Matthew 18:6.10

In the mid-18th century, a number of strange events occurred in a Veneto-region mountain village in Italy. On one hand, certain children aged nine to eleven mysteriously disappeared and, on the other, an epidemic unknown even to the most skilled doctors broke out. These two calamities were intertwined, confusing even those directly involved.
Death was still an everyday occurrence in the 18th century, as we know. But someone began to smell a rat all the same. The main character in all this was wealthy merchant, Barbaran, who was especially inspired to take action when he saw the person most dear to him, his sweet daughter Lucilla, getting caught up in events. And he did so together with his trusted friend and local doctor, Alvise.
It’s a Whodunnit packed with mysterious individuals, disappearances, mistaken identities and enigmas, then, which the book gets to the bottom of one at a time. The mysteries are mainly religious in nature, metaphysical with a hint of the infernal. Characters who initially seem above suspicion turn out to be the very reincarnation of evil.
The points of view expressed in the book are manifold, and it might thus be described as ‘choral’, so packed is it with distinct, well-defined characters, such as Tosato whose silence comes close to speaking louder than words. The book’s writing style makes for a uniquely immersive historical and geographical atmosphere, given a touch of Manzoni, with all the inevitable similarities and differences.
A great leap forward in time then brings us back to the present day, when the mystery is far from solved and resurfaces with a vengeance. The case is taken up by a compassionate priest, Gabriele, and a shrewd police captain, Silvia. The two compete companionably to get to the bottom of the tangled web that is Wally Dall’Asta’s novel.