The recruiter

"A breathtaking bestseller" Il Messagero Winner of the 2009 Bancarella Prize In his debut novel, Italian writer Donato Carrisi surprised and captivated critics and the public by delving into a genre previously largely attributed to great American writers. Featured on the bestseller lists of major Italian newspapers upon its release, with over 180,000 copies sold and published in nine countries, THE ENTAILER is more than a thriller by a debut author who reinvents the rules of the game: it is a relentless story that explores the nebulous zone between good and evil until it uncovers its ultimate secret, its smallest whisper. Criminologist Goran Gavila and the homicide team face a disturbing case that demands all the skills of the Special Squad officers: six right-hand men are unearthed in a forest; five girls between the ages of 9 and 13 are missing. Led by Gavila and Captain Roche, the team follows the case's clues, and one by one, the bodies of the little girls emerge, making it clear that the culprit is a serial killer whose coldness and ferocity know no bounds. Hopes that a sixth girl is alive spark a race against time, but the clues, instead of leading the team to the culprit, reveal themselves to be part of a coldly devised plan by the killer's cruel and brilliant mind, who always seems one step ahead. At each crime scene, new evidence leads the detectives to believe that it's not just one killer, but several, acting in concert. That's when investigator Mila Vasquez, a specialist in kidnapping cases, joins them. Gradually, the police discover that their target is capable of assuming the most varied appearances, putting them to the test relentlessly. In this case, each time evil comes to light, it brings with it an omen, forcing the detectives to confront, above all, the darkness they carry within. The investigation turns into a game of cleverly veiled nightmares, a continuous challenge.