Nick and his partner-girlfriend Karis begin the investigation. They start with Whine's church, where they meet a young, blind girl, Lydia, who turns out to be Whine's girlfriend. Lydia gives them some information that leads Nick to Jasmine, a witch, and her bookshop, where he learns of a three book trilogy, “Heaven, Earth and Hell, the Talisman Together,” that is over three-hundred years old and rumored to be an extremely powerful, very evil book when all three volumes are together.

As Nick races to try and collect the three volumes, he realizes that someone else is also looking for the books and may be one step ahead of him. When bodies begin to appear with ritualistic wounds, Nick begins to think that someone may have already unleashed the evil the books contain. He increases the urgency of the investigation, as the evil gets closer and closer to him.

Third Ring is a tightly written, fast-paced private eye novel. Nick is an enjoyable character who relies on his instincts and street smarts to help keep a level head during an investigation. Karis, who has a sad past, is a good partner for Nick, though she shows her insecurities during several jealous moments, making her seem younger than she really is.

Though readers may have to buy into witchcraft and black magic to make this book work, Phillip Tomasso keeps it at a level that makes it believable, and although the crimes are very evil, he doesn't allow an atmosphere of horror to completely take over, making the mystery spine-tingling without being gruesome. A strong connection with his priest also allows Nick to keep the balance between good and evil.

While some references to a previous case may make readers feel they have missed something, it will more than likely compel them to seek out previous Nick Tartaglia thrillers.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry