«Somebody stole the sky. That wasn’t our first thought when it happened, of course. No, we were too bewildered to understand the facts». A magical and charming story. «My butler, Chives, had gone to answer the door. I made a great show of nonchalance, as I always do when unexpected visitors arrive during a period of crisis, and I took my oboe down from its shelf and played a sad melody. I heard the tramp of feet, five feet in total, which meant only a single visitor, for three feet always belong to Chives; I gave him the extra leg when I invented him, for the sake of stability and speed. And also because he’s a monster. He entered the room and I broke off my playing in the middle of a bittersweet arpeggio and scrutinised the figure that stood directly behind him. “A certain functionary to see you, sir,” said Chives». «Magnano watched my butler leave and asked politely, “You do have a valid monster license, don’t you?” “Renewed last month. Won’t you sit?” He declined. “And up to date monster insurance?” “Indeed. And I pay monster tax.” “Sorry for asking; but it’s my job. Now then, I imagine there will have to be a thorough engineering survey carried out on the structural integrity of the ceiling, to make sure it is safe and not likely to collapse; and if the reports are negative, mass evacuation to underground caves might be the only option for the human race…” ».

A city vanishing, a concerned major, a smart detective. Will the city of Calvino be saved? Palomar, Calvino's major, is in trouble: just the hydraulic skeleton of the city is left because of an infestation… of Marco Polos. This is a mystery that needs a detective who keeps up with the situation. And Palomar has the right phone number to call. The absurdity investigator Sampietro Mischief is back. This time he is up against an army of Marco Polos... With minimal help from Chives, his assistant and pet monster, can he prevail against the metafictional obstacles he is sure to encounter? Or not? A story with a lot of clones and some brandy. ABOUT THE AUTHOR «Influenced by Borges, Calvino and Stanislaw Lem, Hughes' fiction is both intellectual and hilarious with plenty of jokes, puns and satirical side-swipes to keep the reader constantly amused» (Fantasticfiction.co.uk) \[+/- 6300 words\]