The Lady with the Cleaver

The novel unfolds through dark atmospheres, mysterious murders, and a tormented love story. At the heart of the events is a series of killings targeting young women, all seemingly random but ultimately connected by one disturbing detail: their names all begin with the same letter and contain the same number of letters. The Lady with the Cleaver is the unsettling figure behind these crimes—a woman driven by madness, who kills in a desperate attempt to find the sleep that has eluded her for years.

Amid this chain of murders, Gabriele D’Annunzio and his lover Eleonora Danieli are swept into the whirlwind of events. Eleonora herself becomes the seventh intended victim, kidnapped and held captive by Esterina, a deranged yet methodical woman shaped by a tragic past that has turned her into a killer. Through brilliant deduction and a determined investigation, D’Annunzio uncovers the truth, rescues Eleonora, and prevents further crimes. Yet the ordeal leaves deep marks on their relationship, culminating in a poignant night of passion and reflection on the nature of love and freedom.