Ex-soldier Cesare Aldo now works for the Otto – a kind of 16th-century Florentine police force – and must escort the Jew Samuel Levi safely from Bologna to Florence. However, they are attacked on the way home. Meanwhile in Florence, a young man dressed in women’s clothes is murdered. Just before he dies, he utters Aldo’s name.
City of Vengeance is the first book in a series of mysteries surrounding Cesare Aldo. This first story is set in 16th-century Florence where duke Alessandro de Medici is in power. You immediately discover that Aldo is one of those multi-faceted men, the ideal protagonist for a mystery series like this.
This book combines two murder mysteries with political intrigues. In addition to Aldo, we also meet a whole cast of characters including constable Strocci and the young Cosimo De Medici who will clearly last a few more books.
You can feel that it’s a first book, so a lot of context is still given. The murder mysteries on their own are not that strong, but they make for a good pace. A lot happens at once and Bishop provides a number of different perspectives.
The story is written as if you are walking through the streets of Florence yourself. I’ll definitely continue with the second book. And I can recommend it as an ideal summer read.
What’s your ideal summer read?
In Another Era 