The body of a twenty-two-year-old women is found on the banks of the Po. Her name was Stefania and she worked in a nearby Benedictine monastery. Without overlooking the obvious trail that leads to the halls of the monastery, Valeria questions Stefania's lover, Michele.

A young Egyptian woman, Amina Mansour, is found dying in the hammam where she works after having been attacked with a knife. Amina has an Italian boyfriend and dresses in western clothes, it occurs to Valeria that this may not be taken very well by her family which is still extremely anchored in tradition.