- Hardcover: 400 pages
- Publisher: Delacorte Press (Mar 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0385337221
- ISBN-13: 978-0385337229
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 16 x 3.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,937,730 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
A Season for the Dead (Nic Costa)
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Review
The first in a promising Italian crime series set in Rome, and featuring Caravaggio-loving detective Nic Costa. Whilst Sara Farnese pouts 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, with 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 climate enter detectives Costa and Rossi, enlisted to track down the killer and to protect Sara from the horrors he is capable of. Hewson's way with the Roman milieu is as cutting edge as his adroit narrative.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A SEASON FOR THE DEAD is the first in a series of Italian crime thrillers set in Rome featuring Nic Costa as the protagonist. Costa, 27, is an atypical detective in the Rome Questura. He's a straight-laced, health conscious vegetarian and son of an infamous Communist party political organizer, who is dying. He has a passion for the works of Caravaggio.
Things get off to a fast start with a grotesque double homicide in a Roman church with strong similarities to an historic martyr killing within the early Church. Because the victims had ties to beautiful university professor Sara Farnese, she is put under the protective police custody of young Costa. As the plot unfolds with more similar deaths, there is a frantic search for the heinous serial killer who appears to have ties to the Vatican. The Vatican connection is difficult to investigate because of the turf battles between the Questura and the Vatican authorities. The locations used within Rome are off the tourist track and give the reader a better understanding of the underbelly of this great city. The novel is fast moving and exciting with lots of violence and some sex; and there are some unexpected surprises near the end. It brought back memories of Hewson's first novel SEMANA SANTA.
Hewson has created an exceptional array of supporting characters, albeit a few too many were non-Italians. Within the Questura, there is Costa's new partner, Luca Rossi and their hard-nosed boss Leo Falcone. Falcone is disliked by everyone, but is honest and determined. Terese Lupo, the police pathologist, is one very busy lady as the death toll mounts. Within the Vatican, we meet security head Brendan Hanrahan and Cardinal Denney, who has been recently disgraced due to the failure of his corrupt Banca Lombardia. Minor characters include a lesbian parliamentarian from Bologna, an American tourist guide, an overweight TV commentator, a whore from Kosovo, and a patron of the arts with Mafia ties.
Assuming David Hewson continues with the Nic Costa character, I welcome him to the ranks of Donna Leon, Michael Dibdin, Andrea Camilleri and others who entertain us with their series of Italian mysteries.
Things get off to a fast start with a grotesque double homicide in a Roman church with strong similarities to an historic martyr killing within the early Church. Because the victims had ties to beautiful university professor Sara Farnese, she is put under the protective police custody of young Costa. As the plot unfolds with more similar deaths, there is a frantic search for the heinous serial killer who appears to have ties to the Vatican. The Vatican connection is difficult to investigate because of the turf battles between the Questura and the Vatican authorities. The locations used within Rome are off the tourist track and give the reader a better understanding of the underbelly of this great city. The novel is fast moving and exciting with lots of violence and some sex; and there are some unexpected surprises near the end. It brought back memories of Hewson's first novel SEMANA SANTA.
Hewson has created an exceptional array of supporting characters, albeit a few too many were non-Italians. Within the Questura, there is Costa's new partner, Luca Rossi and their hard-nosed boss Leo Falcone. Falcone is disliked by everyone, but is honest and determined. Terese Lupo, the police pathologist, is one very busy lady as the death toll mounts. Within the Vatican, we meet security head Brendan Hanrahan and Cardinal Denney, who has been recently disgraced due to the failure of his corrupt Banca Lombardia. Minor characters include a lesbian parliamentarian from Bologna, an American tourist guide, an overweight TV commentator, a whore from Kosovo, and a patron of the arts with Mafia ties.
Assuming David Hewson continues with the Nic Costa character, I welcome him to the ranks of Donna Leon, Michael Dibdin, Andrea Camilleri and others who entertain us with their series of Italian mysteries.
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is an enchanting and exciting mystery/thriller set in Rome. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and look forward to the coming sequel. The story is set around a series of bizarre and seemingly unlinked murders that take place throughout the city of Rome. Each murder is staged to resemble the martyrdom of one of the Catholic saints. The murders are initially investigated by detectives Costa and Rossi, from the Roman police. Gradually, it emerges that all of the victims have in common with one another some form of liaison with one of the lead characters, Professor Sara Farnese. But there is much more to come. Any more details from there on would be plot spoilers!
The story is liberally laced with evidence of corruption and cover-ups in the Catholic Church, and the Vatican. This theme is currently extensively explored the popular fiction category, however, this does not detract at all from ones enjoyment of the story. There are certain similarities to themes from Dan Brown's ANGELS AND DEMONS, however, these are two very different stories. I did feel through, that the descriptions of Rome and Roman churches were better handled by Brown. I particularly liked the theme of Caravaggio's paitings, which was woven into the storyline of A SEASON FOR THE DEAD; as well as the playful banter between the two lead detectives. My only real criticism of the story concerns the character development of Gino Fosse, one of the lead characters. We don't seem to know him at all, while we seem to know Costa, Rossi, Farnese and others very well by the end of the book. But, perhaps that was what the author intended? Three-and-a-half stars from me.
The story is liberally laced with evidence of corruption and cover-ups in the Catholic Church, and the Vatican. This theme is currently extensively explored the popular fiction category, however, this does not detract at all from ones enjoyment of the story. There are certain similarities to themes from Dan Brown's ANGELS AND DEMONS, however, these are two very different stories. I did feel through, that the descriptions of Rome and Roman churches were better handled by Brown. I particularly liked the theme of Caravaggio's paitings, which was woven into the storyline of A SEASON FOR THE DEAD; as well as the playful banter between the two lead detectives. My only real criticism of the story concerns the character development of Gino Fosse, one of the lead characters. We don't seem to know him at all, while we seem to know Costa, Rossi, Farnese and others very well by the end of the book. But, perhaps that was what the author intended? Three-and-a-half stars from me.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
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 added an extra element of interest. Hewson painted 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.
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 added an extra element of interest. Hewson painted 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.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A season for Italian crime thrillers
Having read an earlier David Hewson novel, I was intrigued enough to have a dip into this first (maybe) Nic Costa story. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Michael Watson
David Hewson's detective, Nic Costa, sets the standards for Italian...
I discovered David Hewson through Twitter, initially taking an interest in his tweets on technology and how he used it to optimise his writing experience. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Laydilejur
new author
disappointed with this book, very much doubt that will read any more from this series
Published 20 months ago by Mr. P. A. Dodsworth
Gripping book - hard to put down
This book was so exciting, so many twists, and so much suspense, as you get the feeling something isn't right from the start. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Y. Mahmoud
A spectacular setting and story
If you enjoyed Dan Brown's Angels and Demons you will find this book infinitely more satisfying. Plus, it is the first in a whole series of novels set in Rome, featuring the... Read more
Published on 2 Mar 2010 by Mike
Entertaining
This was touted as being a "Da Vinci Code" type book and it definitely has some similarities. Hewson however has a more expressive and descriptive style to his writing, pulling you... Read more
Published on 1 April 2008 by M. Brian
First in the Nic Costa Series
David Hewson is a weekly columnist for the Sunday times. As well as several novels he has also found the time to write a number of travel books. He lives in Kent. Read more
Published on 15 Mar 2008 by J. Chippindale
First in the Nic Costa Series
David Hewson is a weekly columnist for the Sunday times. As well as several novels he has also found the time to write a number of travel books. He lives in Kent. Read more
Published on 18 Jan 2008 by J. Chippindale
First in the Nic Costa Series
David Hewson is a weekly columnist for the Sunday times. As well as several novels he has also found the time to write a number of travel books. He lives in Kent. Read more
Published on 27 Dec 2007 by J. Chippindale
Very Enjoyable
a very enjoyable read. The plot was alittle far fetched but it had some good twists and a few shocks to the plot. I felt that the characters were the most interesting part. Read more
Published on 22 Mar 2007 by Michelle Routledge
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