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brainstrain91's review against another edition
3.0
Not my usual fare, but it was a fun change of pace. The characters were mostly compelling, and the story moves along at a good clip. Our protagonists definitely feel like a family and I was rooting for them, which carried the book through its weaker moments.
It's amazing how dated a book published in 2005 can feel - not a criticism, it's just fascinating. Anything so involved in politics is going to get dated crazy fast, I guess.
The degree to which every viewpoint character, from grizzled cop to architect turned FBI agent, is an expert on Roman history and knows every landmark in Rome by heart... it's consistently amusing.
The ending is not good. The situation is so dramatic is becomes funny, and then Hewson undercuts the tension repeatedly. A main character is suddenly cooperating with the antagonist to facilitate a "twist" ending and CASUALLY TOSSING BOMBS IN THE PANTHEON??? I did not like it.
It's amazing how dated a book published in 2005 can feel - not a criticism, it's just fascinating. Anything so involved in politics is going to get dated crazy fast, I guess.
The degree to which every viewpoint character, from grizzled cop to architect turned FBI agent, is an expert on Roman history and knows every landmark in Rome by heart... it's consistently amusing.
The ending is not good. The situation is so dramatic is becomes funny, and then Hewson undercuts the tension repeatedly. A main character is suddenly cooperating with the antagonist to facilitate a "twist" ending and CASUALLY TOSSING BOMBS IN THE PANTHEON??? I did not like it.
scribal's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Solid detective story with fabulous Roman backdrop. Good buddy cop relationships. Ridiculous plot. Unconvincing female characters.
jamikrut's review against another edition
3.0
http://abookofadifferentcolor.blogspot.com
I was given this book by a friend who recommended it as a thriller/mystery. That is exactly what this book is. Evidently David Hewson has several books that follow one character: Nic Costa, who is a police detective in Rome.
In this book, a body is found during a crazy snow storm with an ancient symbol carved into its back. You soon find out that this is the most recent in a string of similar murders and it is up to Costa, his partner Peroni, and a female FBI agent to figure out "who dun it."
This book started off pretty slowly, but it had some good action that kept the reader guessing. I like that the Costa and Peroni characters are serial. I love reading books where the characters repeat themselves - see Daniel Silva's Gabrial Allon series - because then I don't have to get to know the characters again and again every time I pick up a book by that author. I'm looking forward to reading more of David Hewson.
Check out my full review at
http://abookofadifferentcolor.blogspot.com
Happy Reading!!
I was given this book by a friend who recommended it as a thriller/mystery. That is exactly what this book is. Evidently David Hewson has several books that follow one character: Nic Costa, who is a police detective in Rome.
In this book, a body is found during a crazy snow storm with an ancient symbol carved into its back. You soon find out that this is the most recent in a string of similar murders and it is up to Costa, his partner Peroni, and a female FBI agent to figure out "who dun it."
This book started off pretty slowly, but it had some good action that kept the reader guessing. I like that the Costa and Peroni characters are serial. I love reading books where the characters repeat themselves - see Daniel Silva's Gabrial Allon series - because then I don't have to get to know the characters again and again every time I pick up a book by that author. I'm looking forward to reading more of David Hewson.
Check out my full review at
http://abookofadifferentcolor.blogspot.com
Happy Reading!!
canadianbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
http://cdnbookworm.blogspot.ca/2015/01/the-sacred-cut.html