24 May, 2013

#BookReview :: The Deliverance of Evil by Roberto Costantini

On 11 July 1982, Elisa Sordi was beautiful. Commissario Michele Balistreri was fearless. Italy was victorious.

A killer was waiting...

On 9 July 2006, with Sordi's case twenty-four years cold, and Balistreri haunted by guilt and regret, Italian victory returned.

And so did Sordi's killer...

But this time Michele Balistreri would be ready. This time he would fear no evil.

Buy This Book from Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide



The book begins in 1982 when the protagonist, Michele Balistreri, was young, fearless and a bit careless. Few days after he meets Elisa Sordi for the first time, on the eve of football world cup finals, she goes missing. Her body turns up after sometime and it is very clear that she had been tortured. Her bruised dead body changes something within Michele. However, he ends up arresting the wrong person for her murder case. But that was all in the past for Michele, still haunting him, till a new case comes into life in 2006. Two more girls have been murdered in way that is just too similar to Elisa Sordi’s Case. Now Michele is more experienced and matured and he vows to find the killer at any cost!

After reading this book, I am ashamed to admit that I hadn’t heard of this author before Book Depository offered me an ARC for Review purpose. Shame really, to have not known about such an amazing author.

It took me sometime to really get into the book because Michele Balistreri is a difficult character to like. His mentality and attitude towards the beginning was practically revolting. He came across as this careless and haughty young man whose attitude toward his work and towards women in general made me want smack him on the head till he had some new perspective. Ironically, it was the death of a woman that started to bring in the change in him. By the time we get reacquainted to Michele in 2006, he has matured a lot making it easier to like him.

The plot is amazing. A murder in 1982 is connected to murders in 2006 – both sets happen around the time when Italy won the football world cup. The similarities are undeniable and Michele conscience has been killing him for arresting the wrong person the first time round. But then there’s more to it than meets the eye in this case. A conspiracy that can rock the people of his nation and also enter the Secret Services to rock the already rocky boat!

The author has a great style of writing and character build up. As a reader I had a great time with the love-hate relationship with Michele. It was like I was in the book – living it. Of course some credit also goes to the translator N.S.Thompson for his exemplary work and input. I in turn suspected each character while I kept turning the pages.

I loved it! If you are a Mystery/Thriller fan, be sure to give it a try…


I got this book free of cost from The Book Depository for Review Purpose. I have not received any incentive for writing this review and the opinion expressed is my own.





1 comment:

  1. I think being in a book like that is the highest of compliments. :-)

    ReplyDelete