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Published May 2010
384 pages
Genre: Thrillers
Publication Information
It's the height of the tourist season in Rome, and security is tight as world leaders gather for a G8 summit. While politicians bicker behind the walls of the illustrious Palazzo del Quirinale, a terrible threat is lurking outside—a threat that's been dormant for a long time but is now very much awake. In David Hewson's powerful new thriller, Detective Nic Costa and the men and women of the Questura must work in secret to thwart a conspiracy that reaches higher than any of them could have imagined.
In the early hours of a sultry summer evening, a government car comes under fire along the narrow Via delle Quattro Fontane. When the shots die away, one person lies dead and another—Ministry of Interior official Giovanni Batisti—has been abducted.
The terrible fate of the missing bureaucrat is soon revealed—leaving all of Italy in shock. Who would do such a thing? And why? All signs point to a mysterious terrorist group that calls itself the Blue Demon, an organization whose last campaign of violence ended two decades ago.
For Detective Nic Costa, solving this case is an all-consuming obsession. But as he and his team begin their investigation, they find themselves reduced to expensive bodyguards—and their hands tied with red tape—until tragedy strikes and claims one of their own.
Hampered at every turn by the Ministry of Interior's meddling security chief and a cagey and powerful prime minister, Costa and the members of his team are determined to pursue their quest for justice. As one terror attack after another sends the Eternal City spiraling into panic, Nic Costa vows that nothing will stop him from catching a vengeful madman bent on tearing apart his city, its people, and its very history.
"Well-drawn characters, a brisk pace, and some unexpected plot twists provide a satisfying read for the political thriller fan." - Publishers Weekly
"The ending presages a new direction for Costa and his friends, one that series fans will eagerly anticipate. Highly recommended." - Library Journal
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
David Hewson is the author of several travel books, at least six standalone novels and the Nic Costa series. He used to be a weekly columnist for the Sunday Times, but gave up journalism in 2005 to focus full time on his novels. He lives in Kent, England.
David originates from the North of England and did not travel abroad until he was 21. However he read about Italy and Greece at the library and grew up dreaming of the Mediterranean.
Rights for the Nic Costa series have been sold to a number of countries, but he is particularly proud of the fact that the series has been translated into Italian, "When you're a foreigner writing about their country, normally they won't touch you. They'll look at a book and say this is all wrong, so it's great that an Italian publisher should have ...
... Full Biography
Author Interview
Link to David Hewson's Website
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