminal underworld and the lives of the cops in Europe’s most fabled, atmospheric, dangerous, and lustful city will satisfy crime fiction enthusiasts across the board – and fans of Elena Ferrante will jump at the chance to experience a different neighbourhood of Naples!
The second title in the series, Darkness for the Bastards of Pizzofalcone, is due out in August 2016 and will follow Inspector Lojacono and his team as they investigate a kidnapping and burglary that may have shady connections…
See our other April Books we Love: Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5
Post by Sarah