Nic Costa, Gianni Peroni and Leo Falcone have been temporarily exiled from Rome as a result of their police work that ruffled more than a few feathers; they are currently finishing out their exile in Venice, where they are despised by the local constabulary and itching to leave the tourist-infested place. When a couple of unsavory deaths occur at a glass-making factory on a nearby island, the local police ask that the Romans clear up the matter for them quickly: it is obvious that the husband killed the wife and then, remorseful, himself, so if they can just do a quick investigation and come up with that conclusion, everybody will be happy and the Romans can go home a little early. Unfortunately, the local police don’t know Nic, Gianni and Leo - not at all…. “The Lizard’s Bite” is the fourth in David Hewson’s Nic Costa series, and although it’s set in Venice rather than Rome, it is just as complex and brutal as the earlier three novels. The relationships between the three men and Nic and Gianni’s girlfriends as well are given more depth as the series goes on, and the complicated ways in which Italian justice seems to work (or not) are very strongly depicted. I like the way that our heroes never give up a case; they are shown as being perhaps the only honest detectives in the police forces of Italy, although of course they have their own failings as well. Highly recommended, but make sure you have a strong stomach before trying these books out! ( )

More social commentary than mystery ( )

Een beter verhaal dan de vorige, hoewel nog geen topper. Op sommige momenten wat langdradig .

De detectives Costa en Peroni zijn samen met hun leidinggevende, inspecteur Falcone, verbannen naar Venetië nadat ze hun superieuren (in [b:De Pantheon getuige|9438147|De Pantheon getuige (Nic Costa #3)|David Hewson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1302675961s/9438147.jpg|1546578]) dwars hebben gezeten.

Omdat zij nu eindelijk 2 weken vakantie hebben, komen hun vriendinnen Emily en Teresa over. De vakantie wordt echter ingetrokken, als de oven van een glasblazerij oververhit raakt en twee mensen om het leven komen. De mensen zijn man en vrouw, en het blijkt al snel dat de vrouw zwanger was. Haar man was echter impotent... Het bedrijf is zo goed als bankroet. Een rijke Engelsman wil het bedrijf kopen. Hij is echter verwikkeld in een aantal legale en illegale zaken.

Zij moeten er voor zorgen dat de uitslag van hun onderzoek overeenkomt met de opinie van de commissaris, namelijk dat het om een huiselijke ruzie gaat.

Voor ongeveer een derde deel was het verhaal moeilijk om in te komen, maar daarna gaat het steeds beter.

Zo beginnen in [b:Het zevende sacrament|16016094|Het zevende sacrament|David Hewson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1372702449s/16016094.jpg|827772].

( )

I'm glad I read [Lucifer's Shadow] seven years ago, so I've been very familiar with some of the main characters alongside the investigator team. This is actually the continuation of it. Nic and his team investigate in Venice. In a glass blowing a double murder took place. It is not easy for the investigators to find the right footprints, they are nevertheless on strange terrain and they are placed many stones in the way, so that the corruption that prevails in this city does not come to light. ( )

well for the first 300 pages i liked it. it's well paced , the dialogue is really well written and the plot develops nicely. but after those 300 pages it all goes sideways. all the re-telling in retrospect just pissed me off. i mean it's ok if you put it here and there for some diversity but here is just way too much. and there are too many unnecessary location descriptions , i mean i can pretty much picture for mu self what an uninhabited island in a lagoon looks like i don't need 10 pages telling me. ( )