Italian Le ali della sfinge) is a 2006 novel by Andrea Camilleri, translated into English in 2009 by Stephen Sartarelli.

Whatever happened to those early mornings when, upon awakening, for no reason, he would feel a sort of current of pure happiness running through him?It's a dark period that Montalbano is going through, especially for his stormy relationship with partner Livia, whom he has recently betrayed with another woman (in the previous episode).

Montalbano discovers that the girl, who emigrated to Italy from Russia with other young people like her, was hosted and assisted by a Catholic charity organisation that seems to have something to hide.

What convinces Montalbano that things are as he suspects is the fact that the other girls came from the same country and have the same tattoo, and are now all sponsored by this Catholic charity.

Naturally, his chief summons him and advises him to use the utmost caution, since important politicians and prelates are involved.