Le due colpe

Set in the bustling streets of Rome at the turn of the century, the story opens inside the opulent yet oddly cramped rooms of Palmira Girelli’s boarding house on Via Arenula. The décor—velvet drapes, silk‑covered beds and gilded chairs—contrasts sharply with the proprietor’s weathered face and sharp, bird‑of‑prey eyes. Among the colorful guests are the scandal‑prone Count Romolo Laureati, the flirtatious Amanda di Valberta, and the eccentric circus performer known only as “the clown” Robody.

When a brutal double murder shocks the city, the once‑lively household is plunged into silence and suspicion. Police detectives and nosy neighbors swarm the scene, while Palmira, trembling with grief, becomes the focal point of every whispered accusation. The narrative follows the early scramble for answers, laying out a vivid portrait of aristocratic decadence, hidden passions, and a crime that threatens to unravel the fragile social order of Rome’s elite.