Books like The villa of mysteries by David Hewson

In the bustling streets of Rome, teenager Isabella Rossi vanishes, alarming her mother and sparking an investigation by Detective Nic Costa. Costa quickly realizes the case mirrors the unsolved death of another girl whose mummified body, found at the police morgue, bore a unique tattoo. Pathologist Teresa Lupo, a close colleague and equal of Costa, compels authorities to act swiftly. She suspects the missing girl is headed toward a sinister, ancient Bacchanalian rite involving virginal sacrifice—an event set to occur within days. As Costa and Lupo pry into the case from different angles, they uncover a web of deceit, sexual corruption, and organized crime, racing against time to save the girl from what they discover will be a horrific revelation of human darkness and modern vengeance. The story intertwines forensic science, suspense, and intense human drama.

First publish date: 2005