The Seventh Sacrament

Nic Costa #5

by David Hewson

Back in Rome after their dramatic adventures in Venice, Costa, Peroni and Leo Falcone are rebuilding their lives. But, they team up once again when faced with the sudden appearance of fresh bloodstains on a missing young boy's T-shirt in a small museum exhibit displaying supposed evidence of communication from souls in Purgatory. Soon they find themselves embroiled in a mystery involving both the ancient cult of Mithras and a sinister ossuary, the House of Bones...Praise for David Hewson's previous 'Better written and more sophisticated than Dan Brown's phenomenal bestseller ...great stuff!' - "Washington Post". 'Built with pleasing symmetry...Hewson can dress a stage with operatic panache, and here his mise-en-scene is spectacular...In the previous books, the killings, despite their savagery, have theatrical flair and are put to vivid use in fascinating lectures on Italian art and history' - "New York Times". 'Elegant...solid writing and multidimensional characters command attention from start to finish of this smart, literate thriller' - "Publishers Weekly".

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Crime, Italy, Ebooks, Suspense

419 pages, Hardcover

First published January 19, 2007

About the author

DAVID 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

Reviews

[Noella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heel spannend boek. Jaren geleden is een jongetje, Alessio, verdwenen nadat hij kennelijk verdwaalt was op een ondergrondse archeologische site in Rome. Zijn vader, professor Bramante, heeft al die jaren in de gevangenis gezeten omdat hij een student vermoord had waarvan hij vermoedde dat die wist wat er met zijn zoontje gebeurd was. Nu is Bramante terug vrij. In de loop der jaren zijn nog andere studenten, die tot hetzelfde groepje leerlingen van Bramante behoorden, vermoord of vermist. Nu blijkt dat dit telkens gebeurde als Bramante met penitentiair verlof was.
Na zijn vrijlating duikt Bramante onder. Maar dan ontvoert hij een politie-agente. Hij laat haar gaan in ruil voor zijn oude tegenstander bij de politie, Falcone.
De cultus van Mithras speelt ook een belangrijke rol in dit verhaal.
Het verhaal springt heen en weer tussen het heden en het verleden, maar dit is niet storend. Ik vond ook de beschrijvingen van de Mithras-religie interessant.
Een boek dat de moeite waard is om te lezen.

[Chris Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Page-turning stuff! Although the fifth in a series, I was able to jump right into the story, and despite not knowing the characters' previous exploits, their relationship to one another and their motivations were clear. The list of characters at the front of the book was also a big help at the outset.

The Roman setting, much of it underground, together with the mystery surrounding the ancient Mithraic sect, added to the intrigue, but it was the well-drawn characters which made the book come alive for me. The narrative jumps between past and present, but in the edition I read, the time-setting was clear from the illustration at the beginning of each chapter.

Parts are brutal and sadistic, but they are crucial to the story, and lead up to a not altogether unpredictable ending. The novel is well-written and certainly kept my interest. I have little doubt that others in the series would be engaging too.

[Edwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interessante plot. Lastig dat sommige hoofdstukken opeens 14 jaar terug in de tijd gaan. Wel ingewikkeld. Goed om te zien dat de karakters in de opeenvolgende delen steeds meer groeien.

Het einde was een verrassing voor me.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read the first four, and for me David Hewson is such a good writer I force myself to wait a few months before I read the next one, enjoying the anticipation. Throughout this one, Hewson hints at a thrilling final section entitled, appropriately, 'Book 5: The Seventh Sacrament.' And Hewson delivers some great surprises! However, I just completed reading this book, and I'm a bit mystified. But isn't that a characteristic of really good writing, those books which stay with us? All the regular conventions in this mystery/thriller are certainly concluded/revealed, but there's just so much more here. Also, Hewson is great at bringing ancient Roman history to the forefront, and I particularly enjoyed learning a bit about Mithraism. I've already purchased the sixth Nic Costa book, "The Garden of Evil" and I'm saving it for an upcoming 2-3 days of summer when a shaded porch, an overhead fan, and a pitcher of something cold to drink are all so seductive. (I'm looking forward now to "goodreads" comments/questions and the reviews of others.)

[Levent Mollamustafaoglu · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book that catches up quite late with the tempo expected in a crime novel. It took me until the middle of the book to start enjoying it. It is a complex tale of an archeologist whose son disappeared in an archeological site in Rome after he and his friends went in. The father does a private questioning of one of the boys in the police station, after which the boy dies and he goes to prison.

Several years later, the boys who were with his son start getting killed. Nic Costa is trying to catch the culprit but also trying to protect his friend Leo Falcone, who was the detective covering the case originally. The ancient cult of Mithraism, Rome's endless archeological sites take part in this complex tale of revenge.

If you can survive until the very end, you will see the untangling of a complex tale and a surprise ending.

[Tooba]

The mystery prevails till the very end in this book of Hewson, when a professor's flawed character became the reason of his life long suffering. The animalistic characteristics that can turn a human into a beast are part of one of the lead character. Plot gets interesting and boring continuously throughout the novel. Third part of the book exposes the mysteries of Alessio’s disappearance which feels really disgusting. Nic Costa solves the crime mysteries with help of Peroni, Teresa and somehow Emily.
The book helps to build up the imagination of readers about Mithraeum temples and underground tunnels in Rome, which is really interesting. Another feature of the book that should not go unmentioned is the Hewson’s elaboration on human relationships.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is part of a series but it's the first one I read. I gave it 3 stars because I cared enough to finish it. Personally, I feel that the fulcrum this plot rested upon was not on a par with the atrocities that followed. It just didn't make sense to me.

[Sonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came across “The Seventh Sacrament” by chance but decided to give it a go - even though crime is not my usual genre. But it took literally no time to suck me into the plot of this novel. Compelling characters, all so well-rounded (even though “Seventh Sacrament” is, as I now know, already the fifth book in the series about Nic Costa), but interesting, realistic and each with their very own human traits that made it easy to empathise with them. I liked them all. I even found a certain sympathy for the homicidal Giorgio Brabante - although the subtext of the prejudiced, socially conditioned idealisation of the middle-class, intellectual father was spot on! Food for thought.
I enjoyed reading the elegant, smooth prose, there was not a word out of place, and it created the pictures the author was describing effortlessly and in detail. The plot was full of suspense that had me completely in thrall from beginning to end. And it literally took me until the last chapters to even faintly guess where the solution to the mystery of the vanished child and the motivation of the lethal, vengeful father lay. I loved the backdrop, not only of Rome, but also of archeology and ancient cults - fascinating stuff, which added a bit of education to the simple distraction of reading, well, at least for me.
“Seventh Sacrament” was one of those rare reading experiences where you cannot wait to continue reading, where you simultaneously want to progress through the story yet are already regretting the end before you have even got there.

[Sharad Sakorkar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up his book based on reviews of many books authored by David Hewson - my first book in Nic Costa series. Last few years I have been reading mainly spy fiction. I decided to pick up a mystery book his time for a change. I was fascinated by the idea that a British author resides in the UK but writes books which unfold in Rome! I was assured by mostly very positive reviews of his books. In all fairness, I was not familiar with the writing style. I also found it difficult to read and remember Italian names of characters and places. I found the the number of characters rather far too many, especially for a first time reader. Frankly, I laboured through the first two parts of the book, at times almost losing interest. The plot is complex. On the top of it, the author fills you with a huge amount of details about archeology and history. The story shifts between past and present which creates its own difficulty. The third part is where the book picks up some pace. The suspense is good. At few places I found the third part tad contrived. The book could do with some tight editing. All in all I found the book okay. It's not that I have given up on the Nic Costa series. I plan to read one more Nic Costa book before making up my mind.

[Darius Ostrowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this is a very intense story.

The fifth in the series, "The Seventh Sacrament" sees Nic Costa, Peroni and Leo Falcone returned to their beloved Rome after the last book's exile in Venice. There is a killer on the loose, a killer who is known to the police: Giorgio Brabante, a father who beat to death a suspect in his son's disappearance many years ago. Giorgio was a model prisoner, but now that he's free he begins to stalk and kill all of the people responsible for his son's disappearance, including Leo Falcone, who was a policeman during the initial frantic investigation. But there seems to be more behind these killings, as Costa and company try to unravel what really happened in the underground temple all of those years ago when Giorgio's son disappeared, before Giorgio finishes his revenge.

This is a very brutal story, going back and forth in time, with lots of moving parts. No one comes out clean in the end, and the mystery that drives the story is stuck in the past. Emily plays a much smaller role in this chapter, Teresa a bit more but still to the side. An excellent addition for readers who have followed this series, but maybe not the best place to start for someone coming in new.

[Dorian · Rating 3 out of 5]

My second book in this series, as enjoyable as the first, and it doesn't seem to matter that I am reading them out of order. It possibly matters a little more that I've never been to Rome, so, as much as I enjoy reading about the locations, the architectural details and the history, I'm not as emotionally engaged as I would be in a story set in a city with which I am more familiar. The characters and their relationships are what really hold things together. Even though they are a part of a long running story, we are shown enough to quickly establish them in our minds, with detail and depth to be added as we read on.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another exciting story with many twists and turns and surprises. A seven-year-old boy goes missing, his father (Giorgio) brutally kills one of the suspects and goes to jail for 14 years. Upon his release, murders of possible suspects in the abduction /murder of his son occur. Leo, Peroni, Teresa and Nick team up to find out what happened to Giorgio’s son 14 years ago as well as find the Giorgio to put him back in jail for the recent murders. It is quite a chase as Giorgio taunts them and seems to be one step ahead of them. Looking forward to the next book.

[Carina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another random book I'd picked up along the way, can't say I'm impressed with it to be honest.

The writing was fine, but the jumps between points of view and time zones weren't clear (at least in the edition I read) which meant I spent parts of the book trying to work out what was going on when.

The mystery was interesting but it didn't particularly keep my interest. I can't say I'd pick up other books in the series based off this.

[Cor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik hou van reeksen. Niet alleen bij boeken overigens. Ik ben zoals ik wel eens zeg, enigszins serieel behept. Dit is het vijfde deel uit de Nic Costa-reeks. Komt wat moeizaam op gang, maar uiteindelijk raak je er toch wel in. Interessant zijn de boeken om de informatie over Rome en oude Romeinse wetenswaardigheden. En verder wil ik ook graag weten hoe het verder gaat met Costa, Peroni en Falcone en hun partners.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this look back Rome's ancient past and modern murders to be a great read. It greatly helps to know more than a bit about Roman history, in particular its military, even if Hewson does a fine job of explaining this mysterious history. Also we had visited Rome roughly during the setting of this novel (the current portion, at least) so my memories of Rome were accurate and meshed with the action.

[Claire Osgood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written crime novel with good character development. The historical backstory from ancient Roman times was quite interesting, also. Often crime novels are too simple, and prove boring after the initial shocker of criminal activity with it's anti-social bent. The book was a little long, but worth reading through to the surprising conclusion.

[James_S · Rating 2 out of 5]

Police procedural, but not many likeable characters. Everyone has an issue and it's all wrapped up in pseudo magic pagan ritual which isn't all that engaging a concept. Some of the police are potentially interesting but they seem to spend most of this story recovering from the story before set in Venice, which I haven't read. It'd have to be better than this to make it worthwhile.

[AV AV · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interessante opening, interessant plot. Ik raak vertrouwd met de karakters, sta tegelijkertijd versteld over de botte hiërarchie in het Italiaanse politiewereldje. Hoewel fictie, dat begrijp ik. Het sekte-achtige in deze aflevering is miet mijn ding, wel goed verhaal.... opnieuw.

[Femke De · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik had Vaticaanse moorden gelezen ( beetje in sfeer van Da Vinci Code) en kocht dit boek zelfde schrijver. Verhaal is beeldend beschreven en pakkend, in begin opletten met alle namen, wie, wie is. Het leidend thema Mithraïsme is wat gezocht.

[Lechw · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tyypillinen trilleri yllättävine juonenkäänteineen, mutta ylipitkä ja hieman hengetön kokonaisuus.

[Meinwen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Confusing.

[Linda Bestebreur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goed boek. Spannend en historisch ook interessant (over het mithraisme). Wel hier en daar ingewikkeld en veel personages. Wel toffe plotwending aan het eind.

[Kelly Bragg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less archaeology than I hoped for, given the description on the book jacket. I enjoyed it, but there were portions of the story that really seemed to take a while to get there.

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

An enjoyable read. Quite convoluted and rambly but an interesting story nevertheless. Recommended to the normal crew.

[David Schwan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nic is back again with some more ancient ruins central to the story. As usual plenty of action and great interactions among the primary players. Fun read.

[Oliver Salazar · Rating 3 out of 5]

gets exciting on the final part

[Marisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book was slow in the beginning. But man was the ending a humdinger

[Rory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lastig om te lezen gezien het onderwerp (kind vermist) maar wel met een erg verrassend einde.

[A.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A seven year old child, Alessio Bramante, is missing in the ancient tunnels under Rome. His father Giorgio, is left alone with one of the suspects and beats him to death before police intervene. The fallout sends him to gaol for murder and does not get any more information on the whereabouts of the child. The policeman who finally stopped him? Leo Falcone. The other students who are suspected of having something to do with the child’s disappearance are not convicted and are released. They change their names and go into hiding. The father serves fourteen years with some day release for good behaviour.
The crew are still on holidays after Venice (book #4). Nic Costa and Emily are engaged and pregnant. Leo is still with Rafaella Arcangeli and is recovering from his injuries. Teresa Lupo and Gianni Peroni are planning a house in the country… maybe.
But Giorgio Bramante, the father, is killing all the original suspects. And Falcone is probably on that list, too.
Vacation’s over.
***
It took me a little while to get that the chapters with the students in the ruins are flashbacks. It wasn’t until a name popped up that I got it. It must be deliberate - there is no heading with date as a clue. So, Hewson means to leave the reader unsettled and struggling for clues. (I think. I know sometimes things are not done deliberately but Hewson crafts these books too well to mess this one up)
Oooh *facepalms* it’s MY fault. Each chapter heading has the head of a roman figure. It faces left - to the past - for the flashbacks, and to the right - forward for current events. Silly, AM. See, I told you Hewson was smart. That will teach me for not reading the intro pages.
There is something very odd going on here. The father left his child underground… but why? Emily suggested it was so they could ‘find’ the temple of Mithras in the subsequent search and make him famous, but the students ruined it. And then the police chief bulldozed it, and really ruined the site.
His son is now the Commissar and he and Falcone fight over everything, but it is only now that Falcone and Costa start asking the right questions.
And once they do, it all starts unravelling.
Falcone has a been appointed a new assistant, a young South Asian woman Prabarkaran. Emily is having odd feelings about her pregnancy and Teresa Lupo is calling in old favours, punching people out and just being awesome.
***
I finished this earlier today and have just tried to think how to write this review.
I loved Rosemary Sutcliffes’ Eagle of the Ninth series, and the cult of Mithras was mentioned. It was the religion of the Roman soldiers, especially the Praetorian Guard. They were obliterated by Constantine in 312 AD in Rome; he murdered followers, destroyed altars, and probably left their bones behind. This is the world that still remains under Modern Rome. Hewson even has links to the Google maps.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?...
Giorgio is a university professor, an educated man, a husband to a scarred and terrified wife, and the by the time he is released from prison, he is certifiably insane. He wants Falcone dead and any remaining members of the original student group.
But the essential mystery remains: where is Alessio?

The answer is both horrible, and oddly human. Hewson excels at this. Making you both squirm, and say ‘yeah - I can see how that could happen’. I used to work in the criminal section at Legal Aid… I’ve seen what people do to each other.
Cleverly plotted and heartbreakingly real.
5 stars

[Abbe]

From Publishers Weekly

The intricate fifth thriller from British author Hewson to feature Roman detective Nic Costa (after 2006's The Lizard's Bite) artfully weaves several points-of-view as it shifts between past and present. Fourteen years after seven-year-old Alessio Bramante, the son of an eminent archeology professor, disappeared underneath Rome's ancient Circus Maximus, someone seeking revenge attacks Costa's colleague, Insp. Leo Falcone, who worked on the unsolved case of the missing boy. Falcone and Costa start asking questions that should have been asked during the original bungled investigation. High on their list of people to talk to is Alessio's father, Giorgio, an expert on the tunnels beneath Rome who served time in prison for beating to death one of his students, the chief suspect in his son's disappearance. The subterranean labyrinths just may hold the answers to a mystery whose poignant resolution few readers will anticipate. (July 31)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From

Starred Review Hewson's uncompromising trio of antiestablishment Roman cops—Nic Costa, Gianni Peroni, and their boss, Leo Falcone—are back in the Eternal City and up to their necks in another vat of hot water. As with the previous four entries in this always-captivating series, the crime on the front burner—a dead body discovered in a Roman church—is merely the entrée point to a case with tentacles extending deep into ancient history and, in this instance, reaching below the city into the labyrinthian catacombs where a seven-year-old boy, the son of a distinguished archaeologist, disappeared 14 years earlier. Falcone was on that case and still broods over both his failure to find the missing boy and his role in putting the archaeologist behind bars for the murder of one of the young men assumed (but never convicted) of being responsible for the boy's disappearance. The archaeolgist is out of jail now and intent on settling scores. As the story weaves across multiple time lines—the present, the weeks surrounding the boy's disappearance, and the fourth century CE, when Constantine won control of the Roman Empire—Hewson keeps his readers securely tethered to a narrative lifeline; like Theseus on the trail of the minotaur, we follow the plot around countless blind corners but never lose our way out of the maze. Also helping to ground us is the flesh-and-blood humanity of the present-day characters. The interplay between Hewson's three cops—and between them and the especially rich supporting cast—lift this novel far above the plot-driven Da Vinci Code and its many imitators. A superb mix of history, mystery, and humanity. Ott, Bill