Paperback: A Florentine Death, By Michele Giuttari, trans Howard Curtis

Sicilian-born Michele Giuttari turned to crime writing when his day job, running Flo- rence's Anti-Mafia Squad, led to more death threats than was sensible. His best-selling debut is grounded in authentic police procedure and the seedier realities of Florentine life. Like his creator, Chief Superintendent Ferrara is a fiftysomething Sicilian with black hair and a weakness for cigars and Montalcino red. As head of the Squadra Mobile he is faced with solving a series of random murders linked to the antiques trade. Howard Curtis's sleek translation complements Giuttari's capable prose.