“The maid of gold” by Laura Marinaro: an investigation by Milano in Altamura between crimes and a thousand-year-old curse, in bookshops from 24 June.

The second novel by the multifaceted author will be in bookstores from June 24th Laura Marinaro, crime and judicial news journalist. In her novels the Author uses technical and investigative knowledge – learned over many years of profession – to make the narration breathtaking. The maiden of gold recounts Caterina Ferrari's particular "investigation" between Milano and Altamura, through the places, the food and the atmospheres of the two cities: a curse linked to an archaeological discovery and a serial killer are the main ingredients of the book.

The Author declares

«I am a crime journalist and I can guarantee you that reality often far exceeds fantasy. However, writing a mystery for me means giving space to the creation of always new and surprising characters and being able to dedicate myself to describing places I am fond of, as in this case Milano and Altamura».

The plot

Caterina Ferrari, a young archaeologist newly hired as a researcher in the new Museum of Anthropological Sciences in Milano, nephew of Alina Ferrari, former Carabinieri colonel, temporarily moves to Altamura for the sale of a family home in the historic center. In the town famous for its bread, Caterina finds herself unwillingly making a sensational archaeological discovery, but also having to "investigate" two murders linked in some way to the museum and to the ancient curse following the discovery of the Maiden of golds. A novel that is not only a journey into the past, but also an exploration of the human soul and its darkest shadows.

Prologue. Altamura, December 2023

«Nooooo!» A blood-curdling scream pierces the silence of the area surrounding the Claustro Traeditore, in the historic center of Altamura. An animalistic, primordial scream. At first, no one takes to the streets

to see what might have happened. Almost no one. Only one woman opens the window of her bedroom, which overlooks the street. An instant later, she responds to that scream with another feral scream, equally terrible. Before losing consciousness, after having encountered her abyss, her horror for the first time in his life: on her asphalt she lies lifeless, with her throat cut, in a dark pool of blood, her daughter Marta . Her only daughter. Passers-by and residents, attracted by the screams, rush into the street and call for help, which unfortunately is now in vain. Two Carabinieri patrols and a car from the scientific section of the force, the Sis, arrive on site within minutes, together with the medical examiner. The crime scene is cordoned off with red and white tape with the words "Carabinieri". The young marshal Luca Caputo, who knows practically everyone in the city, approaches Marta's mother and comforts her with banal words of circumstance. He makes the woman go away, accompanied by a 118 health worker, and stares at the victim. He knew her well, she was the same age as her. Marta Lombardo, 33 years old, archaeologist in the city's national museum

The Author

Laura Marinaro (Altamura, 1968) is a professional journalist and expert in crime and judicial news. She is a correspondent for the weekly «Giallo», she collaborates with Roberta Bruzzone on live crime and editorial projects, as well as for Radio Libertà she writes and hosts the weekly program Yellowdioclub. She is a writer and organizer of events related to crime and literary crime. With Mursia you published, together with Roberta Bruzzone, Yara. Autopsy of an investigation (2023) and Tsunami in Varigotti (2023)