The American-born founder of a prominent fashion house, Contessa Olivia Brunamonti, is mistaken for her daughter and kidnapped by a group of Sardinian shepherds. They're holding her deep in the Tuscan hills and have demanded a huge sum for her return. Her daughter failed to report the incident for over a week, and the family's assets have been frozen by an Italian government that forbids paying ransom. But the kidnappers can't release their victim without being paid - it would set a bad precedent. And Guarnaccia suspects another problem: Could it be that Olivia's children don't want to save their mother? Is this more than just a random crime?