About the book

Welcome to Italian police detective Nic Costa's Rome: the side of the city the tourist board does not want you to see. "Hewson does more than provide a thrilling read. He saves you the airfare to Italy. When you turn the last page, you'll think you've been there" LINWOOD BARCLAY "David Hewson's Rome is dark and tantalizing, seductive and dangerous, a place where present-day crimes ring with the echoes of history" TESS GERRITSEN "David Hewson is one of the finest thriller writers working today" STEVE BERRY "No author has ever brought Rome so alive for me - nor made it seem so sinister" PETER JAMES "[Hewson is] a master plot maker" BOOKLIST _______________________ A horrifying crime linked to an ancient Roman cult. A merciless act of revenge. A cold case thought dead and buried forever . . . Giorgio Bramante, a charismatic Roman archaeology professor, was considered master of the labyrinth of dank catacombs that lie beneath the Eternal City - until the day his seven-year-old son, Alessio, vanished into them. The matter was never solved, in part because - inexplicably - Giorgio was left alone with the prime suspect . . . and in his frenzied rage, he beat the man to death. Released from prison fourteen years later, Giorgio is bent upon a terrifying revenge on all those he blames for the loss of his son. One by one, those connected to the boy's disappearance are dying. And Detective Nic Costa's maverick boss, Inspector Leo Falcone, was a member of the original investigating team . . . As Costa and his team scramble to find Giorgio, they quickly realize that the only way to put this cold case to bed once and for all is to finally solve the unanswered question: what really happened to little Alessio Bramante all those years ago, and why was his body never found? Fans of Donna Leon's Commissario Brunetti, Andrea Camilleri's Inspector Montalbano and Michael Dibdin's Aurelio Zen, as well as Louise Penny, Jeffey Siger and Martin Walker, will love this thrilling mystery series - perfect for readers who enjoy dark and complex character-led mysteries with multiple twists. PRAISE FOR THE SEVENTH SACRAMENT: "The interplay between Hewson's three cops and between them and the especially rich supporting cast lift this novel far above the plot-driven Da Vinci Code and its many imitators. A superb mix of history, mystery, and humanity" Booklist Starred Review "Intricate . . . [with a] poignant resolution few readers will anticipate" Publishers Weekly "The plot was full of suspense that had me completely in thrall from beginning to end" Sonja, 5* GoodReads review "Cleverly plotted and heartbreakingly real" A.M., 5* GoodReads review "Non-stop suspense, and a surprise ending. Don't start this book at bedtime unless you have tomorrow off" Blair M., 5* GoodReads review "This book had me from the very first page" Karolina, 5* GoodReads review THE NIC COSTA MYSTERIES, IN ORDER: 1. A Season for the Dead 2. The Villa of Mysteries 3. The Sacred Cut 4. The Lizard's Bite 5. The Seventh Sacrament 6. The Garden of Evil 7. Dante's Numbers (aka The Dante Killings) 8. City of Fear (aka The Blue Demon) 9. The Fallen Angel 10. The Savage Shore