- Paperback: 320 pages
- Publisher: Faber and Faber; New edition edition (24 May 1993)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0571168337
- ISBN-13: 978-0571168330
- Product Dimensions: 17.6 x 11 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 327,793 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Cabal (Zen)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
When, one dark night in November, Prince Ludovico Ruspanti fell a hundred and fifty feet to his death in the chapel at St. Peter's, Rome, there were a number of questions to be answered. Inspector Aurelio Zen finds that getting the answers isn't easy, as witness after witness is mysteriously silenced - by violent death. To crack the secret of the Vatican, Zen must penetrate the most secret place of all: the Cabal.
About the Author
Michael Dibdin was born in 1947. He went to school in Northern Ireland, and later to Sussex University and the University of Alberta in Canada. He lived in Seattle. After completing his first novel, The Last Sherlock Holmes Story, in 1978, he spent four years in Italy teaching English at the University of Perugia. His second novel, A Rich Full Death, was published in 1986. It was followed by Ratking in 1988, which won the Gold Dagger Award for the Best Crime Novel of the year and introduced us to his Italian detective - Inspector Aurelio Zen. In 1989 The Tryst was published to great acclaim and was followed by Vendetta in 1990, the second story in the Zen series. Dirty Tricks was published in 1991. Inspector Zen made his third appearance in Cabal, which was published in 1992. The Dying of the Light, an Agatha Christie pastiche, was published in 1993. His fourth Zen novel, Dead Lagoon, was published the following year. His next novel, Dark Spectre, was published in 1995. Two more Zen novels followed: Cosi Fan Tutti, set in Naples, was published in 1996 and A Long Finish was published in 1998. Blood Rain, the seventh Zen novel, was published in 1999. Thanksgiving was published in 2000, with the eighth Zen, And Then You Die, appearing in 2002. Aurelio Zen returned in Medusa, in August 2003, and then again in Back to Bologna in 2005. His last novel, End Games, was published posthumously in July 2007.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
41 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"Cabal" was the last of the Aurelio Zen mysteries that I had not read. Now that I have, I can state the body of work taken as a whole is great. As in any group of books some are stronger than others, but none will disappoint. About the only complaint I have is that some of the individual works could have been of greater length. Some were perfectly finished in their relatively brief form, but some like "Cabal", could have benefited from having more time to tell their story.
Mr. Dibdin is a great writer, and I have read all but one of his non "Aurelio" books, and they too are worthwhile. I have reviewed them all, so I will minimize general comments here. I read the books out of sequence, and while there were some references to previous books, there was nothing so fundamental that it detracted from whatever book I was reading. I actually started with "Blood Rain" which is the newest of Mr. Dibdin's works.
The series takes place all over Italy, and "Cabal" takes place primarily in Rome with the central event, taking place at The Vatican. In addition to the intrigue that often surrounds stories of this small Country, Mr. Dibdin adds the Knights Of Malta, The Cabal, and centuries old Families of Italy to this mystery. The contemporary world of Italian Fashion, Aurelio girlfriend's moonlighting, and Aurelio's temptations to a darker side when he feels he is loosing his girl, all make for fun reading, although I believe with more time the book could have developed more completely. There was a great deal happening in this book, and it feels as though it was compressed into its final size.
Mr. Dibdin is a great writer, and this series is without qualification reading time well spent. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.
Mr. Dibdin is a great writer, and I have read all but one of his non "Aurelio" books, and they too are worthwhile. I have reviewed them all, so I will minimize general comments here. I read the books out of sequence, and while there were some references to previous books, there was nothing so fundamental that it detracted from whatever book I was reading. I actually started with "Blood Rain" which is the newest of Mr. Dibdin's works.
The series takes place all over Italy, and "Cabal" takes place primarily in Rome with the central event, taking place at The Vatican. In addition to the intrigue that often surrounds stories of this small Country, Mr. Dibdin adds the Knights Of Malta, The Cabal, and centuries old Families of Italy to this mystery. The contemporary world of Italian Fashion, Aurelio girlfriend's moonlighting, and Aurelio's temptations to a darker side when he feels he is loosing his girl, all make for fun reading, although I believe with more time the book could have developed more completely. There was a great deal happening in this book, and it feels as though it was compressed into its final size.
Mr. Dibdin is a great writer, and this series is without qualification reading time well spent. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition
Excellent book, downloaded to kindle on Thursday and read through to the end by Sunday afternoon. An absolute bargain on Kindle for £1.00. I am now in two minds as to whether I should read the rest of the series before watching the BBC series or just watch the tv series and lose all that enjoyment from reading the book first and then criticizing the tv adaptation!
19 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a first-class addition to Michael Dibdin's series. Our hero is drawn into all the intrigue you would expect to find surrounding the Vatican. Be warned however Zen is not your standard 'hero', rather he is a hard working but 'got here by accident' kind of detective. This book gives us some wonderful insights into his slightly 'down at heel' character and is wonderful in every aspect. Buy this book, and all the others - compulsive reading.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
it's ok and I quite like Zen but I won't read anymore
Zen is apparently a well known detective but this is the first of the books about him I have read. I won't be reading anymore. Read more
Published 12 months ago by missussmith
i enjoyed the descriptive details of italy
i bought this after watching one of the bbc episodes, yes the fact that aurelio was played by a cutey swung the vote. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Cheryl M-M
Conspiracy in the Vatican...
The third of the series, and an intriguing plotline that works on the conspiratorial suspicions of Italians as a means of creating, undertaking and solving crime against a backdrop... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Dr. G. SPORTON
Average Thriller That Fails To Ignite
I purchased this book for only £1 to fill my new Kindle with some good reads and for the price Cabal was okay. Read more
Published 16 months ago by CriticalMass
Good plot, but different to the TV episode
I got this in the 12 days of Christmas prommotion for £1. It wasn't until I was in the middle of the book that I realised the BBC were going to serialise it and then wondered... Read more
Published 16 months ago by bookie
Flat and boring
Boring,flat,the story is disappointing and the characters are confusing. By the title and from the beginning, you expect an investigation of a dark devious religious sect called... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Frenchy Franck
Good marketing
What a good idea to offer one of the Zen books for £1 on Kindle just as the tv series starts. This is a well written crime novel full of twists and turns and is very readable. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Moonlit
Another great mystery with Aurelio Zen
One dark night in November, Prince Ludovico Ruspanti falls a hundred and fifty feet to his death in St Peter’s basilica in Rome. Read more
Published on 24 May 2004 by HORAK
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