Book review : The Blighted Cliffs by Edwin Thomas

The Blighted Cliffs
Reluctant Adventures of Lieutenant Martin Jerrold Book #1
by Edwin Thomas

GENRE: #Historical-adventure-mystery

My rating: ★★★★☆

This is an adventurous mystery, set against the backdrop of 1806 Dover when the city was infested by smugglers and threatened by the French tyrant Napoleon.

I found it nice and engaging from the start, but it became more compelling chapter after chapter, involving the main character in one adventure (or rather misadventure ) after another.
The second part is wonderfully fast-paced and I couldn't help but turn the page to see what would happen next.

This is the first mystery I've read where the main character belongs to the naval world.
Although I loved the "Hornblower" tv series and the "Master and Commander" movie ( both based on well known book series ) I never read a book in that genre until now.
Of course this one is far less dramatic than the two I named above, but the same it has been a captivating story.
I suggest it to those looking for a light, adventurous read.
I think I'll certainly try other adventure and mystery novels in this genre from now on.

__ PLOT IN SHORT __ England, 1806.
Lieutenant Martin Jerrold is sent by his uncle, the Admiral, to the White Cliffs of Dover, with one final chance to redeem his reputation, after his poor performance (or rather: no performance at all) during the Battle of Trafalgar.

On his first night in Dover, while loitering near the harbor, he stumbles upon a body that has fallen from the cliffs.
The consequence is immediate: he's now the prime suspect in the murder.
Distrusted by his superiors, set upon by intriguingly well-informed smugglers, and attacked by the French at sea, Jerrold has two weeks to clear his name and save his skin... or perish in the attempt.

__________________

__ MAIN CHARACTER __ A really nice main character.
He is a young man (about 25 years old) portrayed in the general plot as a coward, but he is not the kind of slimy person whose cowardice makes others pay the consequences. Absolutely not.

Jerrold is the kind of boy who is not yet very keen on taking on any kind of responsibility and is naturally inclined to do as little work as possible.
A young man who is still immature, we would say nowadays.

Unfortunately, fate and his impulsive and somewhat rebellious nature constantly lead him into trouble.
I couldn't help but love him and root for him though,because of his inherent goodness and because his impulsiveness, while causing problems, also compels him to act in recklessly heroic ways, often surprising even himself.

_ SIDE CHARACTERS___ They are equally well-developed.
Whether virtuous or villainous, each character effectively expresses themselves through vivid actions and dialogues. I found them all remarkably believable.

_ HISTORICAL PART___
The story is not only centered around a murder's mystery, but it tells us the significant problem of smuggling along the English coast at the time, as well as the threat of a French invasion.

Although it may appear to be a light read dedicated to pure entertainment, this story is actually based on historical facts and lesser-known events. Those events are not widely discussed in history books, but they're supported by clues and evidence.
I cannot tell you more, because if I did, I would spoil the mystery's resolution.
You will find out everything in the ending and in the author's historical notes.

Reading this story also revealed that hot air balloons already existed in 1785, a fact I was unaware of, in fact I used to think that people's adventures with these means belonged to the end of the 19th century.
That's why I love historical fiction: one always has something new to learn !

_ At the end of the book there are INTERESTING AUTHOR NOTES about true history and I suggest you not to read before the end of the story if you want to avoid spoilers.

_ READABLE AS A STANDALONE _
-----> It's book#1 in a series of 3, but it offers a satisfying happy ending with no cliffhanger.

_ SUITABLE TO ALL AGES _
----> Clean language, no gruesome scene.

Thanks for reading my opinion and please forgive any errors you may find in my review, since English is not my language.

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Book review : The Organ Job by James Y.Bartlett

The Organ Job
Johann Sebastian Bach Musical Mystery book #1
by James Y.Bartlett

GENRE: #Historical-cozy-mystery

My rating: ★★☆☆☆
Real rating : 2.5

How I wish I had enjoyed this cozy mystery!
It had the potential to be a fantastic light read and a fantastic series to get attached to.
I love classical music and I simply adore settings in 18th century central Europe.

So when I saw this book for free on a book funnel ( and still available for free on Kindle unlimited ) my excitement was sky high!
Unfortunately I really struggled to get to the end and resist the temptation to abandon it.

Before to explain all reasons why it disappointed me, I gonna tell you something about the story :

___PLOT IN SHORT___ Kingdom of Prussia, 1732.
The famous composer Johann Sebastian Bach, along with his wife Anna Magdalena and his cousin and personal secretary Elias Bach, is going from Leipzig to Cassel (now Kassel) to tune the organ of the most important church in the city.
During their stay they learn of the suspicious death of the organist's daughter and the main suspect is her husband, who is also the pastor of the important Martinskirche.
The man has a lot of power and knows how to deceive (and threaten) the people around him.
Only Sebastian, with his wit and the help of his family and a good colleague, can bring the truth to light.
__________________

While I appreciate the idea of a famous composer using his observational skills and insight to uncover the truth, reading the story turned out to be boring and lacking the suggestive charm that the historical set should give.

1) As my plot summary reveals, the culprit is known from the outset (a bit like in the TV series Columbus).
Therefore, to maintain reader engagement, the story requires compelling twists and turns in both the investigation and its narration. Unfortunately, this narrative lacks such twists, and the investigation itself is unconvincing. The narration is unremarkable.

2) The reason why I love reading historical fiction and cozy mysteries set in the past is because I love the feeling of being transported to bygone eras and surrounded by characters who once lived, breathing the suggestive atmosphere of beautiful cities at those times.

However, simply describing the clothing, cuisine, and prominent buildings of a time period is insufficient to create a truly immersive atmosphere.
I've read historical fiction where authors effectively use vivid descriptions of scenes, smells, sensations, and colors to create a palpable sense of the past.
Regrettably, this author failed to achieve that effect for me.

3) The story is told in first person by 3 main characters ( Bach, his wife and his cousin ) + 2 side characters ( Bach's friend and the organist's living daughter ).
I usually enjoy first-person narration, actually it's my favorite one, but here it proved too confusing.

4) The ending was also quite disappointing: ______WARNING : SPOILER [ no prison or other real punishment for the villain who will escape in the night and no happy ending for the two lovers, who will continue their lives living in different cities. ____SPOILER END

I only appreciated the cozy atmosphere and the fact that the main characters were based on real people, which motivated me to research their history independently.

The 18th-century setting in Kassel also prompted me to search online for the historical palaces and locations mentioned, leading me to virtually explore the city.
It could have been a compelling historical "whodunit" series if the author had developed the characters more fully, limited the narration to the first-person perspective of one or, at most, two characters and crafted an intricate and captivating mystery with twists that would entice readers to eagerly turn the page.

More descriptive details of the city, rather than focusing on culinary dishes and character outfits, would have made the setting more immersive.
Overall, it was a missed opportunity. For now, I don't plan to read book #2 (already published and available).

Thanks for reading my opinion and sorry for any errors in my text, English is not my native language.

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Book review : City of Vengeance by D.V. Bishop

City of Vengeance
Cesare Aldo book #1
by D.V. Bishop
GENRE: #Historical-mystery #Renassaince-Italy

My rating: ★★★☆☆
This is a mystery set in mid-16th century Florence, Italy.

I'm Italian (so please forgive my English) and I'm always drawn to historical fiction set in the most beautiful and important cities of my country, especially when real historical figures play a role, even a small one, in the story.

The mystery itself wasn't bad, not the best and most engaging I've read in years, but it had a lot of potential to be a great read, however, some things really bothered me and that's why I rated it 3 stars, when it could have been 4 stars.

__PLOT IN SHORT ___ Florence. Winter, 1536.
A prominent Jewish moneylender is murdered in his home, a death with wide implications in a city powered by immense wealth.

Cesare Aldo, a former soldier and now an officer of the Renaissance city’s most feared criminal court, is given four days to solve the murder: catch the killer before the feast of Epiphany – or suffer the consequences.
During his investigations Aldo uncovers a plot to overthrow the volatile ruler of Florence, Alessandro de’ Medici. If the Duke falls, it will endanger the whole city.

A day before another murder had happened: a young boy, who was prostituting himself disguised as a woman.
Strocchi, a constable, Aldo's colleague, wants to shed light on the case, discovering that here too important people who have in their hands the city's trade, are involved with the dead man (or with the murder).

In all this is intertwined with Aldo's private life, in fact he hides a secret and a rival officer of the court is determined to expose some details about Aldo that could lead to his ruin.
Strocchi on the contrary is a sincere young constable still full of ideals and eager to do the right thing, one Aldo can trust.

Would Aldo and Strocchi be able to stop the conspiracy before anyone else dies or will they be defeated by politics and corrupt people greedy for gain and power?
________________

DID I LIKE IT ? My opinions on this book are controversial :

__ABOUT THE MYSTERY ___

YES ---> I liked that part of this BOOK was INSPIRED BY A REAL HISTORICAL EVENT : the murder of Alessandro de Medici which took place in 1537.
I always find historical fiction very interesting when true history is well mixed with fictional elements and I think the writer did it well.

Those who are not Italian will appreciate the author's historical notes, useful and stimulating for better documentation even just by reading Wikipedia.

NO ---> It is true that the book is written in English, so most readers probably don't know many things about the Medici, but I am Italian and since the son of a famous leader (whom a street in my city is also named after) is involved in the story, I already knew the culprit ( ____WARNING : SPOILER[ and also the fact that he is not captured ] SPOILER END _____ ) so I missed a part of the suspense.
Taking inspiration from real events is right, but putting a murder in a book, which you can even read about on the web, is not the best choice.

Furthermore, the first fictional murder seems to almost be forgotten at a certain point in the book and the connection between the two murders is very weak/non-existent.

__ ABOUT THE MAIN CHARACTERS __

YES ---> I became fond of both main characters: Cesare Aldo (at least until 98% of the book when he disappointed me) and Carlo Strocchi.
It's easy to appreciate characters when they are good-hearted men in a world where money and power can corrupt even men of the church as it happened in those days.
It's even easier when one of them has had a troubled past.

The same goes for a secondary character that I think will be recurring in the following books: Saul Orvieto, a Jewish doctor with whom Aldo develops a sentimental bond.

I would have liked to have a little more of the characters' private lives in the book and if I were to read more books in the series, it would be more out of interest in the characters than the mysteries they investigate.

NO---> As you can see above I liked the character the series is named after, Cesare Aldo, almost until the end, when I never expected him to ruin the ending for the readers and behave like a real hypocrite.
How ?
I can only tell you with a SPOILER ( don't read it if you plan to read the book ) ____WARNING : SPOILER[ _ Aldo in the end reveals a truth that had remained hidden: the real culprit of the fictional murder, who was a good boy who in a fight had killed a man hated by everyone for his wickedness.
Not only does Aldo ruin the happiness of two lovers, but his gesture leads the boy to commit suicide.
Aldo's lover had asked him to keep quiet, he knew that the boy was a good person and Aldo could have given him the chance to redeem himself.
I was disappointed by this ending, but I thought that Aldo wanted justice at all costs, not excusing the murder even if the victim was despicable and even if the murder had not been premeditated, but had occurred by accident.
THE REAL PROBLEM FOR ME was when Aldo, on that same night, killed an equally despicable and evil man, so that he would not reveal his secret and thus save his career and life (Aldo is gay and in those days one would end up rotting in prison).
SO HE SET HIMSELF UP AS JUDGE OF ANOTHER, BUT THEN HYPOCRITICALLY COMMITTED THE SAME ACTION: A MURDER!
I wouldn't have minded killing the blackmailer bastard, if Aldo hadn't first condemned the boy to flee and take his own life.
But he ruined a boy's life for a wrong action and then immediately after committed the same action to save his good name and with it himself.
UNACCEPTABLE ! ] SPOILER END _____
This contributed to making me give up continuing the series.
I can't read books where I don't have respect for the main character.

___ ABOUT THE WRITING STYLE __

NO ---> I don't know if the author has been to Italy or has Italian friends, in any case he stuffed the first half of the book with the most vulgar word that we Italians have to express male genitals: "cazzo" and "palle" (sorry if I report it here).
" C..." It's a disgusting word and within the first 25% of the book, it appears frequently, approximately every two to three pages, even in vulgar contexts such as: sucking his "c....".
Then from 25% to 50% of the book it is still a recurring word even in sentences where it could have been avoided. This thing disgusted me a lot, even if in Italy that dirty word has now become a common exclamation.
The issue is not only the vulgarity of the word itself, but also the vulgarity of the sentences in which it was used.
The constant repetition of this word, appearing on almost every page, was disgusting and made me want to stop reading.
If the author didn't want to use the clinical word "penis", he could have employed other Italian words that indicate the male genital organ, such as "uccello" or "pisello," which are less overtly vulgar than the word chosen by him.

The author also had fun inserting here and there Italian words that are readily translatable into English (secretary, office, family , puttana (whore)...) and the purpose of this stylistic choice makes no sense.

--> The atmosphere was no longer Italian because of those words, the author should have instead concentrated a little on some suggestive description of Florence, but apart from mentioning the name of some palaces, there is no description that transports the reader to 16th century Florence.
I recently read a book set in Venice in which there were words in Venetian (which are explainable in Italian, but do not have a corresponding word) and in Italian of the time that would not be translatable and therefore it was right.
BUT IN THIS BOOK THIS DID NOT MAKE SENSE and it seemed ridiculous to me.

Thanks for reading my opinion :-)

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Book review : Her Rebel Heart by Alison Stuart

Her Rebel Heart
by Alison Stuart

GENRE: #Historical-adventure-romance
STANDALONE

My rating: ★★★★☆
3.7 rounded up to 4

Easy read, light romance with a hint of adventure, no drama and happy ending guaranteed.

The setting is English Civil War but other than that there is no real historical information in the book, except perhaps the fact that the author was inspired by real women who endured a siege of their castle when their husbands were engaged in wars.

__ PLOT IN SHORT __ England at times of the Civil War.
Sir John Felton's two daughters are alone with the garrison in their manor Kinton Lacy Castle.
Deliverance is a classic tomboy who studies all the books in the library on war tactics to defend her home.
Penitence, a true beauty, is more feminine and is pining over her broken engagement to her neighbor and lover Jack Farrington, who now fights for the opposing faction, the Royalists.

Captain Luke Collyer and his men are sent from Gloucester to Kinton Lacy by the girls' stern father to help them resist the siege and save the castle and all the people living within the walls.
Luke has a certain reputation with women and the disheveled woman dressed in breeches, who does not want to give up the command, is certainly not his ideal type of woman ... and yet between one skirmish and another the two begin to collaborate and respect each other. The attraction and a strong feeling are a natural consequence ... but the situation is critical and dangerous, someone is betraying from within and perhaps giving in to feelings is not the wisest thing to do ...

_______________________


__CHARACTERS__ As soon as I read the names of the two sisters (Deliverance and Penitence ??? Seriously ? ... Awful !!!) and that Luke was considered a womanizer and she was rebellious and stubborn, I wanted to abandon the book... but since it was already the fourth that I started without then going on I decided to continue.
Horrendous names and two clichés that I hate... But fortunately the characters turned out to be more pleasant than what was my first impression and it was easy to grow fond of them.

I admit that all, but especially the two main characters could have been explored a little more, however when I finished my reading I realized that I missed them and that is exactly what makes me understand the grade I liked them and their story.

__LOVE STORY__ Hmm... Actually I would not recommend this book to those who read mainly romances because the whole story is a mix of various elements and the author does not focus mainly on kisses and meetings.
To be honest I liked this fiction precisely for that reason. Indeed I enjoyed the adventure and the twists (which however were resolved quite quickly ) and the love story developed slowly without being too sappy (which I hate and really didn't want).

---> It's a clean romance up to 80% of the book, then there's one sex scene (which seems a little out of line with the rest of the writing style of the book), but even if it's explicit it's not vulgar and it's described briefly, so nothing particularly steamy.

---> The language is clean and that's something I always appreciate.

---> It's a fast paced adventure, I never found a moment of lull and this helped raise my rating.

---> Not a particularly exciting novel that will remain engraved in your memory, but it's a pleasant read, recommended to those looking for an undemanding content and an entertaining read..

Thanks for reading my opinion and sorry for my English, it's not my native language.

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Giveaway : Carnival Mask Bookmarks

A freebie for you : colorful Bookmarks suitable to all those fascinated by masks

Those of you who still use paper books can print them out and use them as bookmarks. .

CLICK ON THE PREVIEW IMAGE and then DOWLOAD FOR FREE

@TizianaFragnerGraphic
Carnival Masks Bookmark #1
Size 300 x 700

@TizianaFragnerGraphic
Carnival Masks Bookmark #2
Size 300 x 700

I hope you will like it. :-)

Hello friends,
Happy Mardi Gras ! :-D

I've always felt captured by the colors, the sparkle and the mystery of Carnival masks.
That is why every yearin this period, being Italian, my readings are mainly set in Venice, the city of masks par excellence and where Carnival was and still is a very important and eagerly awaited event.

I can't explain why I prefer historical fiction rather then contemporary ones. So I love the settings in Venice of bygone eras, especially the 18th century, with ladies in evening gowns with full skirts, tight bodices and fabulous wigs, lace, ribbons and jewels. men with tricorn hats and large dark cloaks hiding behind masks...
So much liveliness against the backdrop of a mysterious Venice made of water, fog, bridges and gondolas.

I love spy and secrecy games and the Venice of ancient times, in its splendor and its corruption, is the perfect background for this kind of stories.


Would you like some good suggestion
about historical mysteries set in 18th century Venice ?

Here you are :

Scherzo:
Murder and Mystery in 18th Century Venice
by Jim Williams
GENRE: #Historical-mystery
My rating: ★★★★☆


__IN A NUTSHELL __ Ludovico the German, a young eunuch who works as a singer in the theater of the splendid and corrupt Venice, finds a corpse hanged from a bridge.
The man who is with him, a well-known French philosopher named Voltaire, insists to begin a dangerous investigation. A friend of Ludovico, Giacomo Casanova will help to find the truth while the mysterious Count of Cagliostro...well you have to read it by yourself !

... Or first you can read MY REVIEW HERE.

Ascension:
The Alvise Marangon Mysteries book #1
by Gregory Dowling
GENRE: #Historical-mystery
My rating: ★★★★★


__IN A NUTSHELL __ Venice under the Dogeship of Pietro Grimani ( 1741-1752 ). Alvise Marangon is a young cicerone, i.e. a tourist guide that worksin tandem with his friend gondolier Bepi. When one day a couple of customers are stalked by shady characters, Alvise tries to help and finds himself involved in a murder. Arrested by the Doge's men, he has only two choices: rot in prison or act as an ape for the Doge to foil a political plot.
Luckily some good friend as the gondolier Bepi, the librarian Fabrizio and his beautiful daughter Lucia will be a great help in a complicated and really engaging investigation.

I really loved the main character and you can read MY REVIEW HERE

The Four Horsemen:
A Venetian mystery with surprises at every turn
The Alvise Marangon Mysteries book #2
by Gregory Dowling
GENRE: #Historical-mystery
My rating: ★★★★★


__IN A NUTSHELL __ Venice, 1749. Alvise Marangon,a young man raised in England, but born in Venice officially works as a cicerone (tourist guide) for English nobles on tour, but secretly he is also a confidential agent who operates in espionage to protect Venice from intrigues and dark plots. This time too he will find himself involved in the political plots of some rebels and in the greedy greed of Venetian nobles of ill repute.

This one is even better and more compelling than book #1, I loved it very very much ( but please, don't skip the first book, you'll have a better enjoyment of the characters and their stories and a better vision of the whole setting and story ).
----> MY REVIEW HERE


Something for those who love romantic fiction

The Venetian Mask
by Rosalind Laker
GENRE: #Historical-suspence-romance

__ NOT YET READ _ IN MY WISHLIST__


__IN A NUTSHELL __ Enduring friendships and long-held vendettas come alive against the splendor and decadence of eighteenth-century Venice.
Venice, 1775. Elena and Marietta are two great friends who marry men from two feuding families.
As the French Revolution unsettles all of Europe, Elena’s husband frames Domenico and he becomes a political prisoner. Marietta and Elena plot to save him even if they have to put their life at risk. The two women will discover that the tradition of mask-wearing is not only allowing adultery and debauchery, but can have noble purposes too.


Thanks for stopping by and have a nice day !


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Book review : The Four Horsemen by Gregory Dowling

The Four Horsemen
The Alvise Marangon Mysteries book #2
by Gregory Dowling
GENRE: #Historical-mystery
My rating: ★★★★★
full 5-star rating !!!!!!!

A gripping Venetian mystery with surprises at every turn.

Why I LOVED IT in few words :
- gripping mystery from the first to the last chapter
- nice, witty and smart main character
- interesting and nice and quick-witted recurring side characters
- evil villains you can't wait to see punished
- chucklesome and lively dialogues that manage to make the reader enter the souls of the characters
- fascinating backdrop of ancient Venice with engaging but never too long descriptions (as sometimes happens to those who write historical fiction)
- lots of true history cleverly interwoven with fiction
- happy ending without leaving annoyingly unresolved issues, but still fueling the hope of reading not just one, but many sequels !!!
- useful italian and Venetian words glossary available

__ THE PLOT IN A NUTSHELL ___ __ Mid-18th-century Venice.
Alvise Marangon, a young man born in Venice and raised in England by his actress mother, lives in his hometown earning a living as a cicerone (tour guide) together with his friend Bepi the gondolier. He also has a second secret job: he is a secret agent for the Missier Grande, one of the powerful figures who control justice in the Venetian Republic.
Summoned by his superior to investigate the suspicious death of another agent and a possible secret society whose political and subversive objectives are unclear, he finds himself entangled in a deadly game of nocturnal meetings, murders, disappearances of works of art, bewitching and dangerous noblewomen and sadistic spoiled offspring.

The very life of the Republic is in danger and the risk of new wars with the Greeks and Turks is one step away from the hard-won peace.

Fortunately he can count on his shrewdness and skill to improvise, as well as on his laconic, but intuitive ,acute and faithful friend Bepi, on the lovely and also smart girl he loves (but who he has not yet managed to conquer) Lucia and on the erudite and good father of Luicia, the bookseller Fabrizio.


___________**********_____________

---> Fluid WRITING STYLE that makes reading easy and smooth, but at the same time knows how to keep the reader's interest alive not only regarding the investigations and the mystery but also the personal life of the main character, who often finds himself living in dangerous and tangled situations even on an emotional level.

--> While this mystery is perfectly READABLE as a STANDALONE, it would be a shame not to start with book #1.
In fact, if you read this novel after the other, you will have a greater understanding of Alvise and his friends, not only in terms of character, but above all regarding their lives and the world of Venice at that time.
Reading book #1 ( Ascension ) first, will give you a greater enjoyment of the story of book #2.

This second episode in "Alvise Marangon mysteries" is a FULL 5 STARS to me, I have no complaints about it, not even the smallest.

The character of Alvise is captivating, the recurring characters are pleasant and always useful to the investigations (including the lively and clever children who play in the mud and that he often uses to send messages or ask for information... they remind me a little of Sherlock Holmes' "Irregulars").
The adventures are always exciting and fast-paced.

I won't dwelt on the description of the CHARACTERS and how they are portrayed in an excellent way so much so that it seems like you really know them, I will not even dwell on the fact that Gregory Dowling, a writer and professor of Anglo-American literature who has lived in Venice for many years, is able to literally transport the reader to that time and place as if we were in a time machine, but as a reader who loves historical thrillers I assure you that it is worth reading the two books in the Alvise Marangon series.

---> The LENGTH OF THE BOOKS is also PERFECT: not too short (where we often do not have enough details and insights) and not too long (where the writers often divert the discussion into a thousand other preambles and superfluous descriptions, boring and making you lose the thread of the main story).


Reading SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES from 14 years and up:
- Clean language
- 1 sex scene, but not described in detail.
- 1 brutal killing, but not described in gruesome detail (trust me, this is coming from someone who hates horror and bloody details)

I sincerely hope that Mr. Dowling is writing book #3 for this wonderful series.
The premises for writing other exciting episodes are all there and I hope that the series can soon be translated into Italian too.
I am Italian, I like reading in the original language, but I am sure that Alvise Marangon and his mysteries would also be very popular with Italians who do not know English.

Thank you for reading my opinion.
Even though English is not my language, I hope I was able to explain myself well and to have been helpful in choosing the book.

READ ALSO MY REVIEW about the engaging prequel:
ASCENSION, book #1 in Alvise Marangon mysteries by Gregory Dowling.

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Book review : Ascension by Gregory Dowling

Ascension
The Alvise Marangon Mysteries book #1
by Gregory Dowling
GENRE: #Historical-mystery

My rating: ★★★★★
Wonderful and gripping mystery!

4.8 stars rounded up to 5, but only because the author was lazy enough to include only a few meager lines as historical notes, when he could have enlightened the reader in a better way.
As for the mystery itself, the main character, the side ones and the setting, my rating is 5 full stars, I really loved it !!!!

---> If you like historical settings and Italian city like Venice, I recommend it!

Readable as a standalone, since it leaves nothing hanging, but there is also a book #2 ( series : The Alvise Marangon Mysteries ), which I already own and will read as soon as possible.

____PLOT IN SHORT ___ Republic of Venice, 1749.
The city is under the Dogeship of Pietro Grimani ( 1741-1752 ).

Alvise Marangon is a young man born in Venice, but raised by his mother, a theater actress, in England.
Returning to Venice to try his hand at art, after a couple of years he decided to earn a living as a tour guide (cicerone, is the old Italian word), working in tandem with his faithful gondolier friend Bepi.

Thanks to Alvise's perfect bilingualism, they work exclusively with English tourists.
One day they take on a boy and his tutor as clients, both interested in esotericism and who will meet mysterious and suspicious people, dragging Alvise into a network of murders, criminals, blackmailers and spies.

In fact, one of the greatest authorities in Venice will demand that Alvise become an agent in his service, under penalty of prison on false charges.

Days of investigations, disguises, kidnappings, escapes and fortunately also desperate rescues will follow, until Alvise, with the help of his friends, will find the truth.

___****______ **** ______


__MAIN CHARACTER ___ The story is told in the first person by Alvise, who is a sunny, spontaneous, lively character with a subtle irony that makes reading fun, even in moments of great tension.

The humor is never forced or exaggerated to be annoying, on the contrary it is well-dosed by the writer with wit and fully conveys the way of being cheerful and so little inclined to worry about the consequences of words and actions, of the main character.
Alvise will not fail to make you become his fan.

In addition to his sympathy, he proves to be a witty and enterprising guy, full of affection towards his friends and generous to the point of wanting to help even when it would not be convenient for him.

His only flaw is perhaps his loose tongue, he cannot hold back his sarcasm even in front of the authorities and despite having taken a vow of secrecy, he cannot help but be sincere.
Well, I also liked him for this!

___ SIDE CHARACTERS___ They are divided into 4 groups:
- the small circle of people dear to Alvise
- the authorities with whom he is forced to collaborate
- the clients
- the evil ones

Each character has their own peculiarity and each of them (even those that in a film we would call the extras) is useful to make the story more fun, more intriguing, more mysterious, more exciting, more suspenseful ... depending on the case and the moment.

I find them all well described and vivid, so much so that I almost believe I really know them.

___ DIALOGUES__ The dialogues are well written and thanks to the description of the tones of voice we can perfectly imagine the characters while they recite their lines, something that helps to define the atmosphere of the moment, whether it is light or threatening and full of suspense.

___ SETTING ___ In this case the city becomes the co-protagonist of the story.

Its beauty is made of luxurious palaces with foundations in the water, significant monuments in the history of the ancient republic and still existing nowadays, lagoons and canals on which gondolas and boats of different types parade day and night, fabulous and large squares where the festive crowd pours in full of colors and masks, dark nights in which only few lanterns reveal the human figures hidden under tricorn hats and cloaks...

Dowling's descriptions take you directly to the first half of the 18th century of the Venetian Republic and you can enjoy its timeless charm to the full while reading the book.

___MYSTERY____ It seems more complicated than it is, but until the end the reader remains wrapped up in uncertainty and doubt.
Perhaps I was more fascinated by Alvise's way of operating and the constant trouble he finds himself in, rather than by the mystery of the murder.
---> I mean, I was so caught up in the whole adventure that I wasn't focused on wanting to know who killed who at all costs. I think that the strength of this thriller is precisely this and I think that a good film director could really make a great movie out of it!

There are several characters who are not who they say they are so the twists and turns alternate with the theories that the reader is led to hypothesize, in this way you get to the end of the book without ever having a boring moment.


__ YOU HAVE TO KNOW THAT ___ There are several words in the book that necessarily had to be written in Italian and Venetian, just to make the story more impressive and suggestive, but the author has provided a GLOSSARY, located AT THE END OF THE BOOK.
It is very useful even for me, because despite being Italian I do not know the Venetian words.

___ HISTORICAL NOTES: unfortunately disappointing, they are only a few lines and to know the basic history of the characters who really existed and the politics of Venice and some objects mentioned in the book by name (such as the "Marangona" and the "Bucintoro", but which are not explained during the story or in the glossary and you will have to search for them yourself on the web.)
In a novel in which fiction merges with true history, historical notes by the author are important to me.
I always feel disappointed when they are missing or almost that.

RECOMMENDED READ ?? Off course yes, to all mystery lovers, even to those who love "cozy mysteries" because:
- there are no bloody scenes
- the language is clean
- there are no sex scenes

Thanks for reading my opinion and sorry for my English, I'm from Italy.

READ ALSO MY REVIEW about the very well written and gripping sequel:
THE FOUR HORSEMEN , book #2 in Alvise Marangon mysteries by Gregory Dowling.

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