When Max Anastasio goes to stay with his relations in Italy following a turbulent affair, he little suspects the life-changing discovery he is about to make. With his cousin Apollonia, called Polly for short, he finds two ancient Greek bronze statues in the sea, a discovery which leads to his kidnapping by the N'drangheta. Max suffers a deep traumatic experience, but after his recovery he and Polly can no longer avoid revealing their love for each other. When they learn that the bronzes contain a hidden message which apparently has fatal consequences for those who reveal it, the lovers are caught up in a struggle with a horrifying sense of doom. Taking as its focal point the true-life discovery of two magnificent bronze statues in 1972, this controversial novel raises critical issues such as fate and freedom, crime and violence, and the liberating power of beauty, all very relevant to modern times. At the same time it weaves a mesmerizing tale of villainy and tragic love.