[Nic Costa 07] • Dante's Numbers

It was a warm, golden evening in Rome—a night filled with anticipation. A legendary director was premiering his new film version of Dante’s Inferno. From around the world, celebrities gathered at the Villa Borghese as the paparazzi thronged among them. But within moments the event was in chaos. A man was dead. The film’s star was missing—and a priceless relic had vanished. In David Hewson’s masterful new novel of suspense, Detective Nic Costa, numb from the recent death of his wife, finds himself and his fellow detectives drawn into a strange and terrifying limbo—the first of Dante’s nine circles of Hell.While Dante had Beatrice as his guide, Nic Costa has an enigmatic beauty of his own: a bored American film actress named Maggie Flavier who decides that Costa, and no one else, is suited for the job of protecting her from the danger surrounding the film. As the premiere shifts locations—from Rome to San Francisco—Costa leaves Europe for the first time in his life, and is pulled from his grief and ambivalence by Maggie Flavier and the city by the bay. Fortunately his fellow detectives are under no such spell. Charged with protecting a trove of rare Italian artworks and artifacts, they are also joining the hunt for a killer who has struck twice again, leaving behind a tableau of clues that range from Dante’s deadly cycle of numbers to the films of Alfred Hitchcock.

Now, with Maggie herself in danger, Nic must throw off the fog of wonder and infatuation he feels in the presence of this beautiful woman in all her guises. But it may already be too late. As evidence points to connections deep within the Italian Mafia, and the Roman policemen do battle with a celluloid culture they cannot quite comprehend, a killer’s chilling plot is closing in around them—guided by a poet’s medieval vision of sin and punishment, planned with a modern genius for revenge….

Amazon ReviewDante's Numbers is the seventh novel in David Hewson’s Italian-set crime sequence. His protagonist is the resourceful Nic Costa, and Costa’s stamping grounds -- Venice and Rome -- are conjured for the reader in novels that combine atmosphere with judicious plotting. A selection of writers from England and America have elected to locate their books in Italy, and Hewson is among the most accomplished of such literary travellers.

Dante’s Numbers is a particularly winning outing for Nic Costa. A death mask of the great Italian writer Dante is to be displayed to tie in with the premiere of a new film based on the poet’s classic Inferno. But when the time arrives for the display, a macabre death mask of Allen Prime, the film's star, is discovered to have been substituted for the invaluable original. Shortly after, the leading lady, Maggie Flavier, is menaced before her assailant is shot. Is a demented fan of Dante behind the mayhem? The caribinieri think so – but (as usual) Nic Costa refuses to take the establishment line, and he travels to the film’s next showing in San Francisco. His task: recover the mask – and prevent more deaths.

Hewson fans will be in no doubt as to the effortless level of storytelling acumen on offer here – the only mystery is why Hewson’s books (popular though they are) aren’t yet as celebrated as many a less accomplished series. --Barry Forshaw

Book DescriptionAllan Prime’s eyes were as large as any man’s Peroni had ever seen. He looked ready to die of fright, even before the bright, shining spear with the blood-soaked tip reached his head . . . The death mask of the poet Dante is to be exhibited at the premiere of a controversial film, Inferno, based on his epic work. But at the grand unveiling this priceless artefact is replaced by a macabre death mask of the film’s star, Allen Prime. And minutes later, the leading actress, Maggie Flavier, is threatened before her attacker is shot. After footage of Prime’s murder is shown over the internet, the Carabinieri are determined to take over the investigation, certain that a crazed Dante fan is behind the killing. Nic Costa and his team follow the movie to its next showing in San Francisco, to safeguard the remaining items and hoping to recover the stolen death mask. However, in California the mystery deepens, with confusing new clues about the deaths in Rome. With the Carabinieri and local authorities distracted by false leads, can Costa protect Maggie, find the truth and stop the killer – all before life imitates art?