Cathbad had thought it very interesting, ‘people living in the same place for generations’, but Ruth wonders if it is actually rather dangerous. Angelo’s grandfather was a resistance hero, Valenti’s father was a fascist and Marta’s great-grandfather lies dead in the churchyard. [loc. 3180]
Ruth is contacted by Italian archaeologist Angelo Morelli, who requests her input on a puzzling burial in his home town. All expenses paid ... Ruth hasn't had a holiday for years, and is finding it hard to deal with Michelle's pregnancy: she jumps at the chance to head for the sun, with her daughter, her friend Shona and Shona's son Louis in tow.
But the little town of Castello degli Angeli is not as calm and untroubled as it initially appears. Ruth encounters hostile graffiti, finds a wolf skull outside her door, and becomes aware of tensions dating back to the Second World War ... and perhaps even further into the past.
There is a murder, an earthquake, and the sudden appearance of Harry Nelson, who really should not be abandoning his family in Norfolk just when Mickey Webb, a murderer who vowed vengeance on Nelson but has since apparently reformed, is released from prison.
I didn't find this novel especially satisfactory, though it does resolve one plot arc in a truly surprising way. The murder plot is a tangled one, and the resolution is rather hasty. There is a nice sub-plot about a refugee, and the culture and ambience of Italy is evocatively described. A pleasant enough read, but not one of the best in this series.
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