Format Hardcover
Publication Date 09/15/13
ISBN 9781605985367
Trim Size / Pages 6 x 9 in / 400

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A Darkness Descending

A Mystery in Florence

Christobel Kent

The secret world of a murder victim leads detective Sandro Cellini to uncover the hidden life of a woman consumed by a deadly obsession.

When the driven, charismatic leader of a Florentine political movement collapses at a rally, his young party immediately comes under threat. And when it emerges that his wife, Flavia, has disappeared, leaving behind not only a devastated husband but their newborn son, the political becomes dangerously personal—and Detective Inspector Sandro Cellini is summoned to investigate. The trail leads to a somber seaside town, where Flavia chose to end her life. But Cellini isn't satisfied—why would one so young and with so much to live for walk away from all she loves? As he digs into Flavia's secret world, however, Sandro uncovers the hidden life of a woman consumed with private passions and a dark, deadly obsession—a stark reminder that life in modern Italy has a perilous edge, fueled as much by rage as desire.

Christobel Kent's previous books include A Time of Mourning, A Party in San Niccolo, Late Season and A Florentine Revenge. She lives near Cambridge with her husband and five children.

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Endorsements & Reviews

"There’s nothing dreamy about the gritty views of Florence in Christobel Kent’s eye-opening novels featuring Sandro Cellini, a private eye who takes on 'profoundly depressing' cases for the city’s lost and disenfranchised underclasses." Marilyn Stasio New York Times Book Review
"Elaborate and convincing. I gobbled it up—how could one help it? Such a potent sense of place and such gripping events." Diana Athill, author of "Somewhere Towards the End" and "Stet"
"Kent masterfully builds the suspense to the breaking point. Characters fashioned with care and depth, smooth and polished prose, and a detailed and loving portrait of Florence. An accomplished, distinguished series." Richmond Times-Dispatch