In many ways, the great artist Michelangelo is as close to Kate Westcott as any family member. Her late parents were renowned art historians and feverent admirers of Michelangelo’s work, as is Kate’s guardian Professor Richard Edwards
Professor Edwards is also a leading member of the Vittoria Society, a secretive group of people who devote their lives to finding lost or stolen works of art and returning them to their rightful homes or owners. Kate’s parents were the founders of the Society, and were killed during a mission to rescue a work of art by a rival organization led by one of their former students, the mysterious Raven.
A preeminent Michelangelo scholar, Edwards has spent years schooling his young ward to appreciate the works of the master and other great artists, and grooming her in the ways of the Society with the goal of her taking over the leadership reins someday. So, when Kate comes to study in Florence, ancestral home of Michelangelo and his benefactors, the powerful Medici family, she feels like she has truly come home.
As she explores the ancient streets of Florence, the knowledge that that has been passed down to Kate that somewhere among the museums, the churches and the other Renaissance structures there exists one of Michelangelo’s truest works of art, a trio of sculptures known as the “Midnight Angels,” propels her to search for the sculptures before they land in the hands of The Raven and his henchmen, known as The Immortals.
With the help of fellow art student Marco Scudarti, Kate uncovers the secret chamber that has housed the angels for decades, a true triumph for both the Society and Kate. Unfortunately, she has also aroused the attention of The Raven, as well as the elite Rome Art Squad, led by Detective Rumore. It becomes a heart-stopping race to see if Kate and Marco will survive long enough to ensure Michelangelo’s Midnight Angels are returned to their true home, or if the Raven and his mob will once again triumph over the Vittoria Society.
Author Lorenzo Carcaterra, who is well known for his work as writer/producer on the TV series “Law and Order, as well as the movie “Sleepers,” brings a highly charged story to the streets of Florence, Italy with his latest novel, “Midnight Angels.” Packed with thrilling chases, intriguing characters, plus Carcaterra’s intimate knowledge of the Florentine culture and landscapes gives the reader a brilliantly captivating storyline that keeps up a dizzying pace of action to the very end.
In reading “Midnight Angels,” I kept trying to compare it to Dan Brown’s “The DaVinci Code,” but there really is no comparison. While there are some of the same elements of art, mystery and crime, “Midnight Angels” concentrates more on the thrill of discovery and the excitement of the chase rather than looking for cryptic clues. It made for an enjoyable evening of reading.
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a honest review. I was not compensated for my opinion.)
