My Review of The Blue Demon by David Hewson

The Blue Demon by David Hewson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This eighth book in the Nic Costa series is the best yet. Our intrepid team, including the young detective’s friend and partner Peroni, the pathologist Teresa, and their boss Falcone, are trying to keep Rome safe during a meeting of the leaders of the G-8 nations in the Quirinale. After an aborted terrorist attack, the city closes down as if under siege. The conflicts between the Carabiniere, the military police, and the Polizia di Stato runs through the narrative.

The story takes us back to the earliest settlers of the region north if Rome, the Etruscans, and to one of their gods, the “blue demon” of the title. It is a twisted tale, (as are all of Hewson’s book in this great series) involving terrorism and the political motivations behind it. Much of it could have been taken from the pages of recent newspapers, although I am relieved to say the destruction of one of my favorite Roman monuments is a purely fictional moments in this exciting read. I wish I had read the end notes before I read the book. One of the shocking aspects of Hewson’s writing is how much of it is based on recent events. His faction is laced with fact and his characters are out of the pages of recent Italian history.

I am impressed more with each book in this series at the level of scholarship Hewson brings to his writing. His knowledge of Italian history is encyclopedic, and his love of Italian art and architecture shines through the pages. I find myself lingering over the beauty of his descriptive passages, bookmarking them and rereading them.

I recommend this book without reservation to all lovers of literate detective stories and all lovers of Rome. It will not disappoint.


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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

 • Abigail's 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?