The owner of a construction company is shot twice and killed in the light of day on the piazza as he tries to catch a bus that is about to leave. The driver, passengers, and conductor deny having seen anything. In his most famous novel, which debuted in 1961, Sciascia describes the structure of the mafia for the first time - and this during a period when the public denied its existence - and expertly characterized its organization. In the series Law in Art - Art in Law (Recht in der Kunst - Kunst im Recht), edited by Thomas Vormbaum, Sciascia's classic tale is also analyzed by renowned observers: Gisela SchlA1/4ter provides literary commentary, Daniele Negri offers legal commentary.