For fans of Truman Capote and Emmanuel Carrere

"Psychogeography at its most perceptive."—Financial Times

In March 2016, in an apartment on the outskirts of Rome, two “ordinary” young men brutally tortured and murdered twenty-two-year-old Luca Varani. News of the seemingly inexplicable crime sent shockwaves across Rome and beyond.

After the crime comes to light, Lagioia begins investigating the crime by meeting with the victim’s family and corresponding with one of the killers. It soon becomes clear, however, that to investigate this crime means to descend into the darkest corners of Rome and of the human psyche. 

Lagioia leads us through a maze of betrayed expectations, sexual confusion, economic grievances and identity crises to locate the breaking point, the point after which anything is possible.

Sharp, hypnotic, devastating, The City of The Living is not just the story of a crime, but of human nature itself: the tension between responsibility and guilt, between the drive to oppress and the desire to be free, between who we are and who we can become.

"“This documentary thriller is psychogeography at its most perceptive, an insightful socio-economic analysis of Italy – and an attempt to understand what human beings are capable of doing to each other and to themselves.”" - Anna Aslanyan, Financial Times

"Literature at its best – literature that breathes life into the facts of reality." - Domenico Starnone, author of Ties and Trick

"An absorbing study of the banality of evil." - Kirkus Reviews

"“Make no mistake: this is a novel of modern Rome in all its beauty and flaws, and having its roots in true life makes it even more powerful. I was both transformed and appalled.”" - Maxim Jakubowski, Crime Time

"“Outlining the decay of the human psyche with a historic city in the background, The City Of The Living builds to a climactic moment.”" - Buzz Magazine

"“I don’t think it’s possible to praise this book enough.”" - CrimeReads

"“A chilling account of a true crime…. it reads like a gripping novel, to the point where you’ll need to remind yourself that this is a real story…. For those who enjoy true crime, crime fiction, or want to learn more about Rome’s seedier side, The City of the Living will undoubtedly capture your attention.”" - West Words Reviews

"Reading some books can be an experience as extreme as the story they tell... This is the case with Nicola Lagioia’s The City of the Living." - La Repubblica

"A magnificent panorama of Rome, dark and rotting." - Domani