Fabio Montale has left a police force marred by corruption, racism and greed to follow the placid rhythms of his native town: the sea, fishing, and the local bar. But getting out is not going to be so easy. When his cousin s son goes missing, Montale is dragged back into the mean streets of a violent, crime-infested Marseilles. To discover the truth about the boy s disappearance, he infiltrates a dangerous underworld of mobsters, religious fanatics, crooked cops and ordinary people driven to extremes by desperation.

This second novel in Izzo s acclaimed Marseilles trilogy is a touching tribute to the author s beloved city, in all its color and complexity. Fabio Montale is an unwitting hero in this city of melancholy beauty.