Discovering a new detective is a bit like making a new friend: is this someone whose company will be an enduring pleasure? On the evidence of Death in August, the first in this series, the answer with regard to Vichi's protagonist is a resounding "Yes". Inspector Bordelli (charmingly translated on the author's website as Commissioner Brothels) turns out to be likeable, idiosyncratic, compassionate and conscientious, though with his pragmatic attitude to petty villains he wouldn't last five minutes in the modern UK force. But this is Florence in 1963: the war is still vivid in people's memories, the city empties in August, eccentrics abound in crumbling mansions and Bordelli is free to follow his own line of investigation without undue interference from superiors. The plot is just about sturdy enough to support a good deal of reflection, discussion and unexpected encounters, but the main delight in this novel is Bordelli himself. A real find for anyone who likes their crime novels atmospheric, discursive, humorous and thought-provoking.