- The Blurb...
Paola Dicanti is a profiler who works with the Italian police. She has been put in charge of profiling serial killers in a department of one - i.e. herself - but so far all her experience of serial killers is theoretical. This is until she is called to the church of Santa Maria in the Vatican state. A cardinal has been found murdered, his eyes destroyed, his hands cut off. It seems that this is not the first victim - another cardinal was found in similar circumstances but the authorities didn't want a scandal.
Recovering from a bitter affair with her boss, Paola begins to build her profile using information from the scene of the crime, from the autopsy, and from forensic evidence. She is helped in this by Anthony Fowler, a priest from the States. But it turns out that Fowler is no ordinary priest - he clearly has links to the CIA, and knows a lot about the serial killer than Dicanti could ever have guessed...
- Our Review...
I read this book as part of the 52 books in 52 weeks challenge. For more info on this click here. This weeks prompt was a book set in a land locked country. In this case The Vatican, the smallest country in the world.
This is an enjoyable, fast paced thriller. The author knows how to keep his reader interested and has a nice quirky touch with his similies and metaphors. (see selected quotes), this sits nicely alongside his feel for the dramatic. I mean a serial (or maybe spree?) killer let loose among a once in a lifetime papal conclave. That's a pretty dramatic setting isn't it. However, as we progress through the story it becomes clear that the time and place is of vital importance.
I later learned that this author has a Netflix show called Red Queen. Again it has similar themes of a strong female lead tracking down a serial killer but this time set in Spain. I am now watching this and can also recommend this show,
The characters are well fleshed out and the relationships between the various agencies is intriguing. For example, there is priest who also works directly for the Vatican and the CIA. Now, there's two orgainistions that can both be viewed as moral and immoral simultaneously, and often their objectives are at odds with each other.
Someone once told me that the struggle for power makes great books, as can be seen in a myriad of diverse stories e.g. The Godfather, Animal Farm, Dune, I Claudius et al. At it's heart this is of that ilk.. The interesting nugget that I drew from this novel is that agencies alter outcomes, but clever people can manipulate agencies. This is how sociopaths can remain anonoymous yet powerful within our society.
The identity of the killer is found out early on but the focus then turns to tracking him down and finding out what led him to become a twisted killer in the first place.
Sometimes I read to enhance my depth of literaray knowledge. However, this is not one of those occasions. This is not a hefty tome of great import, but it was very entertaining. I'm sure we have all read books like this before, however this is well done and enjoyable. Not as dark as Thomas Harris but not too lightweight either. It was just in the sweet spot.
- Selected Quotes...
The liquid swirled down her throat and for Paola, who almost never drank, it was like swallowing nails soaked in ammonia.
‘And it’s as worthless as a voting booth in Florida.
She’d learned to recognise the vacant look behind the predator’s eyes. These were men to whom killing came as naturally as eating a meal. There is only one thing in nature remotely similar to that look: the eyes of the white shark. They look without seeing. It is unique, and terrifying.
And here she was, at her desk, not exactly enjoying the dawn, but paying respect to her friend in her own fashion. In fact, from where she sat, the dawn was indeed beautiful: the sun sliding over the Roman hills at a leisurely pace, the rays of sunlight lingering on each building and cornice, saluting the art and beauty of the Eternal City. Each of the day’s shapes and colours made its appearance with such delicacy they seemed to be knocking at the door to ask permission to come in.
‘Maybe talking about it would help.’ ‘Take my word for it: it won’t. It’s never helped in the past. There are some problems that can’t be resolved by talking.’ ‘That’s a curious thing for a priest to say. Unbelievable for a psychologist.
if you stop asking me tricky questions, I can stop telling you plausible lies.’
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- About The Author...
Juan Gómez-Jurado (Madrid, 1977) is a journalist and author of several highly successful novels, translated into forty languages. The works about the universe of Antonia Scott ( The Patient , Cicatriz , Reina Roja , Loba Negra and Rey Blanco , all of them published in Ediciones B) have become the biggest sales phenomenon in Spanish thrillers and have established their author as one of the greatest exponents of the genre internationally. Amazon Prime is adapting the Red Queen series , in one of the most anticipated audiovisual projects internationally. In 2022 he once again conquered readers with Todo Arde.
He currently collaborates with various media and is co-creator of the podcasts Almighty and Here there are dragons .
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