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The Eighth Hill
In 1980's Rome, the only thing more dangerous than the criminals, is the state.
Two years after being dismissed by the Italian State Police for the killing of an unarmed robber, private investigator, De Rossi, is hired to look into the violent death of a young socialite. In search of the truth, De Rossi becomes entangled in a web of deceit, corruption and murder and soon realises that it is not just the criminals he needs to worry about.
If De Rossi is to survive, he would have to go against the very law that he once held sacrosanct.
Where would you turn to when the state is complicit?
Two years after being dismissed by the Italian State Police for the killing of an unarmed robber, private investigator, De Rossi, is hired to look into the violent death of a young socialite. In search of the truth, De Rossi becomes entangled in a web of deceit, corruption and murder and soon realises that it is not just the criminals he needs to worry about.
If De Rossi is to survive, he would have to go against the very law that he once held sacrosanct.
Where would you turn to when the state is complicit?
224 pages, Paperback
Published January 23, 2023
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6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 8, 2023
This is a very noir story set in Rome in the 1980s. Two years after being dismissed by the Italian State Police for killing an unarmed robber, De Rossi works as a private investigator. He is not doing well until being hired to look into the violent death of a young socialite. The case gives him a chance to earn a great deal of money and show that he has solid investigative skills.
The case involves deceit, murder, and an astounding amount of corruption by the Italian police and government. There is tension as danger mounts toward De Rossi. Will he survive the case? The answer is in doubt until the end. I found it impossible to put down once I reached the final chapters.
There are a few typos, mostly involving missing words, but they do not detract from the story which is worth reading. The Italian names and street names at times made the reading difficult.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The case involves deceit, murder, and an astounding amount of corruption by the Italian police and government. There is tension as danger mounts toward De Rossi. Will he survive the case? The answer is in doubt until the end. I found it impossible to put down once I reached the final chapters.
There are a few typos, mostly involving missing words, but they do not detract from the story which is worth reading. The Italian names and street names at times made the reading difficult.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 22, 2024
1980s Rome.
A disgraced ex cop, now working as a PI.
A young female reporter looking to make a way for herself in a man’s world.
And an ambitious cop who just needs one big case to catapult his career to new heights.
And someone’s killing women. More specifically, prostitutes.
The three characters-De Rossi, Lucia, and Borromeo-converge as they each have something at stake related to the murders.
The setup is solid and the novel starts strong. I found myself intrigued by PI De Rossi’s backstory-his dismissal from the force, the dissolution of his marriage-and I wanted to know more about these events.
There is a ton of potential, yet the plot gets bogged down in the middle, relying too much on action scenes, where I thought the strength of the story was the characters and their relationships to each other.
Overall, I enjoyed The Eighth Hill, especially the gritty streets of Rome.
A disgraced ex cop, now working as a PI.
A young female reporter looking to make a way for herself in a man’s world.
And an ambitious cop who just needs one big case to catapult his career to new heights.
And someone’s killing women. More specifically, prostitutes.
The three characters-De Rossi, Lucia, and Borromeo-converge as they each have something at stake related to the murders.
The setup is solid and the novel starts strong. I found myself intrigued by PI De Rossi’s backstory-his dismissal from the force, the dissolution of his marriage-and I wanted to know more about these events.
There is a ton of potential, yet the plot gets bogged down in the middle, relying too much on action scenes, where I thought the strength of the story was the characters and their relationships to each other.
Overall, I enjoyed The Eighth Hill, especially the gritty streets of Rome.
May 14, 2023
I enjoyed this gritty story, the atmosphere of Rome and the main characters too. An disgraced ex policeman De Rossi, now turned private investigator, is hired to look into a murdered socialite, who may or may not be the victim of a serial killer. Inspector Borromeo is trying to prevent him interfering in the case for a variety of reasons that become apparent as the story unfolds.
The only thing I struggled with was the abrupt ending, always stopping off for a coffee and whilst it is grammatically correct to say a cigarette is lighted, it jarred with me as it felt as if "lit" would be better.
I received an advance review copy for free via Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The only thing I struggled with was the abrupt ending, always stopping off for a coffee and whilst it is grammatically correct to say a cigarette is lighted, it jarred with me as it felt as if "lit" would be better.
I received an advance review copy for free via Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 2, 2023
The Eighth Hill by Marek Z Turner is a crime thriller set in Rome.
In short, PI De Rossi is hired to look into the death of a young socialite and soon discovers a tangled web of deceit, corruption and murder.
It’s a typical tale of Italian violence and corruption at the highest level, lots of drama and action with a not so surprising ending.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
In short, PI De Rossi is hired to look into the death of a young socialite and soon discovers a tangled web of deceit, corruption and murder.
It’s a typical tale of Italian violence and corruption at the highest level, lots of drama and action with a not so surprising ending.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 1, 2023
Enjoyed this! @poliziotturner noir novel, The Eighth Hill, set in 80s Rome.
Featuring a private investigator who often gets what he wants with his fists; an Inspector who tries to get what he wants through faith; and an ambitious journalist, trying to get what she wants through facts…
Fast paced, plenty of action, twists and turns, and a good ending.
#noir #noirbooks #rome
Featuring a private investigator who often gets what he wants with his fists; an Inspector who tries to get what he wants through faith; and an ambitious journalist, trying to get what she wants through facts…
Fast paced, plenty of action, twists and turns, and a good ending.
#noir #noirbooks #rome
March 19, 2023
It's the 1980s and Rome stinks. Power, corruption and fear cast a leaden pall over the Eternal City.
An ex policeman, now turned private investigator, is on the case of a murdered socialite, who may or may not be the victim of a serial killer.
A very well realised Rome, and a cast of true to life characters and intricate plot bring this cross between a classic giallo thriller and poliziottesco story to life.
As a fan of Massimo Carlotto this book is hitting it's mark for me. With the details of the protagonists day to day activities you also get shades of Andrea Camilleri in here too, and maybe even a touch of Dibdin's Zen.
An ex policeman, now turned private investigator, is on the case of a murdered socialite, who may or may not be the victim of a serial killer.
A very well realised Rome, and a cast of true to life characters and intricate plot bring this cross between a classic giallo thriller and poliziottesco story to life.
As a fan of Massimo Carlotto this book is hitting it's mark for me. With the details of the protagonists day to day activities you also get shades of Andrea Camilleri in here too, and maybe even a touch of Dibdin's Zen.
August 5, 2023
I enjoyed reading this mystery novel as I haven't read many set in Rome. The impulsive private investigator, De Rossi who is a disgraced police inspector keeps you turning the pages to see what he will do next.
You don't know who's working with De Rossi or against him as he works through his latest case. Is this latest murder tied to a recent serial murder case? Untangling the lies, corruption and illicit underground crime scene is exactly what it delivers.
The writing style is easy to follow and has just the right amount of descriptors to keep characters and locations memorable.
I received an advance review copy for free from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
You don't know who's working with De Rossi or against him as he works through his latest case. Is this latest murder tied to a recent serial murder case? Untangling the lies, corruption and illicit underground crime scene is exactly what it delivers.
The writing style is easy to follow and has just the right amount of descriptors to keep characters and locations memorable.
I received an advance review copy for free from Book Sirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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April 2, 2023What a book! I really love this story and I want to go read more by this author. Some major plot twists kept the story rolling in such a good way and I couldn't put it down.
February 3, 2023
A terrific combination of Italian noir and (slightly) police procedural which is clearly indebted to the likes of Scerbaneneco, Carlotto and Dibdin.
The Eighth Hill contains plenty of action, although some scenes may lack variety, and enough description of Rome that at times you feel as if you're actually in the eternal city.
It certainly won't be for everyone but it knows what it is and it hits it's niche well.
The Eighth Hill contains plenty of action, although some scenes may lack variety, and enough description of Rome that at times you feel as if you're actually in the eternal city.
It certainly won't be for everyone but it knows what it is and it hits it's niche well.
March 31, 2024
The Eighth Hill feels, at its best, like a lost poliziotteschi, set in 1980 Rome, with three distinct characters mired in the center of a plot involving the brutal murders of several sex workers. But the tone of the story is a tad uneven, meshing elements of police procedural, hard-boiled private investigator, and even some vigilante elements into a stew that, while tasty, isn't always perfect.
Our primary character, former police inspector De Rossi, is now a down-on-his-luck private detective, the type who drinks himself to sleep, chain smokes unfiltered cigarettes, and always carries a gun. You know the type. He's hired to look into the murder of a prominent socialite's sister, which ties directly into a string of prostitute killings being investigated by his former protegee, Inspector Borromeo.
Soon the pair begin butting heads and working at cross angles as some very powerful people want these murders covered up...and they don't care who has to disappear to make it happen.
The third character, reporter Lucia Vitale, is the least utilized, which is a shame, as she is the most interesting, being an outsider's viewpoint on the law enforcement world and the corruption therein.
All three characters are good and well-developed, with strong motives for getting involved in the increasingly dangerous investigation. De Rossi is being paid and trying to salvage some sense of pride, Borromeo wants to provide for his family with a big promotion, and Lucia wants to become a respected reporter.
Just as developed is the city they inhabit. Though the novel dips into travelogue territory once or twice, most of the flavor of the era and the city is exceptional.
The plot itself is a touch underwhelming, especially as there is little urgency to solve the murders early on, but when the pacing picks up, there are enough close calls, brutal fisticuffs, and even a shootout or two to keep the story trundling towards its gritty conclusion.
The only real annoyance I had with the writing was the decision to hold back a lot of details from the reader. Several times a character gets a telephone call, receives a folded message, or even says "Here, let me tell you the plan..." and the reader never gets to know what is being relayed until several chapters later, when something is unfolding. I had to backtrack more than once to try and get a handle on WHY something had just happened, only to discover that it was part of the unseen note or undescribed plan. This made the novel a little start-and-stop in places.
Fortunately, this was not enough to make me throw up my hands and give up, as the novel is, overall, a good read for anyone looking for a gritty crime thriller, especially one with an Italian setting. The last twenty or so pages were an escalating rollercoaster of thrills!
Molto bene!
Our primary character, former police inspector De Rossi, is now a down-on-his-luck private detective, the type who drinks himself to sleep, chain smokes unfiltered cigarettes, and always carries a gun. You know the type. He's hired to look into the murder of a prominent socialite's sister, which ties directly into a string of prostitute killings being investigated by his former protegee, Inspector Borromeo.
Soon the pair begin butting heads and working at cross angles as some very powerful people want these murders covered up...and they don't care who has to disappear to make it happen.
The third character, reporter Lucia Vitale, is the least utilized, which is a shame, as she is the most interesting, being an outsider's viewpoint on the law enforcement world and the corruption therein.
All three characters are good and well-developed, with strong motives for getting involved in the increasingly dangerous investigation. De Rossi is being paid and trying to salvage some sense of pride, Borromeo wants to provide for his family with a big promotion, and Lucia wants to become a respected reporter.
Just as developed is the city they inhabit. Though the novel dips into travelogue territory once or twice, most of the flavor of the era and the city is exceptional.
The plot itself is a touch underwhelming, especially as there is little urgency to solve the murders early on, but when the pacing picks up, there are enough close calls, brutal fisticuffs, and even a shootout or two to keep the story trundling towards its gritty conclusion.
The only real annoyance I had with the writing was the decision to hold back a lot of details from the reader. Several times a character gets a telephone call, receives a folded message, or even says "Here, let me tell you the plan..." and the reader never gets to know what is being relayed until several chapters later, when something is unfolding. I had to backtrack more than once to try and get a handle on WHY something had just happened, only to discover that it was part of the unseen note or undescribed plan. This made the novel a little start-and-stop in places.
Fortunately, this was not enough to make me throw up my hands and give up, as the novel is, overall, a good read for anyone looking for a gritty crime thriller, especially one with an Italian setting. The last twenty or so pages were an escalating rollercoaster of thrills!
Molto bene!
June 15, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this gritty crime thriller set in 1980s Rome.
It’s fast-paced, full of action, and kept me turning the pages late into the night.
There are only a few slower, more atmospheric moments in the storyline, but I appreciated those—they gave me time to soak in the mood and setting.
The Roman atmosphere is described so vividly that I wouldn’t be surprised if the author had lived there. The street names and character names felt spot-on, adding a genuine sense of authenticity. It all came together to make the story feel alive and grounded.
I also loved the moments of humour sprinkled throughout. They were subtle, well-timed, and added a touch of charm and lightness without detracting from the tension.
And the ending... loved it. It struck just the right chord: unexpected yet fitting, and with a quietly sweet touch that stayed with me.
This is a brilliant debut—sharp, stylish, and completely absorbing. If you're into noir or crime fiction with a strong sense of place, definitely give this one a go.
It’s fast-paced, full of action, and kept me turning the pages late into the night.
There are only a few slower, more atmospheric moments in the storyline, but I appreciated those—they gave me time to soak in the mood and setting.
The Roman atmosphere is described so vividly that I wouldn’t be surprised if the author had lived there. The street names and character names felt spot-on, adding a genuine sense of authenticity. It all came together to make the story feel alive and grounded.
I also loved the moments of humour sprinkled throughout. They were subtle, well-timed, and added a touch of charm and lightness without detracting from the tension.
And the ending... loved it. It struck just the right chord: unexpected yet fitting, and with a quietly sweet touch that stayed with me.
This is a brilliant debut—sharp, stylish, and completely absorbing. If you're into noir or crime fiction with a strong sense of place, definitely give this one a go.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews