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Nic Costa #1
A Season for the Dead
In a hushed Vatican Reading Room, the scene is a crazed professor shot dead after brandishing evidence of a grisly crime. Moments later, two bodies are found in a nearby church, each with a gruesome calling card from their killer .
Detective Nic Costa is one of the first on the scene. A cop who barely looks his twenty-seven years, Nic soon meets a woman who will dominate both his thoughts—and his investigation. A cool, beautiful professor of early Christianity, Sara Farnese was in the Vatican Library on that fateful day, a witness to her colleague’s outburst and grotesque death.
And as more bodies are found, her role becomes even more baffling…because each victim had intimately known Sara, a woman whose history becomes more lurid and unfathomable with each revelation. Until the case takes a sudden, strange turn—and the secrets of a woman, a killer, and a city begin to unravel…with devastating consequences….
Detective Nic Costa is one of the first on the scene. A cop who barely looks his twenty-seven years, Nic soon meets a woman who will dominate both his thoughts—and his investigation. A cool, beautiful professor of early Christianity, Sara Farnese was in the Vatican Library on that fateful day, a witness to her colleague’s outburst and grotesque death.
And as more bodies are found, her role becomes even more baffling…because each victim had intimately known Sara, a woman whose history becomes more lurid and unfathomable with each revelation. Until the case takes a sudden, strange turn—and the secrets of a woman, a killer, and a city begin to unravel…with devastating consequences….
496 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
153 people are currently reading
2404 people want to read
About the author
David Hewson
110 books520 followersDAVID HEWSON was born in Yorkshire in 1953. His books range from the Nic Costa series set in Italy to adaptations of The Killing in Copenhagen and the Pieter Vos series in Amsterdam.
He's adapted Shakespeare for Audible and in 2018 won the Audie for best original work for Romeo and Juliet: A Novel, narrated by Richard Armitage.
2019 sees the release of a new, full-cast Audible drama set in New York, Last Seen Wearing, and a standalone novel set in the Faroe Islands, Devil's Fjord.
Series:
Nic Costa
Pieter Vos
The Killing
He's adapted Shakespeare for Audible and in 2018 won the Audie for best original work for Romeo and Juliet: A Novel, narrated by Richard Armitage.
2019 sees the release of a new, full-cast Audible drama set in New York, Last Seen Wearing, and a standalone novel set in the Faroe Islands, Devil's Fjord.
Series:
Nic Costa
Pieter Vos
The Killing
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews
December 15, 2019
This is a Rome set conspiracy thriller from David Hewson, a rather gruesome one with a serial killer running rampant in the city. A beautiful Professor of Early Christianity, Sara Farnese, is in the Vatican Library, when a distraught colleague of hers enters, Stefano Rinaldo, armed with a gun and the skin of a man recently flayed is shot dead by a security guard. A young 27 year old police officer, Nic Costa, is first on the scene, and despite the Vatican being out of his jurisdiction, he gets drawn into the investigation. Based on what Stefano had whispered to her, Sara drags Nic to a church where the bodies of the flayed man and Rinaldo's wife are discovered, with graffiti proclaiming that the blood of the martyrs is the seeds of the church. Nic and his older cop partner, the jaded Luca Rossi, explain the grisly crimes motivated by jealousy, with Stefano, a previous lover of Sara's, killing her current lover. However, this is the first of a series of horrifying murders emulating the deaths of Christian martyrs.
The case reveals a connection to the disgraced Boston born Cardinal Michael Denney, now a virtual prisoner in the Vatican, responsible for the downfall of the Banca Lombardia, a man with powerful enemies, many from the criminal underbelly, who lost vast amounts of money and now seeking vengeance. If Denney steps outside the Vatican City, the police are waiting to arrest him, but the Catholic Church are not happy to be harbouring him, seeking a political solution as all his influence drains away. Inspector Falcone of the Rome State Police gives the art loving Nic, obsessed with the paintings of Caravaggio, a major role in the investigation, despite his obvious inexperience, and to the dismay of his partner, Luca, worried about anomalies in the case. All the victims have personal and intimate connections with Sara, it's Nic's task to get close to the dispassionate and enigmatic Sara, a Sara that appears to be the key to the entire case, but she is determined to keep her secrets.
Hewson writes a intricately plotted thriller with plenty of suspense and tension, set in the beautiful city of Rome, immersed in Italian culture and art, amidst the intrigue and corruption associated with the Vatican. There is an entertaining and engaging read, it easily held my interest with twist after twist. My only concern was the character of Nic, with his beloved famous communist father in the process of dying, and finding himself attracted to Sara. Nic was not a man I wholly believed in, but this did not diminish my enjoyment of this novel. Many thanks to Black Thorn for an ARC.
The case reveals a connection to the disgraced Boston born Cardinal Michael Denney, now a virtual prisoner in the Vatican, responsible for the downfall of the Banca Lombardia, a man with powerful enemies, many from the criminal underbelly, who lost vast amounts of money and now seeking vengeance. If Denney steps outside the Vatican City, the police are waiting to arrest him, but the Catholic Church are not happy to be harbouring him, seeking a political solution as all his influence drains away. Inspector Falcone of the Rome State Police gives the art loving Nic, obsessed with the paintings of Caravaggio, a major role in the investigation, despite his obvious inexperience, and to the dismay of his partner, Luca, worried about anomalies in the case. All the victims have personal and intimate connections with Sara, it's Nic's task to get close to the dispassionate and enigmatic Sara, a Sara that appears to be the key to the entire case, but she is determined to keep her secrets.
Hewson writes a intricately plotted thriller with plenty of suspense and tension, set in the beautiful city of Rome, immersed in Italian culture and art, amidst the intrigue and corruption associated with the Vatican. There is an entertaining and engaging read, it easily held my interest with twist after twist. My only concern was the character of Nic, with his beloved famous communist father in the process of dying, and finding himself attracted to Sara. Nic was not a man I wholly believed in, but this did not diminish my enjoyment of this novel. Many thanks to Black Thorn for an ARC.
September 2, 2020
Book 1 in the Nic Costa series published 2003.
What a strange and complex work this is.
Strange it might be but strange for all the right reasons.
Rome is the setting.
On one level it’s a dark murder mystery that only gets darker the further into the book you go. There are a few OMG jaw dropping moments but there was one particular moment that was so OMG, jaw dropping that it made my eye look like organ stops and that doesn’t happen to me very often.
Then there were the instructive components.
We find out who the psychopath is fairly early on in the book but why he is doing what he is doing takes a bit longer.
He’s a man on a mission, bringing sinners to the lord. But to do the job properly his victims have to endure what the early martyrs endured and these martyrs met some pretty gruesome ends. So along the way we get a pretty good introduction into the lives of some of these early Christian Martyrs and the churches dedicated to them.
Then we have Nic Costa a young detective working with the Rome police who is one of the team working the case. Nic has an obsession, Caravaggio, almost to the point of being anal. To Nic ‘Caravaggio’ spoke the truth in the 16 hundreds and if you but take a good look at his paintings you will find the same truths still hold true to-day.
I was so entranced by Nic’s rumination on Caravaggio that I found myself researching his life and works for hours.
So, for me, the book succeeded on three different levels.
1. It was a great murder mystery.
2. I learned a lot about Christian Martyrdom.
3. Caravaggio has gone from, for me, an obscure artist that I knew next to nothing about to an artist of major significance.
Highly recommended 4 stars
What a strange and complex work this is.
Strange it might be but strange for all the right reasons.
Rome is the setting.
On one level it’s a dark murder mystery that only gets darker the further into the book you go. There are a few OMG jaw dropping moments but there was one particular moment that was so OMG, jaw dropping that it made my eye look like organ stops and that doesn’t happen to me very often.
Then there were the instructive components.
We find out who the psychopath is fairly early on in the book but why he is doing what he is doing takes a bit longer.
He’s a man on a mission, bringing sinners to the lord. But to do the job properly his victims have to endure what the early martyrs endured and these martyrs met some pretty gruesome ends. So along the way we get a pretty good introduction into the lives of some of these early Christian Martyrs and the churches dedicated to them.
Then we have Nic Costa a young detective working with the Rome police who is one of the team working the case. Nic has an obsession, Caravaggio, almost to the point of being anal. To Nic ‘Caravaggio’ spoke the truth in the 16 hundreds and if you but take a good look at his paintings you will find the same truths still hold true to-day.
I was so entranced by Nic’s rumination on Caravaggio that I found myself researching his life and works for hours.
So, for me, the book succeeded on three different levels.
1. It was a great murder mystery.
2. I learned a lot about Christian Martyrdom.
3. Caravaggio has gone from, for me, an obscure artist that I knew next to nothing about to an artist of major significance.
Highly recommended 4 stars
June 29, 2022
My second Nic Costa book and while not as good as The Lizards Bite ,A Season for the Dead was certainly gripping and very enjoyable. Satisfyingly gruesome and full of great Roman atmosphere set during a heatwave ; you can literally feel the heat coming off the page.
This is a series I'll definitely be continuing with and should serve as some compensation for the loss of the late, great Michael Dibden and his brilliant Aurelio Zen novels.
3.75 🌟
This is a series I'll definitely be continuing with and should serve as some compensation for the loss of the late, great Michael Dibden and his brilliant Aurelio Zen novels.
3.75 🌟
August 12, 2010
It's rare that I neglect to finish a book. I usually do plenty of homework first, choosing books that are highly recommended and/or have subject matter of interest to me.
For this reason, my star-ratings are usually at least a three. I enjoy most of what I read because I'm selective about what I do read.
Perhaps I chose too quickly with this one. I assumed that the Vatican Archives setting would give way to a dense, literary mystery of the Donna Tartt or Ruiz Zafon variety.
Instead, I was treated to a simplistic writing style (think Douglas Preston) that seemed more like a movie script than a novel.
I'm not averse to blood and guts (I do like crime fiction), but the descriptions in the early pages of this book --which include brains blown out, a hanging and a flaying in the first few pages-- seem more for the sake of shock value and cinematic potential than real storytelling.
Character details are dropped in as if the author was filling out a Mad Libs template. (Note: character descriptions and details in and of themselves don't necessarily make for well-developed characters!)
I hate that I'm reviewing something I didn't see to its end, but I couldn't complete this with so many books waiting.
This series is probably to some peoples' tastes, but not mine.
For a better read that involves the Vatican library, see Thomas Gifford's "The Assassini" --action-packed and conspiracy-laden without the dumbing-down.
For this reason, my star-ratings are usually at least a three. I enjoy most of what I read because I'm selective about what I do read.
Perhaps I chose too quickly with this one. I assumed that the Vatican Archives setting would give way to a dense, literary mystery of the Donna Tartt or Ruiz Zafon variety.
Instead, I was treated to a simplistic writing style (think Douglas Preston) that seemed more like a movie script than a novel.
I'm not averse to blood and guts (I do like crime fiction), but the descriptions in the early pages of this book --which include brains blown out, a hanging and a flaying in the first few pages-- seem more for the sake of shock value and cinematic potential than real storytelling.
Character details are dropped in as if the author was filling out a Mad Libs template. (Note: character descriptions and details in and of themselves don't necessarily make for well-developed characters!)
I hate that I'm reviewing something I didn't see to its end, but I couldn't complete this with so many books waiting.
This series is probably to some peoples' tastes, but not mine.
For a better read that involves the Vatican library, see Thomas Gifford's "The Assassini" --action-packed and conspiracy-laden without the dumbing-down.
December 1, 2021
As bad as it gets
November 28, 2020
Un thriller politist cu tematica religioasa ce are parti bune si parti rele. Este o lectura erudita avand foarte multe referiri la arta, religie, Vatican si in special tablourile lui Caravaggio. Putem spune ca seamana oarecum cu "Codul lui Da Vinci", insa acolo, personal, am putut sa-mi dau seama unde se termina conspiratia si speculatia si incepe adevarul, aici fiind vorba despre primii martiri ai Crestinatatii, lucrurile raman mai mult ambigue.
In ceea ce priveste subiectul cartii o avem in prim plan pe misterioasa si frumoasa profesoara Sara Farnese care, aflandu-se in biblioteca Vaticanului, asista la uciderea unui respectat profesor ce reuseste totusi sa-i transmita un indiciu vital in ceea ce priveste moartea altor doua persoane. De caz se vor ocupa Nic Costa si partenerul sau care au in fata o ancheta destul de incalcita. Odata cu aparitia altor crime, cei doi realizeaza ca toti amantii frumoasei profesoare sunt omorati rand pe rand. Cand pe lista apare si un cardinal de la Vatican, lucrurile incep sa se complice cu adevarat si scandalul sta sa izbucneasca. Nic si Sara ajung sa devina intimi iar scena de sex destul de detaliata duce cu gandul la cartile si filmele din secolul trecut.
Mi-a placut si m-a amuzat faptul ca Sara Farnese se afla in biblioteca Vaticanului pentru a consulta o carte de bucate intitulata "De re Coquinaria" a lui Apicius din epoca romana imperiala. Dorea sa-i pregateasca un meniu sofisticat iubitului ei alcatuit din: isicia omentata - snitele mici de vacuta cu muguri de pin, pullus fusilis - pui impanat cu ierburi si desertul tiropatinam - un sufleu cu miere. Meniul este pe masura inteligentei barbatului, "un tip care putea cita din memorie numele oricarui codex timpuriu crestin adapostit in vreun muzeu al Europei". Din pacate, acesta nu se va bucura de festin pentru ca e gasit jupuit de viu asemenea martirului crestin Bartolomeu.
Alt lucru care m-a amuzat a fost in legatura cu legista Teresa Lupo, care mi s-a parut cel mai reusit personaj din carte. Foarte dedicata meseriei si la fel de inteligenta ca un detectiv, ea incearca sa explice la un moment dat, intr-un restaurant, pe o bucata mare de carne, cat de greu se poate jupui pielea de pe muschi. Comicul situatiei vine de la faptul ca sarmanul Nic Costa este vegetarian si indura acest spectacol cu stoicism.
Ce mi-a placut mai putin a fost faptul ca este genul de roman in care cititorului i se dezvaluie aproape de la inceput cine este criminalul si alaturi de acesta participa la savarsirea crimelor astfel ca, fata de alte romane politiste, avem doar satisfactia de a-l vedea prins pe faptas nu si de a descoperi identitatea acestuia.
In incheiere, las cateva citate care mi-au ramas in minte:
"Oricat de amuzant ar fi un barbat, avantajul umorului se uzeaza destul de repede."
"Frumusetea conteaza. Nu cunosc altceva mai bun".
"Viata are nevoie de putin mister. Altfel, de ce am mai avea nevoie de Dumnezeu?"
"Pentru bani poti lupta, banii pot fi stransi. [...] fericirea vine numai de la altii - cand se hotarasc sa ti-o ofere. Nu-i poti obliga pe oameni sa ti-o dea."
In ceea ce priveste subiectul cartii o avem in prim plan pe misterioasa si frumoasa profesoara Sara Farnese care, aflandu-se in biblioteca Vaticanului, asista la uciderea unui respectat profesor ce reuseste totusi sa-i transmita un indiciu vital in ceea ce priveste moartea altor doua persoane. De caz se vor ocupa Nic Costa si partenerul sau care au in fata o ancheta destul de incalcita. Odata cu aparitia altor crime, cei doi realizeaza ca toti amantii frumoasei profesoare sunt omorati rand pe rand. Cand pe lista apare si un cardinal de la Vatican, lucrurile incep sa se complice cu adevarat si scandalul sta sa izbucneasca. Nic si Sara ajung sa devina intimi iar scena de sex destul de detaliata duce cu gandul la cartile si filmele din secolul trecut.
Mi-a placut si m-a amuzat faptul ca Sara Farnese se afla in biblioteca Vaticanului pentru a consulta o carte de bucate intitulata "De re Coquinaria" a lui Apicius din epoca romana imperiala. Dorea sa-i pregateasca un meniu sofisticat iubitului ei alcatuit din: isicia omentata - snitele mici de vacuta cu muguri de pin, pullus fusilis - pui impanat cu ierburi si desertul tiropatinam - un sufleu cu miere. Meniul este pe masura inteligentei barbatului, "un tip care putea cita din memorie numele oricarui codex timpuriu crestin adapostit in vreun muzeu al Europei". Din pacate, acesta nu se va bucura de festin pentru ca e gasit jupuit de viu asemenea martirului crestin Bartolomeu.
Alt lucru care m-a amuzat a fost in legatura cu legista Teresa Lupo, care mi s-a parut cel mai reusit personaj din carte. Foarte dedicata meseriei si la fel de inteligenta ca un detectiv, ea incearca sa explice la un moment dat, intr-un restaurant, pe o bucata mare de carne, cat de greu se poate jupui pielea de pe muschi. Comicul situatiei vine de la faptul ca sarmanul Nic Costa este vegetarian si indura acest spectacol cu stoicism.
Ce mi-a placut mai putin a fost faptul ca este genul de roman in care cititorului i se dezvaluie aproape de la inceput cine este criminalul si alaturi de acesta participa la savarsirea crimelor astfel ca, fata de alte romane politiste, avem doar satisfactia de a-l vedea prins pe faptas nu si de a descoperi identitatea acestuia.
In incheiere, las cateva citate care mi-au ramas in minte:
"Oricat de amuzant ar fi un barbat, avantajul umorului se uzeaza destul de repede."
"Frumusetea conteaza. Nu cunosc altceva mai bun".
"Viata are nevoie de putin mister. Altfel, de ce am mai avea nevoie de Dumnezeu?"
"Pentru bani poti lupta, banii pot fi stransi. [...] fericirea vine numai de la altii - cand se hotarasc sa ti-o ofere. Nu-i poti obliga pe oameni sa ti-o dea."
January 23, 2019
This book is about a policeman working in Rome and as we get to know him he is not very sympathetic his "mentor"seems to be a better man. Nic Costa opens the door when a Historian Sara Farnese gets assaulted in the Vatican archives but the assailant kills himself and leaves behind a human skin. This sets something in motion where the Roman cops are up against a man who does kill people in the same way certain Saints where violently killed and became martyrs.
There is a Vatican Cardinal in disgrace being hidden within the walls of Vatican city whose big dreams of an Vatican big bank went up into smoke on 9/11 after which money streams were much closer checked in order to find terrorists, byproduct was that some serious bank scams were discovered and as such this American Cardinal is somehow stuck in the Vatican and he actually wants to go home.
As the dead toll rises Detective Costa and his collegae find that Miss Farnese seems to have had a sexual relationship with all of them.
In this novel we learn a lot about Nic Costa and his love for Caravaggio and his sickly father who is a famous Italian communist, in fact the rudder in his life.
While we track the story through Rome we get a lot of information about Rome, its history and his artists that made Rome what is today and it its beautiful history. Which is very well described.
It is a thriller about revenge and less about religion even considering the subject of the Vatican and religious motivated killings. And remains readable towards the end of the book . It is not the best thriller I ever read but it does not fail to entertain at all.
There is a Vatican Cardinal in disgrace being hidden within the walls of Vatican city whose big dreams of an Vatican big bank went up into smoke on 9/11 after which money streams were much closer checked in order to find terrorists, byproduct was that some serious bank scams were discovered and as such this American Cardinal is somehow stuck in the Vatican and he actually wants to go home.
As the dead toll rises Detective Costa and his collegae find that Miss Farnese seems to have had a sexual relationship with all of them.
In this novel we learn a lot about Nic Costa and his love for Caravaggio and his sickly father who is a famous Italian communist, in fact the rudder in his life.
While we track the story through Rome we get a lot of information about Rome, its history and his artists that made Rome what is today and it its beautiful history. Which is very well described.
It is a thriller about revenge and less about religion even considering the subject of the Vatican and religious motivated killings. And remains readable towards the end of the book . It is not the best thriller I ever read but it does not fail to entertain at all.
December 10, 2011
I’ve not read ‘The Da Vinci Code’, but given its immense success, I suppose that we can all expect lots of other thrillers to emerge which lean on strange and dodgy dealings in the Vatican. Not that this is a bad book, it’s entertaining as long as you don’t think about it too much, and certainly feels more of a book – and not a cinema script in waiting – than some of its ilk. If and when they adapt this one for the cinema (or if the BBC gets another Wallander sized hole in its schedule) then it will actually require the script writer to do a bit of thinking to get there. He or she just won’t spend a morning cutting and pasting before going off to the pub.
In Rome a serial killer strikes, killing the various lovers of a beautiful young women in much the same way as the early saints were martyred. But how is this killer connected to the beautiful young woman, and what does it have to do with the corrupt Cardinal hidden away in Vatican City? It’s up to young, slim-hipped and cerebral cop, Nick Costa, to work it out.
One of the big twists I guessed quite early on in the proceedings, but this was still a divertingly gruesome and interesting read. How long it will live in the memory I don’t know, but if I do ever come across the sequel so obviously set-up at the end, then I’d certainly pick it up for a look.
In Rome a serial killer strikes, killing the various lovers of a beautiful young women in much the same way as the early saints were martyred. But how is this killer connected to the beautiful young woman, and what does it have to do with the corrupt Cardinal hidden away in Vatican City? It’s up to young, slim-hipped and cerebral cop, Nick Costa, to work it out.
One of the big twists I guessed quite early on in the proceedings, but this was still a divertingly gruesome and interesting read. How long it will live in the memory I don’t know, but if I do ever come across the sequel so obviously set-up at the end, then I’d certainly pick it up for a look.
December 22, 2008
I picked up David Hewson's A Season for the Dead on impulse while going through the Mystery/Suspense section at Third Place. I liked what was on the blurb, and I thought it would promise me a fairly complex kind of tale. The book did deliver that, though I wound up feeling kind of ambivalent about it by the end. Many of the things I like about the book are not consistently handled all the way through it--and moreover, the actual root of the mystery that drove the plot turned out to be a bit too lurid for my tastes. Also, while the mystery was actually solved, the resolution of it turned out to be destructive for the hero--and I didn't care for that at all. He gets no happy ending. He loses the girl. His father dies. He winds up with a crippling injury and sinks into drink and depression, and the only ray of light is that his boss comes to shoehorn him back into the cop job he quit earlier in the book, by way of trying to keep him from being a totally lost cause.
First, some of the things I liked about the book. Hewson's writing was flowingly descriptive in a way that appealed to me, and once or twice he threw forth a sentence that really rang. So I'll give him props for that. And I liked that the book, while being a cop/murder story, was set somewhere else besides the United States--which rang through pretty well for me just in little details of things like how the characters interacted with one another and the overall ambience of the setting. His hero, Nic Costa, came across as refreshingly different in many ways as well--not your typical handsome rugged cop type that you'd see in a suspense novel written by most American authors. He is described as very slender, almost adolescent in appearance even though he is twenty-seven, and during one of the best bits of the book where he puts on the female lead's raincoat and sprints off across the city to distract reporters from her door (one of the few bright funny bits in an otherwise pretty grim plot), he can be mistaken for a woman from a distance.
And now, the "on the other hand" portion of this review. While Hewson's writing did mostly appeal to me, he had a habit of cramming paragraph after paragraph of backstory in between various current events, which threw off the pacing for me. This was mostly a problem with his heroine Sara and with the villains Denney and Fosse oddly enough, the backstory bits for Nic flowed better into the story as a whole.
The plot, as I mentioned above, turned out a bit too lurid for my tastes at the end. We find out that Sara is really not only the daughter of the older villain, Denney, but that she is also the secret twin sister of the younger psycho one, Fosse. We also learn that what drove Fosse over the edge was that Denney--a cardinal in the Vatican who has gotten himself in serious political trouble--was leaning on Sara to give out sexual favors to assorted persons in an attempt to get himself out of the jam he's in. There's a lot of angst on Nic's part about why Sara would take on so many lovers, and after a while it got a little bit repetitive. So did the "I'm angsting about your troubled past but I'm not actually going to TELL YOU that even though I really like you" behavior from Nic.
And lastly, there was the not-a-happy-ending. Fosse is killed, but Denney gets away and eludes justice. Sara disappears with him, so Nic doesn't even get the consolation of being able to be with her at the end. Moreover, Nic suffers a crippling injury in the final confrontation--and in the epilogue we see him sunk into drink and depression after his father's funeral, being generally snarly and surly and unlikeable as his boss shows up to try to make him stop being Self Pity Boy and drag him back onto the job.
And that left a bad taste in my mouth. I mean, in the real world, if these sorts of events had happened, I could totally buy what happened to poor Nic.
Doesn't mean I want to read about it. And I'm not sure yet whether I got drawn enough into the character to want to go buy the next book about him and see if he rallies from this story's dark ending.
First, some of the things I liked about the book. Hewson's writing was flowingly descriptive in a way that appealed to me, and once or twice he threw forth a sentence that really rang. So I'll give him props for that. And I liked that the book, while being a cop/murder story, was set somewhere else besides the United States--which rang through pretty well for me just in little details of things like how the characters interacted with one another and the overall ambience of the setting. His hero, Nic Costa, came across as refreshingly different in many ways as well--not your typical handsome rugged cop type that you'd see in a suspense novel written by most American authors. He is described as very slender, almost adolescent in appearance even though he is twenty-seven, and during one of the best bits of the book where he puts on the female lead's raincoat and sprints off across the city to distract reporters from her door (one of the few bright funny bits in an otherwise pretty grim plot), he can be mistaken for a woman from a distance.
And now, the "on the other hand" portion of this review. While Hewson's writing did mostly appeal to me, he had a habit of cramming paragraph after paragraph of backstory in between various current events, which threw off the pacing for me. This was mostly a problem with his heroine Sara and with the villains Denney and Fosse oddly enough, the backstory bits for Nic flowed better into the story as a whole.
The plot, as I mentioned above, turned out a bit too lurid for my tastes at the end. We find out that Sara is really not only the daughter of the older villain, Denney, but that she is also the secret twin sister of the younger psycho one, Fosse. We also learn that what drove Fosse over the edge was that Denney--a cardinal in the Vatican who has gotten himself in serious political trouble--was leaning on Sara to give out sexual favors to assorted persons in an attempt to get himself out of the jam he's in. There's a lot of angst on Nic's part about why Sara would take on so many lovers, and after a while it got a little bit repetitive. So did the "I'm angsting about your troubled past but I'm not actually going to TELL YOU that even though I really like you" behavior from Nic.
And lastly, there was the not-a-happy-ending. Fosse is killed, but Denney gets away and eludes justice. Sara disappears with him, so Nic doesn't even get the consolation of being able to be with her at the end. Moreover, Nic suffers a crippling injury in the final confrontation--and in the epilogue we see him sunk into drink and depression after his father's funeral, being generally snarly and surly and unlikeable as his boss shows up to try to make him stop being Self Pity Boy and drag him back onto the job.
And that left a bad taste in my mouth. I mean, in the real world, if these sorts of events had happened, I could totally buy what happened to poor Nic.
Doesn't mean I want to read about it. And I'm not sure yet whether I got drawn enough into the character to want to go buy the next book about him and see if he rallies from this story's dark ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2009
This is the first in a series featuring Nic Costa and Inspector Falcone. Sara Faranese is studying in the Vatican library when a colleague rushes in and frankly whispers, "In the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." He then displays a pistol and a bag containing the skin of a human being. Fearing for her safety a Swiss guard shoots him dead, much to Sara's consternation, because she realized he wasn't trying to kill her, but to convey a message. Realizing that the flayed skin may have some reference to St. Bartholome and she drags Coasta and his partner Rossi to that saints church where they discover two more flayed bodies, her erstwhile lover and Stefano Rinaldi's wife. Soon others are being killed and posed in bizarre ways that suggest a link to early martyrs.
Lots of fascinating detail about Rome, Italian customs and how to flay a body. There is a rather gross description of just how to do it (might take about an hour and requires lots of anatomical knowledge and strength) not to mention a reference to some cultures that tried to do it while the victims remained alive. And by the way, now that I have your attention, some Italians enjoy eating offal, prepared in all sorts of garlicy ways. This is apparently from the days when the clergy got all the good parts and the rest were thrown to the proletariat who discovered ways to make it more than palatable. There is a nifty (hmm, perhaps bad choice of words) scene where Costa is invited to dinner with the brilliant pathologist, "crazy" Theresa, and they eat at one of these restaurants. Costa is a vegetarian.
I liked this book, but it does seem that some of the tantalizing leads, for example the "seed of the church" comment above that appears to be significant early on, never gets linked to anything later on. Lots of neat conspiracy stuff. While the inter-connectivity of some of the characters might stretch one's credibility, the shades of gray in the characterizations are what I found most intriguing about the book.
Caravaggio's paintings play an important role that I enjoyed. This is probably the book that Dan Brown wishes he could have written. Of other Italian location writers, I would place him closest to Michael Dibdin, if perhaps not quite as intellectual.
Lots of fascinating detail about Rome, Italian customs and how to flay a body. There is a rather gross description of just how to do it (might take about an hour and requires lots of anatomical knowledge and strength) not to mention a reference to some cultures that tried to do it while the victims remained alive. And by the way, now that I have your attention, some Italians enjoy eating offal, prepared in all sorts of garlicy ways. This is apparently from the days when the clergy got all the good parts and the rest were thrown to the proletariat who discovered ways to make it more than palatable. There is a nifty (hmm, perhaps bad choice of words) scene where Costa is invited to dinner with the brilliant pathologist, "crazy" Theresa, and they eat at one of these restaurants. Costa is a vegetarian.
I liked this book, but it does seem that some of the tantalizing leads, for example the "seed of the church" comment above that appears to be significant early on, never gets linked to anything later on. Lots of neat conspiracy stuff. While the inter-connectivity of some of the characters might stretch one's credibility, the shades of gray in the characterizations are what I found most intriguing about the book.
Caravaggio's paintings play an important role that I enjoyed. This is probably the book that Dan Brown wishes he could have written. Of other Italian location writers, I would place him closest to Michael Dibdin, if perhaps not quite as intellectual.
August 24, 2016
I'm unsure if it's just me who expects more from character development or perhaps there is a glut of "crime and mystery" books hitting the market these days, but when I pick up a book, any book, I expect a good plot, knowledge about the surroundings in which the book takes place and, most of all, good character development. With "A Season For the Dead" I didn't get of the above. The plot was so slow that I had to force myself to complete the book. I didn't care for any of the characters, not even the primary character of the series, Nic Costa, so I definitely will not read any more of this series. Most importantly, the book is set in Rome, Vatican City to be exact, and there was so little actual history and fact about the places that the story could have taken place any where in the world. There were snippets of history, tidbits of religious fact thrown in to make you think that the author was an expert but, sadly, I do not think this is so.
I am sure there is a fan base for this series. I will not be joining that group. Read at your own risk.
I am sure there is a fan base for this series. I will not be joining that group. Read at your own risk.
February 10, 2012
This enthralling mystery/thriller is the first in the Nic Costa series, set in present-day Rome. We find out who the murderer is shortly before the halfway point, but there are still several mysteries, involving motivation and who might be abetting the serial killer, left to solve.
It was very hard to put this one down, with its intricate plot, complex, eccentric characters, and mix of Vatican intrigue, gruesome murders, a enigmatic young woman academic with a mysterious past, the paintings of Caravaggio, the theology of Tertullian, a vivid sense of place, and a fascinating young police detective who, refreshingly, fits none of the usual fictional stereotypes.
I'm happy to see that I have more Nic Costa thrillers, plus some stand-alones by this author, to look forward to. I definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy crime fiction set in Italy, such as Donna Leon's Guido Brunetti series.
It was very hard to put this one down, with its intricate plot, complex, eccentric characters, and mix of Vatican intrigue, gruesome murders, a enigmatic young woman academic with a mysterious past, the paintings of Caravaggio, the theology of Tertullian, a vivid sense of place, and a fascinating young police detective who, refreshingly, fits none of the usual fictional stereotypes.
I'm happy to see that I have more Nic Costa thrillers, plus some stand-alones by this author, to look forward to. I definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy crime fiction set in Italy, such as Donna Leon's Guido Brunetti series.
August 20, 2014
The writing style reminds me of John Le Carre because of the omniscient narrator who creeps inside the minds of even the sickest characters. But Hewson takes it further, and puts us, at times, even into the minds of the murder victims as they die, which is disgusting.
Read the full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...
Read the full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...
Read
January 19, 2011Got to about page 100 and then put it down. Unfortunately, I didn't get the urge to pick this book up again. While I found it mildly interesting, it just didn't have that I-got-to-get-back-to-my-book appeal. Plus, it was a bit on the graphic side and I prefer my murders less descriptive. But I enjoyed the way the author writes, just didn't care for the story.
June 6, 2010
Murders based on the deaths of martyrs are committed near the Vatican. The characters were totally unconvincing and the Roman setting was unrealized. There wasn’t even much info about the Vatican. I finished this only because it was for a book discussion.
February 11, 2014
Don't bother
December 6, 2019
Having read (full disclosure: listened via Audible) to David Hewson’s Shakespeare adaptations, I was enthused with the chance to jump into his Nic Costa crime series. As a fan of Michael Dibdin’s Aurelio Zen series, I was completely ready for a full-on Trevi fountain immersion, gelato well in hand. Instead, A Season for the Dead is a bumbling read, both in style and substance. Instead of splashing in the sun, I was soaked in the Tiber with grappa splashed in my face. Not quite the expected Roman crime experience.
The story starts interestingly enough with the introduction of semi-rookie detective Nic Costa, which is a refreshing turn as many genre mainstays are either grizzled vets (Harry Bosch) or well-established top-of-their-gamers, like the aforementioned Zen. Yet as a rook, Costa is not particularly charming or even especially talented. He’s good police, but a flat character. Truly makes me wonder how a full series is based around the dude. Maybe the fun of future installments is seeing him develop? I’m afraid to bear witness as I’m not certain I have the patience for ten books of self-doubt, incorrect questioning, and juvenile anger.
A Season for the Dead focuses on a serial killer running within and around the Vatican recreating the deaths of key Christian martyrs (admittedly, a cool concept) and a corrupt cardinal apparently doing more than taking confessions behind that curtain. Costa and his fit-for-retirement partner Rossi catch the case, one that is out of their depth. Sara Farnese, a unique femme fatale who is caught in the center of the maelstrom, isn’t helping. Rossi is wary of her; Costa attracted.
Hewson never allows the reader to play the guessing game, to try out their Poirot mustache or Holmes pipe. Instead, details are fed at an unusual pace, and are often times repetitive.
Hewson has an odd writing style, particularly the dialogue, which comes across grammatically-challenged, almost as if the narrative was written in Italian and run through Google Translate prior to publication. The crime genre has a built-in cadence, be it procedural, movie-scripted, or full-on noir. A Season for the Dead is almost attempting to be high-literature but falls into a number of potholes making the read a bumpy ride. Certain plot points are never realized. The ending is rushed.
The reader, however, is provided a grand tour of the city. I haven’t been to Rome since college and am desperately seeking a return. I’m wary if that will come through Hewson installments.
Thank you to NetGalley and Black Thorn Books for the Roman holiday.
Read this review and others @ Joe’s!
The story starts interestingly enough with the introduction of semi-rookie detective Nic Costa, which is a refreshing turn as many genre mainstays are either grizzled vets (Harry Bosch) or well-established top-of-their-gamers, like the aforementioned Zen. Yet as a rook, Costa is not particularly charming or even especially talented. He’s good police, but a flat character. Truly makes me wonder how a full series is based around the dude. Maybe the fun of future installments is seeing him develop? I’m afraid to bear witness as I’m not certain I have the patience for ten books of self-doubt, incorrect questioning, and juvenile anger.
A Season for the Dead focuses on a serial killer running within and around the Vatican recreating the deaths of key Christian martyrs (admittedly, a cool concept) and a corrupt cardinal apparently doing more than taking confessions behind that curtain. Costa and his fit-for-retirement partner Rossi catch the case, one that is out of their depth. Sara Farnese, a unique femme fatale who is caught in the center of the maelstrom, isn’t helping. Rossi is wary of her; Costa attracted.
Hewson never allows the reader to play the guessing game, to try out their Poirot mustache or Holmes pipe. Instead, details are fed at an unusual pace, and are often times repetitive.
Hewson has an odd writing style, particularly the dialogue, which comes across grammatically-challenged, almost as if the narrative was written in Italian and run through Google Translate prior to publication. The crime genre has a built-in cadence, be it procedural, movie-scripted, or full-on noir. A Season for the Dead is almost attempting to be high-literature but falls into a number of potholes making the read a bumpy ride. Certain plot points are never realized. The ending is rushed.
The reader, however, is provided a grand tour of the city. I haven’t been to Rome since college and am desperately seeking a return. I’m wary if that will come through Hewson installments.
Thank you to NetGalley and Black Thorn Books for the Roman holiday.
Read this review and others @ Joe’s!
January 31, 2025
What a read. I'm breathless. Why did it take me so long to find this writer?
Nic Costa's a cop, city cop, Rome - not the Vatican. He's young and has been assigned an older, grumpier, very much more experienced partner, Luca Rossi. Almost by accident, they stumble upon a murder, at, of all places, the Vatican. However, the Vatican is a city-state with its own laws, rules, customs - and most of all - police force, such as it is. So when Nic and Luca discover something going on - and decide to look into it, what do they find...
In a Vatican library, an archive: a gorgeous young woman sitting at a desk with a dead man on the other side and the removed skin, from neck to feet, of another man on the desk. It's grim; it's gritty; it's complicated. But full of flavor, and description - not only of the crime, and subsequent others, but of the city itself - and the Vatican. Nic also has a father dying of cancer, and a backstory which doesn't interfere with what's going on as he and Luca investigate what they legally can - because, hey the guy who was skinned wasn't found in the Vatican - so he and the woman hanged beside the skinned man are both fair game for the city police and so...
There's a lot going on here, political infighting and chicanery, involvement with Mafia-like figures, money laundering and priests who hire women to sleep with highly-placed individuals for favors. There's also this one spooky creepy guy taking pictures of everything and everyone. There's a lot here about philsophy, religion, art and the conversations Nic and Luca have with each other - and those around them - are often deep and insightful. But they can also talk about the best place to get a beer and something to eat. I loved it - intense and intriguing.
My fav. character here after Nic and Luca, was Crazy Teresa, the local pathologist. She deserves her own book.
I intend to move on in this series, see what it takes me.
Five stars.
Nic Costa's a cop, city cop, Rome - not the Vatican. He's young and has been assigned an older, grumpier, very much more experienced partner, Luca Rossi. Almost by accident, they stumble upon a murder, at, of all places, the Vatican. However, the Vatican is a city-state with its own laws, rules, customs - and most of all - police force, such as it is. So when Nic and Luca discover something going on - and decide to look into it, what do they find...
In a Vatican library, an archive: a gorgeous young woman sitting at a desk with a dead man on the other side and the removed skin, from neck to feet, of another man on the desk. It's grim; it's gritty; it's complicated. But full of flavor, and description - not only of the crime, and subsequent others, but of the city itself - and the Vatican. Nic also has a father dying of cancer, and a backstory which doesn't interfere with what's going on as he and Luca investigate what they legally can - because, hey the guy who was skinned wasn't found in the Vatican - so he and the woman hanged beside the skinned man are both fair game for the city police and so...
There's a lot going on here, political infighting and chicanery, involvement with Mafia-like figures, money laundering and priests who hire women to sleep with highly-placed individuals for favors. There's also this one spooky creepy guy taking pictures of everything and everyone. There's a lot here about philsophy, religion, art and the conversations Nic and Luca have with each other - and those around them - are often deep and insightful. But they can also talk about the best place to get a beer and something to eat. I loved it - intense and intriguing.
My fav. character here after Nic and Luca, was Crazy Teresa, the local pathologist. She deserves her own book.
I intend to move on in this series, see what it takes me.
Five stars.
July 13, 2023
Δεν ενθουσιαστηκα με το συγκεκριμένο αν και είχε - θεωρητικά - όλα τα εχέγγυα για να είναι ενδιαφέρον : Ρώμη, Βατικανό, Καραβάτζιο, περίτεχνοι και άγριοι φόνοι, αστυνομικοί με ιδεαλισμό, περιγραφές της πόλης το καλοκαίρι. Δυστυχώς ο συγγραφέας επιλέγει έναν παράξενο τρόπο να ξεδιπλώσει την ιστορία του, αρχίζει με τον κλασσικό τρόπο αναφέροντας τον δολοφονο ανώνυμα και να απαριθμεί τους φόνους και να μας γνωρίζει τα πρόσωπα, στη μέση του βιβλίου μας δίνει την ταυτότητα του δολοφόνου και μας δίνει λίγα λίγα στοιχεία για τα κίνητρα. Ομολογώ ότι δεν με τράβηξε ιδιαίτερα και μετά το killing του ίδιου συγγραφέα, το βιβλίο αυτό ήταν απογοητευτικό.
October 29, 2018
a who-can-you-trust? thriller.
November 11, 2022
I enjoyed the characterisations and the setting. I found the description of the murders overly vivid and blood thirsty. It made me feel unsettled. The twist at the end was interesting. Overall the book made me feel sad.
December 21, 2013
4.5 Stars
My full review: http://venividilegispqr.blogspot.com/...
I recently read Diana Peterfreund’s Rampant, which is also set in Rome; in fact one of the prime reasons why I read it was because of its setting. I was pleasantly surprised that it did not make any glaring errors in its depiction of the city, but that was mainly accomplished by being rather vague in its details. This was not the case with A Season For The Dead. Mr Hewson has obviously spent a great deal of time in Rome and has done much more than visit the well-known tourist attractions. He describes many obscure places that I have also been and conjures the feeling of Rome with effortless ease, placing us in the terrible, driving heat of mid-summer when all the sensible Romans escape to the coast or the mountains. He evokes the feel and the smell of the place so well that I reveled in it, rather than finding myself waiting for the next blunder or telltale mistake that would reveal his lack of familiarity with somewhere that I know so well. This was a very, very pleasant surprise to me and one that I enjoyed immensely, grinning with delight as he used unusual locations that I recognized. This was a rare experience for me as I am so used to reading books set in the UK that do not quite ring true. For this aspect alone I found the book very enjoyable.
However, not everyone will be so enraptured by his depiction of Rome and its inhabitants, so I will try to set that aside and consider the book’s other attributes. One major problem that several of the other book group members found was with the character of Sara Farnese. We begin the book in her head and it is quickly revealed that she is engaged in an affair with an academic from the UK. She speculates that he probably has a lover in every major city, but she has never asked him about any other attachments, such as a wife. I am normally the first to be disappointed with characters that engage in infidelity, but I did not find her to be so appalling that I could not continue with the book. Unfortunately, several of the other members could not get past this point in the plot and stopped reading. I think that if they had read further and started to get to know Nic then they would have been carried along by the story as I was, but I can understand their decision. Sara is probably the weakest link in the entire book. She is certainly beautiful, intelligent and desirable, and she is provided with a sufficiently terrible origin story to explain her tragically warped character, but she still remains unsympathetic, even once we know all the appalling details. I think that starting the book in her head was a huge mistake.
Fortunately, Nic and many of the other characters are interesting and sympathetic enough to draw us into the story. Apart from his inability to resist Sara’s lure, Nic is an excellent lead character. He is young and still learning his trade, but is not over-confident and full of bravado, nor is he exceptionally brilliant or a ‘golden boy who can do no wrong’. He works hard, makes logical deductions and is heart broken when he is disillusioned by life’s ugliness. He has an interesting back story and a penchant for studying the paintings of Caravaggio (one of my favorite artists to see in Rome). He makes personal mistakes and is suitably human, which I appreciate in the lead character of a series. We see him develop and change over the course of the story, especially in regards to the relationship with his father.
My full review: http://venividilegispqr.blogspot.com/...
I recently read Diana Peterfreund’s Rampant, which is also set in Rome; in fact one of the prime reasons why I read it was because of its setting. I was pleasantly surprised that it did not make any glaring errors in its depiction of the city, but that was mainly accomplished by being rather vague in its details. This was not the case with A Season For The Dead. Mr Hewson has obviously spent a great deal of time in Rome and has done much more than visit the well-known tourist attractions. He describes many obscure places that I have also been and conjures the feeling of Rome with effortless ease, placing us in the terrible, driving heat of mid-summer when all the sensible Romans escape to the coast or the mountains. He evokes the feel and the smell of the place so well that I reveled in it, rather than finding myself waiting for the next blunder or telltale mistake that would reveal his lack of familiarity with somewhere that I know so well. This was a very, very pleasant surprise to me and one that I enjoyed immensely, grinning with delight as he used unusual locations that I recognized. This was a rare experience for me as I am so used to reading books set in the UK that do not quite ring true. For this aspect alone I found the book very enjoyable.
However, not everyone will be so enraptured by his depiction of Rome and its inhabitants, so I will try to set that aside and consider the book’s other attributes. One major problem that several of the other book group members found was with the character of Sara Farnese. We begin the book in her head and it is quickly revealed that she is engaged in an affair with an academic from the UK. She speculates that he probably has a lover in every major city, but she has never asked him about any other attachments, such as a wife. I am normally the first to be disappointed with characters that engage in infidelity, but I did not find her to be so appalling that I could not continue with the book. Unfortunately, several of the other members could not get past this point in the plot and stopped reading. I think that if they had read further and started to get to know Nic then they would have been carried along by the story as I was, but I can understand their decision. Sara is probably the weakest link in the entire book. She is certainly beautiful, intelligent and desirable, and she is provided with a sufficiently terrible origin story to explain her tragically warped character, but she still remains unsympathetic, even once we know all the appalling details. I think that starting the book in her head was a huge mistake.
Fortunately, Nic and many of the other characters are interesting and sympathetic enough to draw us into the story. Apart from his inability to resist Sara’s lure, Nic is an excellent lead character. He is young and still learning his trade, but is not over-confident and full of bravado, nor is he exceptionally brilliant or a ‘golden boy who can do no wrong’. He works hard, makes logical deductions and is heart broken when he is disillusioned by life’s ugliness. He has an interesting back story and a penchant for studying the paintings of Caravaggio (one of my favorite artists to see in Rome). He makes personal mistakes and is suitably human, which I appreciate in the lead character of a series. We see him develop and change over the course of the story, especially in regards to the relationship with his father.
July 7, 2018
This book is the first of a series. My sister in England sent the entire series to me and suggested I read them so, being the good brother that I am, I started with #1 in the series.
Now that I have finished this first book, I can tell you I should have paid more attention to the first 200 pages. As art (paintings) is not necessarily my thing, my mind wandered as I started reading "A Season for the Dead". BIG mistake! If you choose to read this book, you should make yourself focus from the very beginning. For me, as a penalty for my slovenly approach to this book, I am now going to go back and REread the first half of the book.
All this is a preamble to say that this book is a really good read. As with many first books of a series, there is substantive character develop and lots of "foundation" laying for future volumes. Even so, this story has plenty of twists and turns to keep your interest AND, if you so choose to be inquisitive, you can actually learn some things about classic "art", in this case the works of Caravaggio and his influence on the new Baroque style of artistic expression.
The cover quotes say this book is "better than the DaVinci Code". I guess whether it's "better" depends on your own perspective and whether you liked the DaVinci Code in the first place. I DID and this book isn't. Nevertheless, if my personal estimation of The DaVinci Code was an 8.5, this book would get a 7.5.
In short, read it, it's great entertainment with some educational elements as sidebars.
Now that I have finished this first book, I can tell you I should have paid more attention to the first 200 pages. As art (paintings) is not necessarily my thing, my mind wandered as I started reading "A Season for the Dead". BIG mistake! If you choose to read this book, you should make yourself focus from the very beginning. For me, as a penalty for my slovenly approach to this book, I am now going to go back and REread the first half of the book.
All this is a preamble to say that this book is a really good read. As with many first books of a series, there is substantive character develop and lots of "foundation" laying for future volumes. Even so, this story has plenty of twists and turns to keep your interest AND, if you so choose to be inquisitive, you can actually learn some things about classic "art", in this case the works of Caravaggio and his influence on the new Baroque style of artistic expression.
The cover quotes say this book is "better than the DaVinci Code". I guess whether it's "better" depends on your own perspective and whether you liked the DaVinci Code in the first place. I DID and this book isn't. Nevertheless, if my personal estimation of The DaVinci Code was an 8.5, this book would get a 7.5.
In short, read it, it's great entertainment with some educational elements as sidebars.
March 18, 2013
When in Rome…
It’s always a great pleasure to come across a well-written, intelligent crime book and to know that it’s only the first of a series.
Young detective Nic Costa is first on the scene when a man is shot dead by Vatican security guards. Had he been about to shoot himself or murder his ex-lover, historian Sara Farnese? Nic is drawn into a complex plot involving banking, corruption, Vatican politics…and a lot of increasingly gruesome murders. There is a further complication for Nic when he finds himself falling for the enigmatic Sara.
Although the plot moves along at a fair pace, the author also takes time to let us get to know Nic. As the novel starts, he is still a little naïve and idealistic but gradually he comes to recognise that people are not always what they seem. We meet his father, Marco, a communist and atheist, who has clearly been a huge influence on Nic’s life and beliefs but who is now dying. This strand of the book is handled very well, never toppling over into sentimentality or mawkishness.
The Roman setting for the novel adds an extra element of interest. Hewson paints a vivid picture of a tourist-filled city baking in the summer heat and of the simmering resentments between the Roman police and the autonomous Vatican state.
A very enjoyable read. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
It’s always a great pleasure to come across a well-written, intelligent crime book and to know that it’s only the first of a series.
Young detective Nic Costa is first on the scene when a man is shot dead by Vatican security guards. Had he been about to shoot himself or murder his ex-lover, historian Sara Farnese? Nic is drawn into a complex plot involving banking, corruption, Vatican politics…and a lot of increasingly gruesome murders. There is a further complication for Nic when he finds himself falling for the enigmatic Sara.
Although the plot moves along at a fair pace, the author also takes time to let us get to know Nic. As the novel starts, he is still a little naïve and idealistic but gradually he comes to recognise that people are not always what they seem. We meet his father, Marco, a communist and atheist, who has clearly been a huge influence on Nic’s life and beliefs but who is now dying. This strand of the book is handled very well, never toppling over into sentimentality or mawkishness.
The Roman setting for the novel adds an extra element of interest. Hewson paints a vivid picture of a tourist-filled city baking in the summer heat and of the simmering resentments between the Roman police and the autonomous Vatican state.
A very enjoyable read. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
May 7, 2017
I very much enjoyed this book. It will appeal to and be sought out by readers of series crime novels set in vividly depicted locations. Readers of Michael Dibdin's Aurelio Zen series, which features another Rome-based cop, Donna Leon's Inspector Brunetti, and Barbara Nadel's Istanbul cop, Inspector Ikmen should enjoy this as well.
The identity of the killer is unknown to the reader for about the first half of the book. It is then revealed to the reader, so in that sense there is no last-page denoument. However, there are other mysteries around motivation that propel the mystery forward and keep the reader guessing til (almost) the end!
If you are squeamish about fairly graphic depictions of violence you may not be as drawn to this book. I compare it to some of the scenes in, for example, Carol O'Connell's 'Killing Critics', featuring New York cop Mallory.
Hewson manages to depict a sense of place very successfully, so Rome assumes an identity as a 'character' alongside the human protagonists. Anyone with an interest in the art of Caravaggio will be equally enthralled, as Nic Costa, the young main character cop, is an afficianado. There is some vivid imagery involving several of the paintings of that 17th century Roman 'badboy'.
The identity of the killer is unknown to the reader for about the first half of the book. It is then revealed to the reader, so in that sense there is no last-page denoument. However, there are other mysteries around motivation that propel the mystery forward and keep the reader guessing til (almost) the end!
If you are squeamish about fairly graphic depictions of violence you may not be as drawn to this book. I compare it to some of the scenes in, for example, Carol O'Connell's 'Killing Critics', featuring New York cop Mallory.
Hewson manages to depict a sense of place very successfully, so Rome assumes an identity as a 'character' alongside the human protagonists. Anyone with an interest in the art of Caravaggio will be equally enthralled, as Nic Costa, the young main character cop, is an afficianado. There is some vivid imagery involving several of the paintings of that 17th century Roman 'badboy'.
January 4, 2020
A shooting in the silent Vatican reading room leads to a horror beyond imagining for Detective Nic Costa and his team. Whilst Sara Farnese pours over ancient texts in the silent Vatican reading room, a brutal murder is taking place in a nearby church. Then suddenly a crazed man enters the Vatican carrying a bloodied bag. He walks up to Sara's desk. He has something he would like her to see . . .
Soon Sara is inextricably linked to a series of horrific and cunning murders, each one representative of the death of a martyr of the Church. Into this charged climate enter Detectives Nic Costa and Luca Rossi.
This book was my introduction to the author’s books & I’ve found another must read author. I loved the descriptions of Rome & he made he city come alive for me. I also liked Nic from the beginning but the more I delved into the book the more his character grew & had depth & by the end I loved him. I also loved his sidekick Rossi who added a bit of light heartedness to the book. The pace was good the mystery enthralling & I loved it
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Soon Sara is inextricably linked to a series of horrific and cunning murders, each one representative of the death of a martyr of the Church. Into this charged climate enter Detectives Nic Costa and Luca Rossi.
This book was my introduction to the author’s books & I’ve found another must read author. I loved the descriptions of Rome & he made he city come alive for me. I also liked Nic from the beginning but the more I delved into the book the more his character grew & had depth & by the end I loved him. I also loved his sidekick Rossi who added a bit of light heartedness to the book. The pace was good the mystery enthralling & I loved it
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
December 13, 2008
A Season for the Dead, like The Da Vinci Code, is a thriller that takes an unflattering look at the Catholic Church, but it is better written and more sophisticated. A Season for the Dead, if sometimes blissfully over the top, is intelligent entertainmentReview:
Outsized, eccentric characters, a complex story and an abundance of historical detail make this engrossing book more than just another cookie-cutter, religious-nut serial killer thriller
Outsized, eccentric characters, a complex story and an abundance of historical detail make this engrossing book more than just another cookie-cutter, religious-nut serial killer thriller
April 7, 2009
I read this book first and found it compelling from beginning to end. The use of Rome is far more than backdrop, it is part of the story itself. There are some horrors in this book, and they keep you on the edge of your seat. I love the Nic Costa series.
November 26, 2010
Oh my. Not sure how to describe this convoluted plot. Set in Italy. Young cop investigates a series of grizzly murders. Strange sexual element. Catholicism. High finance. Basically, I think, one bad guy died, a couple of good guys died, and a few got away. Unsatisfying ending.
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