Michael Dibdin

In the late 1970s an extraordinary document came to light; a continuous narrative by Dr Watson following the investigation of three women murdered by Jack the Ripper. As each trace of the ghastly outrage is recorded the murderer’s identity comes into focus.

Aurelio Zen is sent to Perugia to investigate a kidnapping involving one of the town’s wealthiest families and soon realises that the family members are lying both to him and to each other. When the kidnapped man is killed soon after his release the case turns into a murder enquiry.