Naples, March 1931: a bitter winter is gripping the city and the equally chilling murder of the great tenor Arnaldo Vezzi has shocked it. He was known throughout the world and was a friend of Mussolini, but coy Commissario Ricciardi, reserved and abrupt, is investigating. Ricciardi has a secret: since he was a child he has been able to 'see' dead people, but only those who died a violent death. He visualizes them in their final moments and though 'the Fact', as he calls it, helps him in his investigations, it makes him a difficult and sad person to be with.