The story in one page
James diGriz, the galaxy's most skilled criminal, is recruited by the Special Corps to track down a stolen battleship. Disguised as the wealthy Grand Duke Sant' Angelo, diGriz infiltrates the planet Cittanuvo to investigate the missing vessel. He discovers the theft was pulled off by exploiting the planet's obsession with paperwork, using fake manifests and ghost employees to reroute the ship. His pursuit leads him to a duo of masterminds, Pepe and Angelina, who intend to use the battleship to terrorize star systems. DiGriz manages to recover the ship, but Angelina escapes his grasp during the final confrontation. Haunted by the outcome, he prepares for a future reunion where the scales will finally be balanced.
Who's who
- James Bolivar diGriz
A master locksmith and former criminal working for the Special Corps.
- Inskipp
The head of the Special Corps who sends diGriz on missions.
- Pepe
A criminal accomplice who helps hijack the battleship for love.
- Angelina
The ruthless mastermind behind the battleship theft who evades capture.
- Rocca
The distraught spaceyard manager who oversaw the stolen ship's construction.
What it's really about
- Bureaucracy
- Paperwork is shown to be a more effective weapon than guns.
- Professionalism
- The tension between diGriz's criminal past and his law-enforcement present.
Why it's memorable
- A secret agent picks the lock to his commander's private quarters just to keep his skills sharp.
- A criminal mastermind escaping in a scout ship while her partner takes the fall.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
DiGriz captures the battleship and Pepe, but discovers that Angelina has escaped in a hidden scout ship, leaving him with a hollow victory and a new obsession.
For your book club
- Is diGriz's success due to his skills as an agent or his instincts as a criminal?
- How does the story use the concept of 'natural laws in crime' to solve the mystery?