s. Serafino works “in a special division with the US military police, an Italian liaison unit called Phoenix Seven”. Her English is perfect having lived in England for several years. She has a forceful personality.
Nikki is striking:
“She was an attractive woman ….. short and compact and muscular, with a dynamic, interesting face …. Nikki had several tattoos”.
She is certified in Krav Maga. She hates rising saying it “was unnatural for anyone to be up before ten in the morning”.
As Nikki and Valerio get ready to return to Naples from a sunny afternoon of sailing and swimming they see a stunning young woman abandoned in the water by her companion. Nikki rescues her from drowning.
As they reach the Naples harbour something gets entangled in the ladder on the side of the boat. It is the body of a strongly built man who has been garoted.
The next day while escorting an American serviceman and his family on a rural road after an accident she comes across a shot up red Jeep with a dead man inside.
She is shaken by the randomness of coming across two murder victims in two days.
The man in the Jeep is an American naval lieutenant.
The first Italian investigator on scene is Ciro, a carabineri officer, who is incensed when the NCIS investigator, Durant Cole, directs him on how to conduct the investigation. Fabizio Manieri from the Polizia Stradale homicide department arrives and asserts his priority. There is a fierce argument over jurisdiction and roles. Ultimately each man contacts his superior and everyone waits for the higher level negotiations to be completed. In the meantime, the body deteriorates.
Fabrizio openly gloats when he is designated to lead the murder investigation.
Cole initially wants Serafino’s help on the case but when the lieutenant is identified Cole dismisses Serafino as her security clearance is not high enough.
Serafino’s boyfriend, Enzo Di Pavola, is the son of a wealthy business tycoon. He has a nightclub and has avoided going into the family business. He is irritated that Serafino is content with a modest life. He thinks her lifestyle reflects badly upon him.
She has a challenging family with distance from her father, Raoul, a retired police officer and an immature brother, Gianni.
There is family tension as Francesca, the wife of Gianni, Nikki’s brother, resents Beatrice, Nikki’s mother, bequeathing a valuable apartment to Nikki. Francesca wants Nikki to sell the apartment and divide the money with the family.
When the sea victim is identified as an American naval captain the investigative situation becomes intense. The commanding American admiral, Keith Radford, and ambassador, Paul Lissom, want a swift resolution of the murder of two American officers. The Italian government does not want trouble with America.
Serafino’s security clearance is no longer important. The NCIS reluctantly reveals classified information.
The multiple investigators must seek out the connections between Italians and American naval personnel. As a long time resident of Naples Serafino has personal connections and sources.
There is darkness in her past involving the killing of her brother, Adriano, who was also a police officer. The darkness comes back into her life.
Valerio, a member of the police anti-corruption unit, pursues separate investigations.
The oppressive heat has everyone edgy. Naples is a simmering city. Destructive riots erupt. Nikki is caught up in the chaotic violence of a riot. They are in a Dantean Inferno of the 21st Century.
The violence becomes personal.
Nikki persists in pursuing the truth, however inconvenient it may be to multiple governments, organizations and agencies.
The complexities in the case and Nikki’s personal life multiply.
A reluctant witness says to Valerio:
“The world is run by wolves. It’s their system, their rules. We can’t change it.”
The wolves are roaming in Naples. Nikki and Valerio are ready to confront them but personal events force them to seek favours from the wolves.
Heider writes smoothly. Her characters are vivid and interesting. She vividly describes the atmosphere of Naples. It is a vibrant, often chaotic, city pulsing with energy, especially at night. Serafino thrives on its vitality. (Having been driven through Naples on our recent cruise I can attest to the congested traffic and imperious drivers.)
May the Wolf Die is a remarkable debut. The story is as much allegory as noir fiction. It is a compelling work with a rich complexity in people and plot.
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