Midnight Angels

This superior religious artifact quest thriller from Carcaterra (Sleepers) careens through the streets of Florence with quick stops at various museums and galleries for interesting sidebars on the life and work of Michelangelo ("the Divine One"). Two major groups are trying to find three Michelangelo statues, the Midnight Angels, long thought to be myth rather than reality: the secretive Vittoria Society, whose members locate stolen and lost art objects and return them to their rightful owners, and the Immortals, led by the Raven, a master thief who's as dangerous as he is ruthless. Early on, Kate Westcott, an American art student in Florence and the ward of the Vittoria Society's leader, tracks down the Midnight Angels, aided by her handsome Italian boyfriend, Marco. Many people die as Kate and friends fight to prevent the Immortals from stealing the Angels. The author's solid, well-executed premise will keep readers turning the pages. (July)