Organized crime in fiction is a bit hit or miss with me. I’d never read David Hewson’s work, wasn’t certain if jumping midway into a series was a terrific idea, and wasn’t sure if the premise even appealed to me. When I requested this on Netgalley, I wasn’t certain this was a good choice. One mess up, and not only is the deal with Lo Spettro over, but his life as well. The only people who know his true identity are Lo Spettro’s grown children, Rocco and Lucia Bergamotti, and, of course, Lo Spettro himself. Nic goes undercover again, this time joining the ‘Ndranghetas as a long-lost Bergamotti family member, and finds himself deep in wilderness of the Calabrian coast, surrounded by the mafia. Waiting along with him are Teresa Lupo, Silvio, her deputy Peroni, her older colleague and lover Falcone, his inspector and Rosa, another colleague. Because this is Lo Spettro’s game and he–unseen, unknown–is calling the shots. Why?ĭetective Nic Costa and his team go undercover, posing as business people on vacation while they wait for Lo Spettro to make contact with them. Yet the mysterious head of this organization, Lo Spettro (“the ghost”), has offered to turn state witness and deliver the head of rival crime organizations to the police.

Their reach is almighty and powerful, their influence evident to everyone, including the police. Other mafia families rule other areas, but the Calabrian coast, with its poverty and savagery, is the ‘Ndrangheta’s and has been for centuries.

On Italy’s Calabrian coast, the savage ‘Ndrangheta rule. Many thanks to Black Thorn, David Hewson, and Netgalley for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a little unclear on this, but it appears to have been published by a different publisher and under a different ISBN last year.

The savage shore david hewson