Commisario Ricciardi Books In Order

Publication Order of Commissario Ricciardi Books

Commisario Ricciardi is the main character in a series of novels written by best-selling Italian author Maurizio de Giovanni of Giallo novels. Giovanni began the publication of the series in 2007 when the first book, I Will Have Vengeance was published. The author was born in Naples in 1958 and spent most of his life living in and working in his hometown. It was until in 2005 after he joined Porsche Italia competition targeted for novelist only that the character Commisario Ricciardi was born and this marked the start of Giovanni’s career as an author.

I Will Have Vengeance

I Will Have Vengeance is book one in Commisario Ricciardi series by Giovanni. The book is set in Italy during the 1930’s. A famous opera singer is killed, and his close and best friend make it necessary for the murder case to be solved. Then meet Commisario Ricciardi, a man full of sorrows and most which are not his own. He is a man with special abilities for he can see and feel the sadness of killed people and knowledge which started when he was a little boy after “The incident.”

The Incident seems to be following him even in his adult life and always on his head every moment he tries to solve a criminal case. Maestro Vezzi, one of the most famous tenors in the whole world, has been killed at the San Carlo Theatre in Naples. At the time of the murder, the theatre was full of most influential people, the friends of II Duce. Not only this makes his boss depressed and constantly wanting updates about the progress of the investigation, but the killed tenor was a good friend of II Duce himself.

The author has created a brilliant first series installment. The main character, Commisario Ricciardi is an amazing one; he has a gift of seeing the final moments of people who have suffered violent deaths, by accident, murder or suicide. He achieves this through visions many of which are heartbreaking deaths of children and women. In most cases, these visions help him solve cases, but sadly his gift also cut him off from other people.

Everyone in Their Place

This is the third series installment in Commisario Ricciardi series by Giovanni featuring a remarkable protagonist, Commisario Ricciardi.
Ricciardi is a solitary man, he rarely speaks, and when he does it, he does it with a cool irony that many individuals fail to understand. He is a paradox and one of his fellow officers’ fear and still respects him for his abilities in solving murder crimes. But it happens that no one knows that Ricciardi constantly has visions as he hears and sees the final moments in the lives of victims of violent deaths and thus he closes himself off emotionally. How could he possibly involve the people he loves the most in his private torments.

This installment is a delightful and a compelling one, a wealthy duchess has been murdered, and Ricciardi is determined in finding the person who ended her life despite his superiors warning him not to get involved or offend the affluent Neapolitan family. As Ricciardi continues his investigation during the muggy Neapolitan summer, we get a chance to meet many characters who come alive in this narrative. The author brilliantly places each single character in their place from Richard’s unwary partner Brigadier Maione- who is convinced that his beloved wife has an affair with the local fruit vendor. Then Duchess stepson who passionately hated the murdered lady and even mocks her in death by dressing at her funeral in a white suit and a red tie.

The gentle author touches has Ricciardi sending some shy waves from his bedroom window with a gorgeous woman who sits “sexily” in the sitting room of her home each night.

The cast in this story is extensive, but yet each character is distinct from their counterpart, and while the story is a police procedural it is much more than that. It is a character driven novel which centers mostly about love, relationships, passions, insecurity and act which can only be motivated by love. The author merges the characters with the narrative skillfully, and each character is fully developed.

The Day of the Dead

After the body of a young boy is found, it is first assumed that he was just a victim of hunger or poverty. However, Riccardi instincts tell him that something fishy is going on, but he is confused since his “gift” that provides him with any clues suggesting that it was not a violent death. And with the impending visit of Mussolini, Ricardo’s superiors want there to be no investigations of serious crimes recorded on the books, and so Riccardi decides to undertake his own investigation and find the answers.

Riccardi is one of the few characters who will stay with you long after when you finish reading the novel. Then there are other supporting characters such as Brigadier Maione, his partner who doesn’t understand Riccardi but always helps him. Then there is Dr. Bruno Modo, a pathologist and the only one person who adds humor to the reticent Riccardi. Then there is Rosa, Riccardi’s childhood nanny who has always cared for him until adulthood and is still worried about who will take care of him when she is gone; and the two ladies around him; one who is wealthy and believes that she is in love with him, and one who is not rich and lives across the street but loves him.

Maurizio de Giovanni is such an excellent author; he makes vivid descriptions of place, characters, and the setting as well. Through his vivid descriptions, we get to learn about how life was exactly in Naples during the 1920’s. His perspectives and descriptions are quite evocative to the point where you will find yourself re-reading the passages just for the pure pleasure of it. The dialogue in the novel is well crafted, and through the character conversation with each other, you will get a chance to understand them fully. If you love procedural novels set during the early 20th century, then Commisario Ricciardi series by Maurizio de Giovanni is the ideal series for you.

3 Responses to “Commisario Ricciardi”

1. Paulina Manteufel: 1 year ago

   I did not know Commissario Ricciardi was character from a series of books until I came across your site. I totally engrossed in this series on PBS. I was looking forward to a 2nd season, but it never happened. I was left with a cliffhanger. Hopefully it will be cleared up in the books. Commissario Ricciardi is such is amazing and written so intensely. I am looking forward to reading every one of these books.

   Reply
   • Nemo: 11 months ago

     There was a 2nd series until Book 10 where things are resolved quite a bit. They were only released in early 2023 in Italy so may take a while to come onto other TV with subtitles.

     Reply
2. Richard Bentley: 2 years ago

   Having watched the first installment on TV i was wondering are the books available in an english translation in Australia.
   Cheers Richard

   Reply