Angelopolis

Fans of Trussoni’s well-received Angelology (2010), set in a world where angels are real, should be satisfied with this sequel, but those looking for a consistent, well-thought-out alternative universe may be disappointed. In the book’s present, art historian V.A. Verlaine, who 10 years earlier realized that his flawed vision allowed him to “see angel wings without extensive training,” witnesses a mutilated angel’s last moments as she lies dying on a Paris street in “a pool of electric blue blood.” On the body, Verlaine is disturbed to find the New York driver’s license of Evangeline Cacciatore, “the love of his life,” who had turned into the sort of rogue angel that Verlaine now hunts. This murder marks the latest chapter in a centuries-old battle between humanity and the various categories of angels. Suspenseful actions scenes compensate only in part for thin characters, contrived situations, and Verlaine’s perplexing turnaround in his attitude toward Evangeline at the end. 5-city author tour. (Mar.)