Sam Cabot

This book was everything The DaVinci Code was not. It was tense, suspenseful, and extremely well-written, with a twist at the end that was logical in the context of the story, but was a complete and delightful (to me, anyway) surprise.

Sam Cabot is a collaboration between SJ Rozan, one of my favorite mystery writers, and Carlos Dews. Their writing styles integrate so seamlessly that I can't tell who wrote what. I'm starting Skin of the Wolf, the second book in the series, immediately. I expect that I'll be disappointed when I finish it because I'll have to wait for the next one in the series.… (mehr)

Intriguing & original take

I have to admit I picked this up because I'm a big fan of SJ Rozen. But this book is huge departure for her, unlike the bill/Lydia series.
As you've probably read in other reviews, this is a vampire story but we're no talking about trendy white faced teenagers full of angst & romantic notions. Here, we're introduced to the Noantri ("we others"), vampires who have been around as long as mankind. Except for needing blood, all other old stereotypes do not apply. Their existence is brought about by the introduction of a virus that prevents cells from deteriorating, granting immorality. Otherwise, they are just like you and me (unless you're one of them).
The book opens during the 1849 uprising of the Risorgimento, Italians who rebelled against the power of the church in Rome. The Pope has fled the city & called in French armies to defeat them. Mario Damiani, a soldier in the Italian army, is on a mission. He has stolen the Concordat, a document hidden in Vatican archives for centuries. Fearing death, he proceeds to hide it, leaving behind clues for those worthy of deciphering them. Unfortunately, Damiani learns too late the French are the least of his worries.
In present day, Father Tomas Kelly gets an urgent call from Lorenzo Cardinal Cossa. Thomas is a Jesuit in London when he hears his old friend has been promoted to Archivist & Librarian of the Vatican. Lorenzo needs him in rome ASAP, a request he cannot refuse. He can't possibly know his life will never be the same.
Thomas has always had immense faith, 100% certainty in his vocation, God & the teachings of the church. Lorenzo has been a father figure, guiding his education & research. So when he tells Thomas he must retrieve a lost Vatican document, he agrees. All he knows is the document is a contract signed in 1431 by the church & another party.
Meanwhile, Livia Pietro is happily living in Rome as a professor of art history. Her neighbours find her a bit eccentric but they have no idea. She's a vampire & finally moving on after her former lover Jonah left her. She changed him without the permission of the Conclave (Noantri ruling body), a major no-no. Unfortunately, she's been summoned before the Conclave again. She's to meet Father Kelly & assist in any way she can to retrieve the Concordat. But instead of returning it to the church, she's to give it to the Conclave. Oh, and one more thing...kill Jonah.
This book is really two stories. One is a tale of action/adventure as we follow Thomas & Livia running around Rome trying to piece together clues that will lead to the document. They have to deal with Damiani's cryptic messages & being chased by various police, a rebel faction within the Noantri & Jonah. The other side of the plot is more cerebral than thriller. Both Thomas & Livia will acquire knowledge that rocks their worlds & turns their respective belief systems upside down. Through them, the authors explore topics such as faith, power, prejudice & betrayal.
As a Jesuit, Thomas has always craved & accumulated knowledge. To him, it's all evidence supporting his faith & the legitimacy of the church. But doubts start to creep in as he learns of the Noantri & the role of the church in their existence. He'll have to question the difference between faith & religion for what is faith but belief in the absence of all evidence? He also has to consider the motives of all those around him as he reels from a personal betrayal.
No doubt this book will incite a few discussions about religious dogma, role of the church & why you believe what you do. It's interesting the authors chose to portray the Noantri & the Catholic Church as very similar organizations in terms of their structure.
To me , this is the more compelling & intriguing side of the story. The adventure element was creative & obviously well researched but as Thomas & Livia raced around the neighbourhood of Trastevere, I found the pace oddly bogged down & ended up doing a fair amount of skimming. Also, I felt the side story of an attraction between the two completely unnecessary/unbelievable & detracted from the weightier issues they are struggling with. It added nothing to the story & there are enough elements without trying to turn it into a romance as well.
Upon reaching the end of their search, Livia Thomas & the readers will have their collective minds blown by the discovery of the biggest secret of all & I'm not going to even touch that one.
All in all, a really interesting & original take on creation & religion mixed with a Steve Berry-like plot of international intrigue & buried treasure. My only issues: lengthy time spent in the heads of a couple of minor characters (rambling & repetitive) and I thought the sections devoted to the accumulation of the clues would have benefitted from a tighter edit.
If you're someone who takes their religion seriously or was offended by Dan Brown's books, this may not be for you. But if you're a fan of stories about mythology, conspiracy theories, secrets & artefacts, give this a try.… (mehr)

SKIN OF THE WOLF was a fascinating thriller that reunites Father Thomas Kelly, Livia Pietro and Spencer George in New York where they get involved in a case that includes deeply hidden secrets, ancient Native artifacts, and a people who have been as hidden as the Noantri.

Livia is excited to be allowed to view a very rare and ancient Iroquois mask of a wolf at Sotheby's as it is getting ready to go to auction. However, her Noantri skills lead her to believe that the mask is a fake. When a young woman who is getting the artifacts ready is brutally murdered by what looks like and animal attack and Spencer and his new boyfriend Dr. Michael Bonnard are attacked by a wolf in Central Park, things get more and more complicated.

Michael and his brother Edward are twins and Mohawk Indians. They have gone their separate ways, though, with Michael taking the path of science and becoming a researcher and Edward following his Indian roots and beliefs. Both are also shapeshifters. Michael has been using science to try to understand why shapeshifting occurs and trying to identify others who might possess the gene. Edward is more interested in recreating the ceremony that made them shifters and making new shifters wholesale so that they can throw the white men off the continent.

All parties are in a mad dash to try to find the real Iroquois wolf mask, though each has a different agenda. Michael fears that Edward's plan will set up Indian people for persecution whether or not they have the shifting gene. The Noantri know what it is like for those who are different to be exposed and are eager to help keep that exposure from happening. Edward needs the mask to fulfill his vision for an Indian controlled future.

The pace in this thriller was fast. The information about Indian Art and those who collect it added richness and depth to the story. And, who doesn't want to believe that the Catholic Church is filled with secrets? I haven't read the first book in this series but, now, I really want to. I need to find out how these three characters became friends and what it was that brought them together.… (mehr)

Book Review & Giveaway: What do you get when you mix an award-winning crime fiction author with a literature professor? Sam Cabot – a kick-butt writing duo! Just when I thought no one could possibly think of another winning angle for vampire novels, along came Blood of the Lamb, the first novel we reviewed by Sam Cabot, a pseudonym for the writing team of S.J. Rosen and Carlos Dews. That novel was amazing so it was a no brainer to opt in for Skin of the Wolf, the second novel in this genre-bending series. Think Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code meets the world of the paranormal and you’ve got the elevator spiel for this series.
Skin of the Wolf features non-stop action with our favorite characters from Book #1 mixed with more conspiracies, excellent historical research, and Native American shape-shifting myths. If you liked Blood of the Lamb, hang onto your hat! And I’m excited to be able to offer a copy that someone will win in our giveaway at http://popcornreads.com/?p=7556!… (mehr)