The Bastards of Pizzofalcone

In de Giovanni’s engrossing sequel to 2013’s The Crocodile, a band of miscreant detectives with blemishes on their records are transferred from various Naples precincts to the city’s Pizzofalcone region, to replace four corrupt cops. Lt. Giuseppe Lojacono—one of the “Bastards of Pizzofalcone,” as the locals come to call the newcomers—was falsely accused of passing information to the Mafia because colleagues were jealous of the notoriety he achieved for solving the murder of four children in The Crocodile. When Cecilia De Santis, a philanthropist and a nursery school volunteer, is found bludgeoned to death in her apartment with a snow globe from her collection, the rogue detectives led by Lojacono have a chance to redeem the reputation of themselves and the precinct. Despite the lack of clues at the crime scene, Lojacono develops a number of possible suspects. Colorful, fully drawn characters and several intriguing subplots help propel the plot to a satisfying resolution. (Apr.)