Detective Fiction, History and Society: “Il Senso Del Dolore-L’autunno Del Comissario Ricciardi” of Maurizio De Giovanni

Maurizio De Giovanni, one of the most interesting writers of contemporary Italian literature, is well known for his works in detective literature. His first novel, "Le lacrime del pagliaccio" (The Tears of the Clown), published in 2005 by the Graus Publishing House, is welcomed by a grand interest in all Italy. The book is published again in 2006 by Einaudi, one of the biggest publishers of Italy, by the title “Il senso del dolore-L’autunno del comissario Ricciardi”. Having the fundamental aspects of detective literature, the novel mirrors XX.th century Italian society and the history of Italy. De Giovanni uses the Mussolini period as background of his novel and the city of Naples as a venue. In addition to being a detective literary work, "Le lacrime del pagliaccio" is significant in the context of reflecting and dealing with the social structure and history of the Mussolini period. The main aim of this article is to examine the work of Maurizio De Giovanni, entitled "Le lacrime del pagliaccio", and to analyze how it reflects the Italian society and its history