It was announced today that Inspector Salvo Montalbano of the Sicilian Police has been relocated to a new assignment in Rome to investigate (at the request of his old friend and former colleague Domenico Giani), financial dealings in the Vatican involving among others Cardinal Angelo Becciu of the Secretariat of State.

At a press conference hastily organised at Palermo’s Punta Raisi airport, Inspector Montalbano said: ‘The case involves investment, via a Swiss Bank, of hundreds of millions of Euros in a luxury property in London. This transaction has all the hallmarks of Mafia involvement. In that case I am well-qualified for the job. ‘

‘Domenico, who was summarily dismissed from his post, has asked me to clear his name. Which I am happy to do.’