Bastards of Pizzofalcone

The "e;engrossing"e; sequel to The Crocodile kicks off an Italian crime fiction series by the author of the bestselling Commissario Ricciardi novels (Publishers Weekly). They've made a fresh start at the Pizzofalcone precinct of Naples. They fired every member of the investigative branch after they were found guilty of corruption. Now, there's a group of detectives, a new commissario, and a new superintendent. The new cops immediately find themselves investigating a high-profile murder that has the whole town on edge. Heading the investigation is Inspector Lojacono, known as "e;the Chinaman,"e; a cop with a checkered past who is currently riding a reputation as a crack investigator after having captured a serial killer known as "e;The Crocodile."e; Lojacono's partner is Aragona, who wants to be known as "e;Serpico,"e; but the name doesn't stick. Luigi Palma, a.k.a. "e;Gigi,"e; is the commissario, Francesco Romano, known as "e;Hulk,"e; is the slightly self-deluded lieutenant. Lojacono, Aragona, Palma, and Romano are joined by a cast of cops portrayed by bestselling author Maurizio de Giovanni with depth and intimate knowledge of the close-knit world of police investigators. De Giovanni's award-winning and bestselling novels, all set in Naples, offer a brilliant vision of the criminal underworld and the lives of the cops in Europe's most fabled, atmospheric, dangerous, and lustful city. "e;Colorful, fully drawn characters and several intriguing subplots help propel the plot to a satisfying resolution."e; Publishers Weekly "e;De Giovanni provides satisfyingly logical answers to every riddle . . . Despite the Neapolitan setting, the crew of mismatched cops may remind you of similar teams in Sweden, New York, or Hollywood. Not that there's anything wrong with that."e; Kirkus Reviews