My Review of 'The Seventh Sacrament' by David Hewson

The Seventh Sacrament by David Hewson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Seventh Sacrament is the fifth in David Hewson’s police detective series set in Rome and featuring agente Nic Costa and his friends. It is as compelling as all his others. Set against a backdrop of modern Rome, we are led deep underground for much of the story, into the world of the archaeologist. The backdrop for this tale of mystery, suspense and murder are the buried temples of a pre-Christian religion, Mithraism, practiced principally by the military, the Praetorian Guard, and the many troops who conquered and defended in the name of Rome. The Seven Sacraments of the title are the sacrificial steps the followers had to progress through in order to achieve the highest level. Mithraism is said to have had more followers than any other pre-Christian religion. It was largely wiped out, its few survivors forced underground, by the enforced conversion to Christianity by the Emperor Constantine in the year AD 312.

This is a book rich in historic detail, but with a contemporary story so complex and so bloody, even for Hewson, that at times I found myself skimming over the more horrific parts. As with all the books in this series, the story delivers non-stop suspense, and a surprise ending. Don’t start this book at bedtime unless you have tomorrow off. As always, Hewson adds very informative endnotes, for those (among whom I number) who want yet more history.

Highly recommended. This a good read.



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Following are my published novels. Go to my Goodreads page, to find more info and reviews.  

To purchase one of these books, just click on the book link below and select the vendor of your choice.

 • The Memory of Roses ~ The story of a secret and how it impacts two generations of the McQuaid family.  It unfolds on the beautiful Greek Island of Corfu and is a tale complete with beautiful and passionate women, handsome and fiery men, and an intriguing mystery.

"The Memory of Roses by Blair McDowell is simply an incredibly lovely story. It’s also a love story, and a story about finding yourself, and about closure. The theme running through the book is “all’s well that ends well.”  --  Marlene, Reading Reality

 • Delighting In Your Company ~ Delighting In Your Company is a paranormal romance set on an exotic Caribbean island, featuring a handsome ghost and an adventurous heroine who travels back in time to solve a mystery!

"Delighting In Your Company is a unique paranormal romance that brings together island folklore, history, and mystery with an unlikely romance between the past and present that had me going through a torrent of emotions and made it impossible to put down." -- The Romance Reviews

 • Sonata ~ Sayuri McAllister has just arrived home to Vancouver to find some shocking situations:  
~ A robbery has taken place at her family home, and it is being investigated by her old flame;
~ Alyssa James who she barely knows, is about to become her new stepmother; 
~ and Alyssa’s brother, Hugh James, is a charming Irishman who is intent on bedding and wedding the rich and beautiful Sayuri. 

It’s a confusing and difficult time for Sayuri, especially when dangerous accidents happen to her father and herself – or are they accidents?

“I found Sonata to be a charming novel that left me laughing out loud in parts and gnawing nails in others. It was a delight to read.” – Night Owl Reviews

 • Abigails Christmas (short story) ~ An enchanting tale of love and romance, with a magical touch of fantasy.
Abigail's Christmas is a holiday story about Abigail who goes looking for a tree on Christmas Eve, and ends up with the man of her dreams in a sleigh in the Rockies --- with a wedding in the offing! Is it real?  Is she dreaming?  Or is it just Christmas magic?