Not even an hour of rest for police officer Brunetti this hot summer...

One day, his childhood friend Brusca, who works at the town hall, visits him. He tells him about the corruption of the judges in Venice. Another opportunity, therefore, for Brunetti to oppose his superiors, who have no intention of investigating the inner workings of the Galenotatis judicial system. Obviously, some high-ranking individuals will be disturbed...

But even police officer Vianello has troubles.

His aunt, a gullible elderly lady, obsessed with horoscopes, fortune-telling, and all kinds of predictions, is taking large sums of money from the family business: a victim of some charlatan scam artist who is exploiting her, or is it something else?

When a court secretary is murdered, Brunetti's meager hopes for the long-awaited vacation vanish...