The Magus of Sicily: A Gripping Thriller Set on Italy's Most Beautiful Island

By: Jones, Philip Gwynne

Discover the first mystery in your new favourite crime series set on Italy's most beautiful island: Sicily. A gripping and atmospheric page-turner, perfect for fans of Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano series.

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An island of myth, legend . . . and murder?

As the summer sun beats down on the ancient town of Acitrezza, a folk festival plays out in the picturesque harbour. Music, laughter and the aroma of local delicacies fill the air, and a traditional pantomime draws a crowd.

For rookie journalist Nedda Leonardi, it's just another day's reporting in a calendar of unremarkable events. Until that is, the performers dive in the sparkling Ionian Sea for their finale... and emerge with a corpse. Could this be Nedda's big break?

After one trick too many, Calogero Maugeri, self-styled Magus and con artist, is a wanted man. But his attempts to clean up his act and keep a low profile are thwarted when it's revealed he has a suspicious connection to the dead man pulled from the sea.

A young reporter keen for a scoop and a reformed swindler desperate to clear his name... can this improbable pair solve the most unusual of murders?
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Praise for Philip Gwynne Jones:

'I devoured all Philip's novels and felt transported to Venice with a new intimacy' Val McDermid

'Clever and great fun' The Times

'An irresistible concoction of crime and culture' Daily Mail

'As delightful as a Spritz by the Rialto - a must for all Italy lovers' David Hewson

'Superb - always gripping, beautifully constructed and vivid' Stephen Glover

'Sinister and shimmering' L.S. Hilton, bestselling author of Maestra

'Vividly described' Literary Review

'The lively, colourful narrative scuds along as briskly as a water taxi...you'll enjoy the ride'Italia Magazine

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1408719967
• ISBN13: 9781408719961
• Release Date: March 2026
• Publisher: Constable & Robinson
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.8" x 9.3"