SHADOW RITUAL

An international odd couple tracks a cabal of neo-Nazi assassins.

Berlin 1945. Martin Borman, facing defeat, confides a cache of crates containing invaluable cargo to Frenchman-turned–SS officer Francois Le Guermand, who then deliriously escapes an attack by the Red Army. Fast-forward 60 years to Rome, where suave French detective Antoine Marcas gives a speech on his avocation, ancient Masonic rites, while a Dachau survivor named Marek researches ancient relics. Shortly after he receives a call from Perillian, a businessman who reports a miraculous discovery, Perillian is shot dead by the mercenary Bashir, whom he unwisely trusted. Bashir promptly heads to Jerusalem to kill Marek. In Rome's French Embassy, archivist Sophie Dawes is killed by an unnamed woman. Sophie's case falls to brusque Special Agent Jade Zewinski, who also happens to be her close friend. As he dines with Marcas, French intelligence officer Jaigu asks him to consult. Jade bristles at Marcas' intervention but grudgingly admits the perceptiveness of his observations. They team up reluctantly, and Marcas turns his attention to a series of unsolved Freemason murders over the last century. Bashir muses that although he's no neo-Nazi, he'll gladly take their money. Marcas and Jade's searching takes them through Nazi diaries, the secrets of the Freemasons, and a series of captures, killings and narrow escapes.

Though far from subtle, Giacometti and Ravenne's series kickoff has abundant visceral appeal.