A Divine Fury

Florence, autumn 1539. Cesare Aldo has returned from exile but no longer holds his former position in the criminal court. Assigned to the night patrol, he pursues a suspect through heavy rain and discovers a corpse displayed beneath the statue of David, posed as a crucifixion. The arrangement makes clear that the death is intended as a public message rather than a concealed crime.

Further bodies appear in carefully constructed religious scenes, suggesting that the killer sees murder as punishment and the city as an audience. Aldo must investigate with reduced authority while navigating officials who distrust him and memories of the events that led to his demotion. As the pattern becomes clearer, the case forces him to confront both the theology claimed by the murderer and the dangerous compromises required to regain control of his own life.