
As an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner, Menrva Books earns from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Mafia, a secret society and the world's greatest treasures all converge in James Twining's all new jaw-dropping thriller featuring reformed art thief Tom KirkIt begins with a young man hanging from the Ponte Sant' Angelo Rome, his pockets weighed down with lead whilst the current of the river below slowly tightens the noose around his neck.Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, retired art thief Tom Kirk is asked by an old friend to investigate a case involving the theft of a long lost Caravaggio painting. When tragedy strikes Tom is left holding a blood-soaked body.Back in Rome Art Protection Squad officer Allegra Damico has been called to the Parthenon where a second body has been found, It begins with a young man hanging from the Ponte Sant' Angelo Rome, his pockets weighed down with lead whilst the current of the river below slowly tightens the noose around his neck.Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, retired art thief Tom Kirk is asked by an old friend to investigate a case involving the theft of a long lost Caravaggio painting. When tragedy strikes Tom is left holding a blood-soaked body.Back in Rome police Lieutenant Allegra Damico has been called to the Parthenon where a second body has been found, but this time the body is surrounded by mannequins. When a third body is found crucified upside down in the middle of the ancient forum Allegra realises there is a sinister link between the murders. Someone is staging famous Caravaggio paintings. Suspecting the detective leading the case is corrupt Allegra begins her own investigation.Spurred on by grief and the desire to avenge the murder of his friend, Tom follows a trail to Rome where he finds Allegra piecing together a similar mystery. Before long they both find themselves submerged in a vast criminal conspiracy involving the police, politicians, the church and a secret society born of a pact between two Mafia families decades before.
A series of gruesome, art-inspired murders in Rome forces a retired thief and an investigator into a dangerous alliance against a shadowy criminal conspiracy. Tom Kirk, a former art thief living in Las Vegas, finds himself pulled back into a world of violence after the murder of a close friend during an investigation into a stolen Caravaggio. Simultaneously, Roman police officer Allegra Damico discovers a pattern of ritualistic killings that mimic famous paintings, leading her to suspect corruption within her own department. As their paths converge in Italy, they must navigate a web of deceit involving the church, politicians, and a long-standing Mafia pact. The narrative follows a dual-perspective structure, alternating between the perspectives of the two protagonists as they uncover the truth behind the secret society orchestrating the chaos.
This novel functions as a classic entry in the international thriller genre, relying on the established tropes of the art-heist subgenre to drive its momentum. The narrative leans heavily into the juxtaposition of high-culture art history with the gritty, violent reality of organized crime. Readers likely find the pacing consistent with contemporary airport thrillers, prioritizing rapid plot developments and atmospheric settings over deep character introspection. The premise suggests a focus on the mechanics of the conspiracy, positioning the protagonists as archetypal figures navigating a world of systemic deception.
Page Count:
560
Publication Date:
2009-10-15
Publisher:
HarperCollins
ISBN-10:
0007230435
ISBN-13:
9780007230433
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!