Kommissar Brunetti flieht mit seiner Familie vor der erdrückenden Hitze Venedigs in die Sommerfrische. Währenddessen sorgt sich Inspektor Vianello um das Verhalten seiner Tante: Sie scheint von Horoskopen besessen zu sein und entwendet dem Familienunternehmen immer wieder große Geldsummen. Ratlos holt er sich bei Brunetti die Erlaubnis ein, seine Tante beschatten zu dürfen und entdeckt als Geldempfänger Stefan Gorini. Aber wer ist dieser Mann? Brunetti erfährt zudem von einem Bekannten über Unregelmäßigkeiten im Gericht: die Richterin Coltellini und der Gerichtsdiener Fontana scheinen darin verwickelt zu sei. Doch als Fontana ermordert aufgefunden wird, wird der Fall verzwickter ...
As Venice experiences a debilitating heatwave, Commissario Brunetti escapes the city to spend time with his family. For Ispettore Vianello, however, the weather is the last thing on his mind. It appears his aunt has become obsessed with horoscopes and has been withdrawing large amounts of money from the family business. Not knowing what to do, he consults Brunetti and asks permission to trail her.
Meanwhile, Brunetti receives a visit from a friend who works at the Commune. It seems that discrepancies have been occurring at the Courthouse involving a judge and an usher with a flawless track record. Intrigued, Brunetti asks Signorina Elettra to find out what she can while he's away.
When news reaches Brunetti that the usher from the Courthouse has been viciously murdered, he returns to investigate. But why would someone want a good man dead, and what might his death have to do with the Courthouse discrepancies?
