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Liked It “An exciting read. I'm beginning to be addicted to the Nic Costa series.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“An exciting read. I'm beginning to be addicted to the Nic Costa series.”
sheryl t wrote this review Sunday, November 29 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“so far its a really good book”
maddie m wrote this review Tuesday, September 29 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Rome, Caravaggio, and a really good mystery. . .what more can a reader ask for? I picked this up on a whim, never having read anything by David Hewson before, simply because I liked the cover. I liked how the book was divided into small sections, providing natural stopping points. Once the action picked up, "The Garden of Evil" was hard to put down, I had to know what happened.”
maria c wrote this review Thursday, September 24 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I picked up The Garden of Evil just to pass the time until a book order came in. I didn't have any expectations so when I found myself racing through it, desperate to find out what would happen next, I was surprised to say the least. It's an excellent, gripping police procedural...the sixth book in a series centered around an Italian detective named Nic Costa. I didn't realize it was a series when I picked the book up nor did I feel I was missing out on anything by not having read the first five books. In fact, it wasn't a bad place to start since something happens early on that probably crushed fans of the series...me, it didn't bother so much. Art plays a huge role in the book and I've read many reviews comparing it to Dan Brown's novels in terms of subject and suspense...though, with much better writing. It was definitely a good find and I plan to read more of this author. ”
Dragonfly wrote this review Saturday, March 28 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“In a deserted artist’s studio in the heart of Rome, detectives stumble upon a scene of shocking brutality: two bodies, freshly killed. Looming over them is a painting that bears all the hallmarks of a Caravaggio: a brilliantly colored canvas depicting a violent tableau of beauty and depravity. . . . In David Hewson’s bold new novel of suspense, this grisly discovery sends Detective Nic Costa on a desperate chase through the streets of his city. The consequences are devastating. And for Nic, the case has only just begun.
Jilly wrote this review Friday, March 20 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
At the crime scene, detectives find a treasure trove of evidence—from fresh blood to lurid photos of dead prostitutes. For Costa, finding the killer who escaped him is intensely personal. But his prime suspect arrogantly hides in plain sight behind a fortress of money, power, and the law.
Teaming with an art expert, Costa follows clues hidden in the mysterious Caravaggio canvas. As he moves through a maze of history, he begins to make stunning connections to the present case. And each discovery brings him closer and closer to a secret buried in a priceless work of art, a conspiracy dating back four hundred years—and men who will stop at nothing to protect their own private garden of evil.
This was my first David Hewson novel and I really enjoyed it. It is written in a similar style to Dan Brown although I have to say that it is not quite as good. It is however a very complicated murder mystery with lots of twists and turns and lots of semi acurate history. I will look for more by this author.”
“I actually listened to the audiobook. This was my first Nic Costa novel, and I really liked it. I found the book to be suspenseful, the characters to be interesting, and the setting reminiscent of my one trip to Rome. I had planned for it to be a week-long listen while I accomplished some mindless tasks and knitted, but I couldn't take the earphones off. I will definitely be looking for more audiobooks and checking reading copies out from my pubic library in order to read the rest of the series.”
Panhandle Jane wrote this review Sunday, March 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Although it's not my personal favorite of Hewson's Nic Costa series, The Garden of Evil is a good read all the same, and this was one I did not stop reading until I had finished it completely. As the story opens, a man who picks pockets for a living develops a bit of conscience after he realizes he has picked up among his takings someone's medicine. He traces her to the place he remembers her saying she was going, and finds her in a most bizarre situation; sadly for him. Fast forward a bit to the scene of a homicide, where Nic Costa and his team are working the scene. It seems the murderer hasn't quite gotten away, and as he tries to take him, Nic finds himself at the losing end of some tragic consequences. Thus develops a quest to get to the root of the mystery of a strange group known as The Ekstasists, a ruthless group of men whose leader is technically above the law, a rich and powerful man with roots going back centuries. But this is one man that the police really want and the chase is on.
quinnsmom wrote this review Monday, October 6 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
This is another one that is probably not geared to the mainstream reading public. There is a lot of art history here which is woven into the case so if this isn't your cup of tea, move along. However, if you're patient enough and if you enjoy something above average, then you might want to give this book a try. I would suggest that you begin with the 1st in the series, because by this one, #6, the characters have become more developed and you won't really have a handle on them unless you start from the beginning. I have really enjoyed this entire series and I'm not waiting for the US release of #7, Dante's Numbers, but rather I'm purchasing one from the UK.
Overall, a good read.”
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