QUESTIONS FROM READERS

bev208@bellsouth.net: How did you ever come up with the characters Detective Nic Costa and his boss Leo Falcone?

David Hewson: Nic reminds me a lot of some of the young Italians I know. He's bright, full of integrity, looking to do something worthwhile with his life, but a little lost because he doesn't have the religion most Italians grew up with as a matter of course. Not that he --- or Falcone --- are based on real people. Authors are paid to invent and that's what I do.

SAL2NB@aol.com: Will the Nic Costa books become a series, when will the second Nic Costa book be released in the U.S., and finally, will Nic Costa's enthusiasm for art go beyond Caravaggio?

David Hewson: This IS a series. The next two books are written. The fourth is under way now. At least six will appear. Nic's enthusiasm for all things Roman will indeed continue.

SCARTER163@aol.com: What is the draw to make the connection between the church (the Vatican) and crime?

David Hewson: The Vatican is a place. The church is a religion. It's important not to confuse the two. Some of the problems the state has faced in the past over corruption are well documented, such as the Calvi case. Like it or not, graft has been a way of life in the southern Mediterranean for centuries. But little if any of this touches the average priest. A SEASON FOR THE DEAD is fiction too --- I can't overemphasise that.

Walrus618@aol.com: I would like to ask you about the research for the book. Have you spent time in Italy? Did you have an interest in art and Caravaggio before writing the book or did that just come about through the writing of the book? Have you begun working on the next book in the series? If so, can you give us any information about it?

David Hewson: Rome is just two hours away by air, and you can now fly on a budget airline for London sometimes for as little as $30 return. Occasionally my cab from the airport to my apartment costs more than the flight. So yes, I spend a lot of time in Italy, usually two months or more each year. I've always been interested in culture --- a long time ago I was the arts correspondent of the London Times. The next book is called THE VILLA OF MYSTERIES. It appears in the U.S. next Spring and is set around an apparent murder based on a Dionysian ritual originating in ancient Rome. Nic's to the fore, of course, but you'll also see an extended ensemble of characters supporting him, a team that will, in some ways, be the core of the books from now on.

© Copyright 1996-2008, Bookreporter.com. All rights reserved.

Back to top.