In this thrilling series debut set in the Italian Alps, an instinct-driven detective won't let her aging body and mind prevent her from tracking a brutal killer. Superintendent Teresa Battaglia has fought for nearly four decades to earn rank and respect on a testosterone-heavy Italian police force. When she’s called to investigate a gruesome murder near a mountainside town, she’s paired with a young male inspector she’s not sure she trusts. But she has no choice—in this remote town full of secrets, eerie folktales and primal instincts, the killer seems drawn to a group of local children, who may be in grave danger. As Teresa inches closer to the truth, she must confront the possibility that her faculties, no longer what they once were, may fail her before the chase is over. A Barnes and Noble Book of the Month April 2020 A  Times (UK)   Book of the Month Praise for Flowers over the Inferno “Ms. Tuti’s debut, translated from the Italian by Ekin Oklap, introduces a sympathetic heroine in Battaglia, whose gruffness masks a fear she may be losing her unique abilities.”  —The Wall Street Journal “One of the best parts of  Flowers over the Inferno  is the older, gruff superintendent Teresa Battaglia. She is out of shape, diabetic and busy fighting the early stages of Alzheimer's disease—on top of handling a complex case. We sympathize with Battaglia quite naturally, and it's nice to see a cop who isn't slim and sexy chasing after serial killers.”  —NPR “Superintendent Teresa Battaglia, a criminal profile expert, is in her sixties, overweight, lonely, diabetic, full of the ailments of aging—and delightful. It's rare that such a character enters crime fiction for the first time, and with such gripping impact.” —The Times  (UK) “Creepy and evocative . . . But what gives this novel particular appeal is the sixty-something central character, whose abrasive manner hides a warm heart.” —The Guardian                    "Read this if you want to be transported to a primordial Italian forest with a very gruesome underbelly. Perfect for fans of Tana French." —Amanda Couch, Barnes and Noble Bookseller “Ilaria Tuti’s  Flowers over the Inferno  is a stunning debut; a deliciously dark and action-packed thriller that is also deeply moving, even profound. With a heroine unlike any other and a beautifully crafted sense of place, Tuti’s gorgeous prose paints a compelling portrait of a small Alpine town’s secrets and the woman tasked with uncovering them. I loved this book.” —Karen Dionne, internationally bestselling author of  The Marsh King's Daughter "Teresa Battaglia is one of the most interesting detectives to emerge in recent years; flawed but full of heart, sarcastic yet still commanding loyalty from her team.  Flowers over the Inferno  is an astonishing debut." —M. W. Craven, author of  The Puppet Show “In Teresa Battaglia, Ilaria Tuti has created not only a protagonist, but a real, three-dimensional person who goes beyond the page.” —Donato Carrisi, author of The Girl in the Fog   "Tuti has managed the near-impossible in creating a genuinely unique character in Teresa Battaglia. I was rooting for her from the start as she expertly steers a creepy murder investigation in an atmospheric Alpine setting." —Sarah Ward, author of  In Bitter Chill “So entertaining.” —Book Riot  “The plot is complex, chilling but compelling . . . An unsettling thriller with a heroine I loved, a smart cop who is female, a fighter, blunt and mature.” —Fresh Fiction “Reading Ilaria Tuti's spellbinding debut mystery was a breath of fresh air . . . Everything about  Flowers Over the Inferno  is unique, strange, different, and special. It is the perfect example of how an aspiring author's debut novel should be written . . . A novel so bizarre that it makes me wonder if she is a descendant of Edgar Allan Poe.” —The Gumshoe Review “ Flowers Over the Inferno  is an action-packed thriller with a unique serial killer and a multilayered, deep, and incredibly entertaining main character battling at its core.” —Criminal Element “A clockwork plot and a suitable sense of place which verges on both the ominous and the exotic, this was a major hit back in its own country, and one understands why. Impeccable crime writing.” —Crime Time  “Ilaria Tuti’s Flowers Over the Inferno is a dazzling debut. It’s a skillfully crafted, beautifully written thriller with an unforgettable heroine. It will hold you in its chilling, atmospheric thrall from start to finish.” —Open Letters Monthly “Watching Teresa's struggles with both her mind and the challenges of the case, as well as her intelligence and understanding of humanity keeps the reader engaged and turning the pages . . . Further novels promise both interesting mysteries and equally interesting character development.” —Reviewing the Evidence “The are lots of different layers to the book. It's a great story and it really works . . . not you