Kill the Angel

***Contains spoilers. You’ve been warned***

Oh lordy. Lordy lordy lordy. I don’t know what to say except, yes one more time. Lordy. I finished this book and screamed. And it’s a good reaction.

This book doesn’t disappoint. It sets the bar higher than the last one, Kill the Father. It would be best if you do read them in order as you do need the background information surrounding Dante. Plus, it does add more substance to the characters.

This one was definitely more action packed than previous. As it involves a great deal more victims and there’s definitely more layers to peel once the mystery starts to unravel and we get closer to Giltine. And it’s not yet over! There’s giant revelations at the end and you’re left with a show more heart stopping ending.

There are many twists and turns to go through in the book; old and new characters are mentioned, and of course Colomba is in a bind and goes through very hefty events and you marvel at her mental and emotional strength. Dante is likable in his own quirky way and both him and Colomba work so great as a team, even though they have their differences. There’s a more deeper level of understand between the two of them and there is a hint of a romance. I don’t see it myself as I’ve always seen Dante and Colomba more as a sibling like relationship. (I would have liked to see Dante and Brigitte together, they seemed like they could go along well!)

There’s some major blindsiding happening in the book, you realize Giltine is both victim and perpetrator. There’s still more to uncover in the mystery and by the time we do come to the conclusion it would be a massive atom bomb waiting to drop. However on a side note, I do enjoy how Dazieri brings in these references to various historical events (Chernobyl for one) and various conditions and illnesses to make you think and realize there’s actual conditions out there that exist and people do suffer from them. It makes the plot different and substantially prominent to make this book memorable.

The plot is very engaging and you’re pretty much on the edge in the last third of the book. The last few chapters really pack it in and they were one of the most exciting chapters I have ever read in a book so far. I’m still overwhelmed and blown away by the last page. Gah! I can’t wait for the next book!

Definitely recommended. The series is going to be one of the best I have read so far in my lifetime. show less

I loved “Kill the Father” & had high expectations for this sequel. The beginning definitely doesn’t disappoint. After opening with a chilling prologue, we switch to present day Rome where homicide Det. Columba Caselli is called to a crime scene straight out of a horror film.

A little tip when booking a high speed train into Rome: go steerage. Because no one is prepared for what’s found in the first class carriage. Who, how & why are the big questions & when ISIS claims responsibility, it makes sense. Sort of. Maybe. The city is in an uproar & when tensions explode at a local mosque, Columba is desperate for help. No other way around it…she needs the brilliant mind of Dante Torre.

It’s the start of a wild, violent ride that show more takes Columba & Dante on a fast paced tour of Europe as they attempt to hunt down those responsible. And along the way they uncover information that relates to the case that brought them together (first book).

This is one of those books where your enjoyment will be tied to personal preference & your ability to suspend disbelief. if you’re looking for a straight up graphic thriller, it should suit just fine

I really enjoyed Kill the Father & part of that was down to Columba & Dante. The story was incredibly complex & echoes of it are woven through this book as well. Unfortunately despite (or maybe because of) this being another fast paced thriller, I found the characters had stalled. There’s not much character development & the unique relationship between the 2 MC’s has cooled. Book #1 was an intense read but there were little moments of quirky humour between the two that gave you a chance to catch your breath & I missed that here.

I also had a credibility issue with Columba’s character. Because of previous events, she suffers from severe PTSD. The result is questionable judgement, emotional extremes & more physical trauma than a body should be able to take & remain ticking. I just had a hard time believing she would be allowed back at a desk job, let alone heading up a major investigation. Or even still breathing.

But full points for the ending. The shadow of the Father is always lurking in the background & the finale leaves little doubt that Dante’s past is not done with him yet. Highly recommend reading these books in order due to the complex & ongoing back story. show less

Having finished reading Kill the Father prior to this book I literally couldn’t wait to start reading as soon as I had finished the last page and now I wish the next book in the series was awaiting straight from finishing this one! Although I wasn’t as blown away (hahaha) as I was with the first book but it still cost me a whole nights sleep, my poor eyes felt like they had grit in them come 5am but I still couldn’t stop reading.

I am starting to realise Mr Dazieri has a passion for blowing things up! Not that thats a bad thing but I wouldn’t want to be one of his characters 🙂

The lead characters continue to be brilliant, each with their own flaws and challenges that expands further from book one and if anything more enjoyable show more in some pretty shite situations but the ending!! WTF??? Really!!!

The subject matter of this book is a pretty unique as far as my reading experiences go, starting with a deadly poison attack on a train entering Rome, seen as an act of terrorism by Muslim extremists ISIS. And as we follow Colomba with the investigation and her decision to turn to Dante yet again for his unique help it becomes clear that the so called terror attack wasn’t committed by terrorists, but by a serial killer who has avoided detection for years. And she (got to love female serial killers!) is a brilliantly clever antagonist to oppose Dante’s genius and quirks.

If you enjoy clever addictive crime thrillers then don’t miss this book – seriously!! You don’t necessarily have to read Kill the Father first as there is enough back story for it to work as a worthy standalone novel however I do really think reading them in order makes them so much better and the characters much more understandable.

This is 100% worthy of being in the category of Top Thrillers of 2018 show less

I decided to read this book (or listen to the audio version), despite not having read the first book, Kill the Father. I felt that it worked out quite well, despite this being the second book since you get information about what happened in the first book while reading this book.

One thing that I really loved about this book was the setting of Italy. The crime books I usually read is often set in the US, UK or Scandinavia was it great to shift the focus to a different country. I also loved both main characters, the fierce Deputy Police Commissioner Colomba Caselli and Dante Torre (a fascinating man with many skills, but also with a very tragic background). I really need to read the first book to get to know how Dante and Colomba met, and show more learn more about the case they worked on.

The case is elusive, mysterious and fascinating. I love the twist and turns the story takes and I particularly liked that the book managed to surprise me several times. And the ending, damn it! I need the next book now! Short review I know, but I don't want to give away anything of the story. Read the book, it's great!

On a side note, as much as I enjoyed listening to the book was it a bit hard sometimes to remember who was who. It got better during the progress of the book, however reading the book might, in this case, be preferable, although the narrator was very good. show less

Having finished reading Kill the Father prior to this book I literally couldn’t wait to start reading as soon as I had finished the last page and now I wish the next book in the series was awaiting straight from finishing this one! Although I wasn’t as blown away (hahaha) as I was with the first book but it still cost me a whole nights sleep, my poor eyes felt like they had grit in them come 5am but I still couldn’t stop reading.

I am starting to realise Mr Dazieri has a passion for blowing things up! Not that thats a bad thing but I wouldn’t want to be one of his characters 🙂

The lead characters continue to be brilliant, each with their own flaws and challenges that expands further from book one and if anything more enjoyable show more in some pretty shite situations but the ending!! WTF??? Really!!!

The subject matter of this book is a pretty unique as far as my reading experiences go, starting with a deadly poison attack on a train entering Rome, seen as an act of terrorism by Muslim extremists ISIS. And as we follow Colomba with the investigation and her decision to turn to Dante yet again for his unique help it becomes clear that the so called terror attack wasn’t committed by terrorists, but by a serial killer who has avoided detection for years. And she (got to love female serial killers!) is a brilliantly clever antagonist to oppose Dante’s genius and quirks.

If you enjoy clever addictive crime thrillers then don’t miss this book – seriously!! You don’t necessarily have to read Kill the Father first as there is enough back story for it to work as a worthy standalone novel however I do really think reading them in order makes them so much better and the characters much more understandable.

This is 100% worthy of being in the category of Top Thrillers of 2018 show less

3.5 Once again I find myself in Italy, with two of the most unique characters in recent novels. When a car full of first class passengers is found with all inside dead, Caselli, just recently back with her police Dept, is called to the scene. When ISIS claims credit for the deaths, Caselle calls for Dante Torres. Torres, not with the police, has a unique skill, fostered by the horror of his eArly years in captivity, of being able to detect clues from body language, and to put together things others do not see. This case will take them to places and people far and wide.

I love these characters together, though both are an emotional mess, especially Torres who needs a prodigious amount of pills to keep himself moving. He is also trying to show more find out who he was, who he beloonged to before he was kidnapped. This series has both elements of a police procedural, but also those of a thriller. The combination makes for a fast moving plot, while not forgetting key aspects of the characters. So in a way it is also a unique character study.

This case, and the back and forth was sometimes confusing, the connection sometimes hard to follow, but I found it intriguing. Also learned of a new syndrome I had never heard of, and I looked it up to see if it was factual. It was, but very rare. Did add an strangenessof depth to a particular character. This is z little more graphic in a few places than I usually read, but those section were easy to skin without losing the focus of the novel. The ending was carefully crafted so the reader knows without doubt there will be another addition to this series. show less

Seconda puntata delle vicende di Colomba e Dante, un libro, questo, che mi è piaciuto molto anche se la storia risulta molto cruenta e forse un pochino troppo sopra le righe. Un finale completamente aperto che chiama a gran voce il terzo e conclusivo volume della serie. Due protagonisti alquanto particolari ma che sono entrati nel mio cuor con le loro manie e ossessioni, i loro difetti, il grande acume e la loro genialità.
Effettive quattro stelle e mezzo.