Murder in the library. The curator of the town library was found dead by his secretary, and the assistant librarian hasn't shown up for work. Some valuable correspondence is missing, and there are some suspicious shoe prints on the floor. Manara and his team have gotten busy trying to figure it all out.

Encouraged by the woman who took him home with her, Alessio phones his mother and leaves a message. He then relaxes, and even falls asleep, but gets a rude awakening!

At the train station where Alessio had been kicked off the train, the police officer tells Alessio to call home to get picked up. Alessio does make a phone call, and he does get picked up, but not by his parents!

Commissioner Manara is back with a new episode, which opens, not only with the usual murder, this time in a library, but also with a care package from Manara's mother, full of Sicilian specialties such as melanzane sottolio or sott'olio, (eggplant in oil). Sottolio is a traditional and well-loved way of preserving many foods, and can be distinguished from sottaceto (in vinegar), or in salamoia (in water and salt). Of course, everyone at headquarters is more interested in the Sicilian pastries!

This episode comes to a close with the mystery of Cetinka solved, and everyone having a good time in the backyard. Maria proudly tells her aunt Alice how she duped her teacher into spending time with her alone. Lele lectures Ciccio (who really wants to wear his new shoes) about being truthful, but we know there's someone else he should have been lecturing... In fact, right on cue, an unexpected visitor shows up!

In the end, Lara decides that Luca Manara isn't such a bad commissioner after all. She might even tell him that to his face... sooner or later.

Alessio hasn't given up trying to get to Obuda, but although he manages to find a train station and a train, things aren't so simple.

Although Commissario Manara's has resolved the case, his unorthodox methods are unacceptable to his superior, who threatens to have him transferred to the hinterlands of Sardinia.

Ciccio gets a talking to from Lele, and there's a barbecue in the back yard with Lele's in-laws. They're somehow very impressed with the foreign housekeeper's homemade Neapolitan pizza!

Taking care of Saverio has fallen to his zio (uncle), Alessio's mean boss. After being treated badly for the umpteenth time, Alessio decides to grab his backpack...

At this point the murderer is easily discovered and just as easily confesses. The evening of the murder gets revisited and all previous doubts vanish. But what's to become of the killer?

Ciccio gets what he wanted: fancy sneakers. Maria gets what she wanted: a personal appointment with her teacher. But things aren't so simple...

"Quelli che" (those who...), written and performed by the great Enzo Jannacci, lends its ironic and humoristic verses to the soundtrack of Lina Wertmüller's film,"Pasqualino Settebellezze" [Seven Beauties] starring Giancarlo Giannini, and nominated for best foreign film at the 1976 Oscars.

Alessio is getting tired of being treated like a slave by Tonino, and tries in vain to rebel. He lets off steam to Martina who understands all too well.

In the presence of Ginevra who has come to thank both Lara and Manara for saving her reputation, they look once again at the painting of Lorenzo. A detail gives them the key to finding the murderer!