Book Reviews and More: City Of Shadows - Declan Finn

City Of Shadows

Saint Tommy, NYPD Book 4

Declan Finn

Tuscany Bay Books

ISBN 9798821248329

eISBN 9798201464295

ASIN B09ZM7YT93

This was the sixth novel I have read by Declan Finn in the last 2 months. I have ready the first four in his Saint Tommy Series, Hell Spawn and Death Cult. I now understand why so many people rave about his works. Before reading book 1, I had also picked up White Ops Book 1, but got going on the Saint Tommy Series first. I have also previously picked up several anthologies that Finn has contributed to, that I have not got around to reading. They have been bumped up in my ‘to be read pile’. The hard part of discovering a new favourite author who is very prolific is there are many works to choose from. I believe at the time of writing this that fin has 38 published books and short stories, including this series which is to be up to 12 books within a few months. As of late my fiction reading I have been alternating books by Finn, Andrew Grant (aka Andrew Child), and J.D. Kirk. I am currently reading 2 in this series and then a White Ops book, and now adding in Pius Man books as well.

The description of this story is:

“London is alive with the sound of shadows. When Tommy Nolan was sent abroad to avoid being made a saint too soon, he thought he'd be a glorified tourist. But when an impossible prehistoric artifact the Vatican is looking at is stolen from the British Museum, they do the first thing that comes to mind -- they call the cops.

But Tommy is soon convinced that the artifact is more than it seems. The crime scene looks like a war zone. The owners of the stolen merchandise eye him with suspicion. His new partner has a shady, mysterious past. The police are ready to arrest him. The city itself seems primed to explode.

Worst of all, the darkness itself is closing in on Tommy, the city, and everyone who lives there.

But Tommy isn't one to curse the darkness. The darkness curses him.”

I said before I was a little hesitant to start this series. It seemed a little over the top. And from the authors, publishing people, and friends it was so hyped I was afraid it would disappoint. It did not! In fact before I had finished the first 2 I hade picked up a dozen other works from Finn’s pen. And this series is getting better and better. The fist story was great, the second even better, the third was most excellent, and this one was next level.

This story starts a little slower than the last one. And Tommy is out of new York, first to the Vatican and then to London. But the action sequences in this story are just as intense if not more so than in the previous offerings. A mysterious artifact from Hussein’s personal collection, a super wealthy couple in England trying to influence the whole world, and not for the good. Political correctness around calling crimes crimes, and criminals criminals. A clear look at the acid and knife attacks so prevalent in England, including a look at certain recent histories.

Some great one liners. A lot of action. And An important reminder of the power of prayers and value of memorizing a wide variety of prayers. Tommy prays to the three Arch Angels before heading into the penultimate battle sequence, the results are:

“Suddenly, there were three men in front of me, standing between the crowd and me. Even Kozbar skidded to a stop in front of them.

Kozbar looked them up and down. The three men were strangely dressed. One wore an American army uniform and hat, complete with general’s stars. The one to his left wore medical scrubs. The one on the right wore a simple suit and tie.

“Who are you?” Kozbar asked.

“Requested reinforcements,” said the army man. His voice was gruff and bored, as though Kozbar were simply Tuesday for him.

Kozbar sneered. He stabbed forward with the weapon, pointing at me between two of the “reinforcements.” He demanded, “Then give him to me. And me alone. I promise to kill him personally. You want fair fights, right?”

The one in scrubs stepped back and grabbed my shoulder, holding me back. “Sure. He’s gotten his ass kicked all over the place, died five times, fought down a riot, and escaped an exploding building the hard way, while you get to go after him after … walking down some stairs and driving here?”

The army man said, “You get one chance.”

Kozbar sneered. “My God is on my side. Nothing more or less will stop me.”

The army man’s head tilted just slightly to one side. “About that…”

Kozbar lunged with the knife.

The army man smacked Kozbar across the face and sent him flying.

Scrubs said, “Go back inside, Tommy. We got this.””

And the story ends with a very peculiar conversation with a foe from New York. Tommy’s new assignment, and being on loan to the Vatican has sort of made him a Cop Spy is proving even more interesting and challenging than Tommy ever expected. And using the charisms is a huge help in his work. This is a very entertaining story an excellent series. I look forward to the rest of the books in this series, and other offerings from Declan’s very skillful pen.

Two notes, first there is a short story set between books 3 and four, Lupus Dei, which I forgot to read before this one. Second I challenge my children to memorize prayers each summer. They get a reward for each one, and a bonus if they hit the majority of the ones we set. Often when in the car we just say prayers while making our way about, Tommy would endorse that, I am certain!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2022 Catholic Reading Plan!

Books by Declan Finn:

Love At First Bite Series:

Short Stories:

Blood Stained Cliffs of Dover

Bad Date

Mad Dog Moon

…

Novels:

Honor at Stake

Demons Are Forever

(Murphy's Law of Vampires)