A fascinating story in which the current murder mystery, the death of a young orphan boy, mingles with the ongoing story involving the commissario, the countess, Enrica, the toady vice questore, and the rest. The murder of the boy appears at first straightforward, but is of course more complex. All of these elements are woven over a pre war Naples and Italy, already under the heel of Il Duce and the growing menace of fascist thugs. A host of brilliantly drawn and wonderfully acted secondary characters fills out each story, the anti-fascista coroner, Riccardi's devoted Nanny in her 60s, his loyal sergeant whose own family story gets more detailed with each episode. There is a richness here to be savored in each story.