September Rain

by Robert Busuttil

After some leave of absence, Inspector Lucio Vella resumes his duties and takes on another case.

Suspicions arise when a local spinster, well known for her absent-mindedness, reports the abduction of her dog. Out of respect for the old lady, Inspector Vella decides to follow through. Piecing the puzzle together plunges him into a more complex case that has him running against time to save the life of a very special person.

Together with his team and the help of a local psychiatrist, he delves deeper into the investigation, coming face to face with the harsh truths experienced by the tenants in the Gut. As they study behavioural clues and unravel hidden truths, new pieces of the puzzle emerge, pushing Lucio to go to great lengths, both professionally and personally. Will all this be enough to solve the case?

All will be revealed in time…

348 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2022

About the author

A social worker by profession, I specialise in supporting children in care and have extensive experience working with trauma, LGBTQI+ communities, and young people. My work has shaped not only my understanding of people but also the stories I choose to tell.

I began writing as a way of making sense of personal loss. What started as a private refuge gradually became a passion for storytelling. Through fiction, I explore the complexities of human relationships, resilience, and the quiet strength found in compassion.

The values that guide my life also shape my writing: justice, empathy, integrity, and, above all, kindness. For me, stories are more than an escape… they are a place where imagination and emotion meet, where fleeting thoughts and vivid images take shape, and where the experiences that define human interactions can be transformed into narratives that invite reflection, connection, and hope.

Reviews

[Sandra]

Wow what a book! Like its predecessor, it is a must read. I was hooked from the first pages and being that I knew the main characters, it felt like I was getting to know them more through this book.

Once again Inspector Lucio Vella and his team need to investigate something strange that occurred in the village and they go to all extremes to make sure to arrive to the truth. The adventures are also ongoing and the narration of the book is so good that you feel like you are seeing a film, with a lot of colour, detail and depth.

Indeed a must read and well done to the author Robert Busuttil :)

[Pauline Agius Farrugia]

This is the next instalment in the Inspector Lucio Vella series. In this next action-packed outing, Inspector Vella is following the evidence and working against the clock to find a kidnapped boy, while the bodies start piling up the closer the detectives get to the truth. Brother Marius is now a newly graduated cadet who joins his mentor in deciphering this mystery and indeed plays and instrumental part in solving the crime.

Once again this was a highly entertaining read, with plenty of action and twists leading to the explosive conclusion. A smooth reading experience, I should recommend it to any lover of crime and mystery novels, especially for my fellow Maltese bookaholics! Looking forward to the next in the series!

[Kristjana]

This second installment is fast paced and gripping and keeps you reading till the early hours of the morning! However every hour of lost sleep is worth it! The intricate and precisely timed plot twists and character development make this book highly difficult to put down. I found myself curious to know more about each character and how everyone's personal experience coalesced to result in the dramatic and final outcome. Highly recommended for crime and detective lovers.

[Matthew]

If the first novel introduced us to Inspector Vella, this second one cements him as a detective worth following. The stakes feel higher, the emotions deeper, and the plot far more intricate. The depiction of life in the Gut is raw and eye-opening, while the ending had me breathless. A masterful step forward for the series.