In trying to uncover why Francesca Nobili killed herself, this mystery novel searches the politically charged world of 1950s Naples, Italy. In it we find corrupt politicians, opportunistic bureaucrats, and activists tortured by their memories of when Naples lay on the front line of the Cold War. The author's own intimate account of this time is laid out in a diary that walks a subtle line between fact and fiction, revealing his love for a lost friend as well as a deep understanding of the historical forces that conspired to drive her to suicide.