By the Fir Trees

Dangerous superstitions, deadly delicacies, and a dark chapter in South Tyrolean history: his seventh case leaves Commissario Grauner doubting his sanity.

In the Sarntal, in the heart of South Tyrol, between gorges and slopes overgrown with wild mountain pines, lies one of the best restaurants in the world: the Tan. A famous gourmet critic, of all people, dies here under mysterious circumstances. Commissario Grauner, for whom his wife Alba’s bacon dumplings are bliss enough, sets off in search of clues in the world of fine dining. The obstinate villagers are quick to conclude that the cook did it. After all, she is a descendant of the last woman to be burned at the stake during the brutal witch trials of the 16th century. While the investigators may prefer to ignore these rumors, they’re forced to ask themselves: is this the settling of a centuries-old score?