The Fallen Angel

The Fallen Angel is the last of several David Hewson's novels about a group of Rome police detectives. While Nic Costa is considered the lead in the group, throughout the series, Leo the Chief Inspector, Gionni the long serving detective and Teresa, Gionni's wife and the police pathologist, all have their turns as the main character in the series. Others like Agatha, a nun turned art teacher, and Emily, Nic's architect wife murdered in an earlier book, all play important roles.

Equally important in the series are Hewson's literary device of tying each contemporary story into a parallel historical event and his use of Rome as the canvass for the action. If you haven't visited Rome, he helps you visualize it's wonder and, if you have been to Rome, he brings it back to life in your mind. In the Fallen Angel, Nic must discover whether a man's fall from a five story building was an accident or a reenactment of a tragedy that occurred on the same street in 1599. This is Hewson's best effort in the Nic Costa series. He is able to tell a story that unfolds and unfolds and unfolds and unfolds up to the final page. The story is excellent and the narration is, if possible, better. You won't be able to use you credits much better but be prepared for lots of "garage minutes."

I've listened to all of Hewson's books and this is my favorite to date. The main characters (i.e. Nic Costa, etc.) are the same as in the previous books and the story is very well done. The descriptions of Rome and the inner turmoil of the cast of characters are, as usual, fabulous. The storyline kept me wondering the entire time...I won't reveal more about it so I don't ruin it for you. Saul Reichlin does a great job with the narration. If you are a Hewson fan, then this is a must listen !

Either my ear quickly adjusted to the reader, Saul Reichlin, or he quickly got into stride.The story was engaging and I was soon very much in Rome and being pulled in to the mystery of 'did he fall or was he pushed'. I have liked other David Hewson's books as they are certainly a little different in plot and setting. No exception here. My only problem is that I want to see a map of Rome showing the places, the roads mentioned. Rome is so old, and city is built upon city, that it makes a wonderful setting. As it is not so easy to hop on a plane and explore the city with 'new' eyes, I would like a small pdf file to go with his story. Well I really want to re visit Rome as a result of listening to Mr Hewson's stories.

David Hewson certainly knows Rome and his descriptions of the monuments in the novel together with the way he weaves them into the plot makes this book a joy to read. I've read all of his previous works and think this is the best. The characters have depth and are interesting in themselves.

This is another enjoyable (if a little convoluted) Nic Costa book. The core of the story was a little overly complex at times, but I did enjoy seeing the development of the regular characters.

The only thing a really didn't like was there was no resolution between the Blue Demon and this book. I thought this would have covered a book by itself. Instead it was glossed over with a single paragraph, and that made me a little confused that I'd missed a book in the series.

But overall this was pretty good. If Audible has the earlier Nic Costa series available then I'd get them, but unfortunately I've come to the end of the series. So thank David Hewson; I just wish I could listen to the first half of the series.