Lucifer’s Shadow by David Hewson

This listing is for Lucifer’s Shadow by David Hewson.

Publisher Delta
Language English
ISBN-10 0385338058
ISBN-13 978-0385338059
Trade Paperback Edition
Pages: 369

In an ancient burial ground on an island off Venice, a young woman’s casket is pried open, an object is wrenched from her hands, and an extraordinary adventure begins.

From the moment he arrives in Venice, Daniel Forster is seduced by the city’s mystery and eroticism. An earnest young academic, Daniel has come for a summer job cataloguing a private collector’s library. But when Daniel’s employer sends him to buy a stolen violin from a petty thief, a chain reaction of violence and deception ignites. Suddenly Daniel is drawn into a police investigation—and a tempest swirling around a beautiful woman, a mysterious palazzo, and a lost musical masterpiece dating back centuries. With each step he takes, Daniel unwittingly retraces a journey that began in 1733, when another young man came to Venice. And when, in this realm of intrigue and beauty, two lovers came face-to-face with a killer—and a mystery was born. Separated by centuries, two tales of passion, betrayal, and danger collide in David Hewson’s dazzling novel. Sweeping us from the intrigue of Vivaldi’s Venice to the gritty world of a modern cop, from the genius of a prodigy to the greed of a killer, Lucifer’s Shadow builds to a shattering crescendo—and one last, breathtaking surprise.

Does history repeat itself? It does in David Hewson’s latest novel or at least parallels itself. The setting is Venice, the contemporary city and the eighteenth century one. The city holds so many mysteries and delights that it seems probable that this tale holds elements of truth. Why not read it and discover this for yourself ? There have been a great many pages since I found a book held a surprise until the very last line. Please, though, don’t rush to check out the ending for it is one worth the wait.

A young Englishman, Daniel Forster comes to the fabled city in the sea to catalogue a private collector’s library but is soon drawn into the eccentric family with its many secrets. Parallel chapters tell the story of an 18th century orphan boy apprenticed to his uncle as a printer. He is soon drawn into the intrigues of both the Italian society and the Jewish quarter of the city. Music, murder and mystery abound in this tale which reflects the city with its dark deeds and splendor. The title gives a hint of the theme for evil exists and transcends time.

So skillfully does Hewson tell the stories that the parallels are not immediately obvious and the conclusions of both are startling! Are there echoes of the past in our actions? Such a wondrous city as Venice has seen so much and knows so many secrets that were she personified she would be a grand dame indeed! Venice is one of my favorite cities and I enjoyed the mood set by this story. Take your time and immerse yourself in this tale which is baroque both in setting and tone.

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