“A behind-the-scenes tour of inspiration and imagination. How is a crime story created? What part is played by what is true, what is false, by the truth in what’s false? The developments, the backtracks, the wanderings. The result is fascinating, rich and fun.” — Le Devoir

“We often use the expression ‘there are two sides to every coin.’ But Naples isn’t a coin; it’s a disco ball.”

How do you write a crime novel? This is the question on the lips of the ragtag group of characters gathered at the Scagliola enoteca. The protagonists draw inspiration from a real-life unsolved case to craft a story featuring Salvatore, a thief who has made off with a well-known Jesus statue. And since the crime takes place in Naples, Mafia capital of the region, the line between fact and fiction becomes even more blurred…

A thriller within a thriller, La Rapina plunges the reader into a dizzying universe that plays with our understanding of myth and reality, fact and faith… A masterful literary gambit that begs the inevitable question: who is really telling the story?

“For the reality of Naples is all relative, belonging more to the observer than to the things themselves. Even while living there, P. felt he could only observe Naples from the outside, as if the city were elusive, an object whose surface could only be scratched.”

The author’s style is unique and perfectly mastered. A literary game that will appeal to fans of crime novels and more seasoned readers alike.