Le avvelenatrici

A historical mystery set in Palermo in December 1783, around Christmas, among convents, aristocratic palaces, poor streets, presepi, zampognari, superstition, politics, and poison. The novel opens with a shock: fra’ Gerlando, a Franciscan friar loved by the people and trusted by many nobles, is found dead in his cell. The young fra’ Cosimo tells the Guardian, “Morto? Che vuol dire ‘morto’…” and the convent’s old apothecary, fra’ Virgilio, immediately suspects poison. Gerlando’s face is swollen and purple, with “la schiuma biancastra” at his mouth. The Guardian wants to delay scandal, but Virgilio insists: “Bisogna chiamare la Capitaneria.”

Outside the convent, two zampognari, blind mastro Mimmo Iudicello and his young guide Aspanu, have come to play the Christmas novena. Aspanu had seen fra’ Gerlando the previous day speaking with an old woman. The friar had written down names while she talked, and after she left he looked terrified. He told Aspanu, “Quella vecchia è la Morte.” This old woman becomes the first visible thread in the mystery.

Almost immediately another death occurs. Baron Biagio Maugeri dies horribly in his palace, foaming and twisting in pain. His household is thrown into panic, and the atmosphere of Christmas devotion is mixed with grotesque death. The baron’s family presepe is unfinished, missing the Holy Family, and the zampognari arrive for a novena only to be thrown out. The book keeps repeating this contrast: sacred celebration and human corruption side by side.