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Review: The Marshal has been assigned to investigate the death of a member of Florence's elite high society in The Marshal Makes His Report, the eighth mystery in this series by Magdalen Nabb. Originally published in 1992, Soho Press is reissuing trade paperback editions of many of the early books in this exceptional series.

Buongianni Corsi, the husband of the Marchesa Ulderighi, is discovered shot to death in the gun room located in the basement of their estate. There seem to be few reasons why Corsi would take his own life and there are ample explanations of how an accident could occur. The Marshal, while investigating the scene of Corsi's death, concludes it could have been suicide or an accident or a homicide. The motives for murder suggest to the Marshal that this idea should be investigated thoroughly. There is no love lost between the dead man and his wife and Corsi was known to have been unfaithful in his marriage. His son believed he was unloved and was ignored by his father. The estate is in a state of general disrepair and some of the larger rooms on the upper levels have been rented out. Clearly in need of money, the Marchesa is particularly anxious to settle her husband's death to collect his life insurance. The Marshal's interrogations of the renters reveal conflicting stories. In this particularly puzzling case, the Marshal does not believe the case can be quickly closed and is permitted the assistance of another officer, Lieutenant Lorenzini. Together they must sift through the myriad tales told to them, sorting out what is truth and what is fiction, before the Marshal can make his report on the circumstances surrounding the death of Corsi.

In The Marshal Makes His Report, Nabb once again displays an effortless elegance in both plotting her mystery and the manner in which it is told. Despite the contradictory information presented to him and the doubt he has in the expedient solution, the Marshal shows more confidence here than in some previous books in how he conducts his investigation and in his relationship with his superiors. The strong development of supporting characters and the sense of place contribute mightily to the success of this book in particular and to the series as a whole.

The Marshal Makes His Report by Magdalen Nabb — A Marshal Salvatore Guarnaccia Mystery

Publisher: Soho Crime
Format: Trade Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1-56947-532-4
Publication Date: September 2008
List Price: $14.00