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David Hewson
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Carnival for the Dead Paperback – August 7, 2012

by David Hewson (Author)
3.7 out of 5 stars 294 ratings

Novelist David Hewson brings Byzantine and dreamlike Venice vividly to life in this dark and deftly plotted mystery that hearkens back to the spellbinding tales of Donna Leon and M. R. James.

For as long as she can remember, Teresa Lupo has envied her aunt Sofia. After all, she is everything Teresa is not: beautiful, adventurous, wildly creative. While Sofia enjoyed passionate love affairs and traveled the world, thoughtful, methodical Teresa stayed close to home, working her way through the civil-service system to become Rome’s senior police forensic specialist. So when Sofia encounters “a few problems” at her new home in Venice, it is Teresa to whom she turns for help—only to vanish abruptly on the eve of Carnival. Teresa’s only clues to her aunt’s whereabouts are a mysterious letter, a bouquet of flowers, and a series of short stories by an unknown author, stories in which Sofia and Teresa inexplicably appear. The bizarre narratives create a complex puzzle, one Teresa can solve only by immersing herself in the art and history of Venice and the fantastic spectacle that is Carnival. But the deeper she ventures into the shadowy spirit of the festival, the more Teresa comes to realize that nothing in the magical city is as it seems.

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  1. Print length
    497 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    August 7, 2012
  4. Dimensions
    5.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1612183980
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1612183985
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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Hewson’s celebrated Nic Costa series takes a fascinating detour here, with the setting moving from Rome to Venice and most of the cast (Costa, Leo Falcone, and Gianni Peroni) on hiatus. That leaves pathologist Teresa Lupo on the case, and a very personal one it is. Teresa’s favorite aunt, Sofia, has gone missing in Venice, and it’s up to the pathologist to turn investigator in an effort to find her. The trail is strewn with leads—Sofia was an outgoing sort who told her story to all and sundry—but matters are complicated by Carnival, Venice’s annual festival, which draws drunken tourists in record numbers. Further muddying the lagoons are several murders and a suicide that appear, somehow, to be connected to Sofia’s disappearance. Teresa, who prefers working on dead bodies to investigating live ones, is awash in confusion until mysterious parcels begin arriving at her door containing stories that elliptically attempt to point her in the right direction. As the fact-bound pathologist slowly moves closer to unraveling the mystery, she is forced to confront a Horatio-like epiphany, that the world contains ambiguities not resolvable by logic alone. The stories within the story tend to slow the narrative a bit, but Hewson once again combines landscape and character into a rich and satisfying whole.

About the Author

David Hewson is the author of seventeen novels published in more than twenty languages. His debut novel, Semana Santa, was translated to film, and his nine-book Nic Costa series, set in Rome, is currently being developed for television. Previously he worked as a journalist, writing for the London Times, The Sunday Times, and The Independent.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas & Mercer
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 7, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 497 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1612183980
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1612183985
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.38 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.7 out of 5 stars 294 ratings

About the author

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David Hewson

David Hewson

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David Hewson's novels have been translated into a wide range of languages, from Italian to Japanese, and his debut work, Semana Santa, set in Holy Week Spain, was filmed with Mira Sorvino. His work has embraced Italy, Spain, Denmark and Amsterdam with the Nic Costa series based in Rome, the Pieter Vos books in Amsterdam, his adaptations of The Killing TV series in Copenhagen and, most recently, the Arnold Clover history mysteries in Venice.

David was born in Yorkshire in 1953 and left school at the age of seventeen to work as a cub reporter on one of the smallest evening newspapers in the country in Scarborough. Eight years later he was a staff reporter on The Times in London, covering news, business and latterly working as arts correspondent. He worked on the launch of the Independent and was a weekly columnist for the Sunday Times for a decade before giving up journalism entirely in 2005 to focus on writing fiction.

Semana Santa won the WH Smith Fresh Talent award for one of the best debut novels of the year in 1996 and was later made into a movie starring Mira Sorvino and Olivier Martinez. Four standalone works followed before A Season for the Dead, the first in a series set in Italy. There are now ten Costa titles published in numerous languages around the world including Chinese and Japanese... and Italian.

David followed these books with three acclaimed adaptations of the award-winning Copenhagen TV crime series The Killing. In 2014 he debuted a new series set in Amsterdam with The House of Dolls. With A.J. Hartley he has also authored two popular adaptations of Shakespeare's Macbeth and Hamlet, originally for audio now out in ebook. In 2018 he won the prized Audie for best original audio work for Romeo and Juliet: A Novel, narrated by Richard Armitage, an Audible exclusive.

The Medici Murders saw the start of an acclaimed new series based in Venice featuring the archivist Arnold Clover. Now Arnold's next adventure in Venice, The Borgia Portrait, is available. Both are narrated by Richard Armitage.

Customer reviews

3.7 out of 5 stars
294 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and evocative, with one review particularly praising its vivid depiction of Venice and Carnival. Moreover, they appreciate its thought-provoking content, with one noting it's filled with thought-provoking ideas. However, the plot receives mixed reactions, with some finding it good while others consider it a so-so mystery. Additionally, the readability and pace are mixed, with several customers finding it boring and tedious.

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7 customers mention "Evocativeness"7 positive0 negative

Customers praise the book's evocative portrayal of Venice and Carnival, with one customer noting how it delivers a feast for the senses.

"See note above -a really beautifully written thriller with much whimsy - captures the essence of one of the most beautiful cities in the world" Read more

"...A good mystery with subtle and not so subtle plot twists." Read more

"...As always, Hewson wonderfully captures the spirit of a place (this time, Venice), but that strength isn't enough to make this rambling, not-very-..." Read more

"...The book certainly captured Venice--the details of the city's labyrinthine fondamentes and canals, it's campos and cul-de-sacs were evocative...." Read more

6 customers mention "Thought provoking"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking, with one customer describing it as a wonderful venture into life and another noting it's a must-read.

"...the disappearances and the murders bring all characters to a soul searching experience. A delight for all Venice lovers!!" Read more

"A wonderful venture into the life and mind of Teresa Lupo...." Read more

"this book was not an easy relaxing read, but interesting in that it was set in Italy and had some interesting angles...." Read more

"Entrancing page turner, yet filled with thought provoking ideas. As a dog breeder , I especially loved the ending...." Read more

29 customers mention "Readability"18 positive11 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's readability, with some finding it very enjoyable and great, while others describe it as boring and a long read.

"A very enjoyable read; having been to Venice, it was like a travelogue of places I had seen or visited...." Read more

"...At least, not this one. But for the price, it had it's entertaining moments and was full of intersting Venice tidbits." Read more

"...Sadly this book was terrible. I LOVE to read and there isn't much that I wont read, but I couldn't even bring my self to finish this book...." Read more

"...Great book!!!" Read more

27 customers mention "Plot quality"15 positive12 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the plot of the book, with some finding it very good while others describe it as a so-so mystery.

"...A good mystery with subtle and not so subtle plot twists." Read more

"...unfolds in two dimensions: facts or absence of clues and an intriguing work of fiction about an obsession for paintings by Carpaccio and the elusive..." Read more

"...The plot got a bit silly and although I like Teresa Lupo, she is not my favorite character and can't really carry a whole plot line by herself...." Read more

"...The discription of the book sounded great I love a good mystery!! Sadly this book was terrible...." Read more

9 customers mention "Writing quality"5 positive4 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the writing quality of the book, with some finding it well-written, while others note issues with excessive detail and context.

"See note above -a really beautifully written thriller with much whimsy - captures the essence of one of the most beautiful cities in the world" Read more

"...Things seemed out of context...Loved Venice so every location mentioned brought back memories." Read more

"...The discription of the book sounded great I love a good mystery!! Sadly this book was terrible...." Read more

"...if you are looking for an easy light read, pass on this one." Read more

7 customers mention "Pace"2 positive5 negative

Customers find the pace of the book tedious and difficult to follow at first.

"...I made it about 1/3 of the way into it and just had to give up. It moves so slow and the authour spends WAY to much time talking about silly..." Read more

"...Still, a solid mystery with good pace, once you get into it." Read more

"...But Carnival for the Dead fell short for me. The beginning was slow, the glossary of terms threw me until I printed them out to refer to as I read,..." Read more

"Hewson normally writes good fast moving books, but in this one he lost the plot, so to speak...." Read more

Half Fable, Half Mystery, and it Almost Works
3 out of 5 stars
Half Fable, Half Mystery, and it Almost Works
It's the first week of February and it's Carnival in Venice. Teresa Lupo and her mother Chiara have traveled from Rome to visit Sofia, Chiara's sister. At least, they're trying to visit. No one has heard from Sofia and they become more anxious when they find Sofia's apartment empty, apparently empty for a week. After some fruitless visits to the neighbors, Chiara goes home while Teresa stays, determined to find her beloved aunt. Teresa has some things going for her in her search. She's a pathologist with the police in Rome, which may open some otherwise closed doors. But where to start searching? The only clue is Sofia's diary. The last entry, from a week before, says simply "Il Gobbo". The Goblin. Forunately, she knows the reference. It's a statue also called The Hunchback of the Rialto, and it's there she starts her search. "Carnival for the Dead" is half fable, half mystery, and it almost works. It is inventive, more to the fantastical than the straightforward, with baroque madness and obsession. But there is just too much of it. My copy is 460 pages. That's a lot of odd references and oblique stories with chancy conclusions. One of themes is that Teresa must liberate herself from her scientific fact-based background in order to solve the mystery of her aunt's disappearance and the gruesome murders. But to me it seemed that everything happened pretty much by chance and I'm not sure how liberating that is. And, I guess I'm getting a little tired of books constantly describing the "mystery" of Venice. C'mon. Just for the fun of it, I've added a photo of the Venice Il Gobbo, who figures in the story. I am reviewing from the Advance Reader's Copy - Uncorrected Proof. Happy Reader
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Steven H.
    5.0 out of 5 stars excellent -a must for everyone -especially those that love Venice
    Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    See note above -a really beautifully written thriller with much whimsy - captures the essence of one of the most beautiful cities in the world
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  • Michael R. Larsen
    4.0 out of 5 stars Carnival of the Dead
    Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    A very enjoyable read; having been to Venice, it was like a travelogue of places I had seen or visited. Setting is during the Carnival of the Dead held each year and our main character is trying to find her aunt who has disappeared a few weeks earlier. A good mystery with subtle and not so subtle plot twists.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Nanette Erickson
    3.0 out of 5 stars Far-fetched but entertaining.
    Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    I always enjoy David Hewson's books as much for the story as for what I learn about Italy. Unfortunately, this time the story was not near as good as Venice. The plot got a bit silly and although I like Teresa Lupo, she is not my favorite character and can't really carry a whole plot line by herself. At least, not this one. But for the price, it had it's entertaining moments and was full of intersting Venice tidbits.
    One person found this helpful
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  • GGMA
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read for those who LOVE Venice and mysteries
    Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I am exited to find this author. The story keeps you involved every step of the way. What a joy to revisit this magical city with this book and at the same time be engaged in a story of romance and intrigue. I suppose some wouldn't see the romance but to me it lies just beneath in the search for a murderer. Great book!!!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Marilyn Tyler
    2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing visit with a beloved character from Costa novels
    Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I've read all of David Hewson's Nic Costa series and loved every book, so I was eager to read this separate one featuring Teresa Lupo, the medical examiner from Rome. In my opinion, something went haywire in Hewson's writing when he shifted his focus entirely to a single character's interior life. While the Costa novels include a cast of well-developed characters, this book reveals only Teresa, and does so in a confusing, roundabout way. As always, Hewson wonderfully captures the spirit of a place (this time, Venice), but that strength isn't enough to make this rambling, not-very-gripping story a good read.
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  • Michèle
    4.0 out of 5 stars When mystery meets imagination
    Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2012
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    Venice is not only a setting for this story it is a character in itself. The story unfolds in two dimensions: facts or absence of clues and an intriguing work of fiction about an obsession for paintings by Carpaccio and the elusive Count of Saint-Germain. The quest for truth, the eagerness to solve the disappearances and the murders bring all characters to a soul searching experience. A delight for all Venice lovers!!
    Helpful
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  • Lorrin
    1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed
    Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    I got this book before going on vacation thinking it would be fun to read. The discription of the book sounded great I love a good mystery!! Sadly this book was terrible. I LOVE to read and there isn't much that I wont read, but I couldn't even bring my self to finish this book. I made it about 1/3 of the way into it and just had to give up. It moves so slow and the authour spends WAY to much time talking about silly mindless details. Also the writing style is hard to follow, I'm not quite sure how to explain that sorry :( I will say if you are going to get this book please get a sample and read that first I wish I had. If I could give this book 0 stars I would.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Nana of 4
    5.0 out of 5 stars Supernatural Intrigue
    Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    A wonderful venture into the life and mind of Teresa Lupo. This novel has so much richness and flavor that I've come expect and love from David Hewson. It's a treasure that surely doesn't disappoint.
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  • Glyn Strong
    5.0 out of 5 stars A rare and multifaceted novel that will captivate lovers of Venice
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 5, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    A rare and wonderful mystery that will captivate all who enjoyed the Nic Costa series and love Venice. Oh that there were more in this series, featuring Teresa Lupo and her detective friends. They have evolved into a family of superbly crafted individuals, stronger and richer together than they ever could have been apart.
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  • Ca' Intaglia
    3.0 out of 5 stars Promenade frileuse en demi-teintes
    Reviewed in France on September 21, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Bonne accroche pour cette intrigue qui, si elle ne réinventera pas l'eau tiède, réserve quelques bons tours, et surtout une ambiance grise et troublante à la fois très conforme au décor choisi par l'auteur : Venise.
    Pour peu que l'on connaisse un peu (beaucoup ?) la ville, on suit les rues et trajets sans recours à une carte, et la couleur difficilement restituable de la "ville au quotidien" est rendu avec assez de charme pour tirer un sourire complice.
    Beau réseau de passerelles entre la cité telle que le passant / touriste peut la ressentir (puisque la protagoniste principale est étrangère à ces lieux) et l'autre Venise, celle que ceux qui y vivent expérimentent d'une autre façon.
    Pas mal du tout, vraiment. Lu quasiment d'un trait, sans l'oublier sur un coin de meuble.
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  • Susanne Weigand
    2.0 out of 5 stars Gut gemeint ist nicht gut gemacht
    Reviewed in Germany on June 17, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Der Autor hat fleissig recherchiert. Und so findet sich der venezianische Karneval mit geheimnisvollen Masken, Gemälde des Malers Vittore Carpaccio und Literaturgeschichte rauf und runter. Eigentlich mag ich solche Bücher. Aber hier ist das so bemüht und in eine sich dahinschleppende Handlung eingebettet, dass selten rechte Lesefreude aufkommt.

    Auch die Vermischung der Genre gefällt mir nicht: Einerseits realistischer Krimi, andererseits ein übersinnlicher Roman. Das Motiv des ewig Lebenden Menschen übrigens, das hier vorkommt im Zusammenhang mit Venedig hat ein Vorbild: Fruttero/Lucentini: Der Liebhaber ohne festen Wohnsitz.
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  • Random Verb
    5.0 out of 5 stars As convoluted and darkly winding as Venice herself
    Reviewed in Canada on May 30, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    This mystery had the rich intricacy I love in a book with depth in characters and sometimes maddenly complex events that stay with you long after you close the book. I’m adopted to this author now.
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  • Lancelot
    2.0 out of 5 stars Disapointment
    Reviewed in Germany on September 5, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I am a big fan of the books of David Hewson, particularly the Costa stories.
    This is only in theorie one of those, Teresa Lupo as the only one of the team hardly qualifies.
    Slow read, not quite boring, but almost ....
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