Sadly, I ran out of time to read this book and I've changed from one iPad to another and now I can't read this arc - sorry! I always try to read every netgalley arc I'm very kindly sent but now I can't access this read.

A thoroughly spell-binding 14th century whodunnit.

Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, is stranded in Venice on his pilgrimage to the Holy Land due to a siege by Hungary. He and his mother are staying with John Bearpark, a rich English merchant settled in Venice. When Bearpark’s grandson is found brutally murdered, he commissions Oswald to find the killer. Due to a crippling gambling debt, Oswald is bound to accept the commission. Aided by the reluctant servant Giovanni, he sets out into a murky, duplicitous and dangerous Venice populated by cutpurses, robbers and prostitutes, where denunciation to the authorities is just one rumour away. With his personal demons looming large, Lord Somershill embarks on a life-threatening journey into the Venetian underworld where everything is not quite what it seems.
Enjoyed every minute of it! Knowledge of Venice layout not necessary, but enhances the pleasure of reading this book. Made me want to read the first two de Lacy books.

This was a big let down for me- in a series I have loved until now. One of the aspects of the series that I liked the most was Oswald's character and in this book he has undergone a personality transplant, the reasons for which came too late in the book. He had become, greedy, deceitful, a gambler and a thief.
While the setting of Venice was different, the reason for Oswald and his mother to be there seemed arbitrary and more to do with the author wanting a change of venue, than Oswald. It was such a relief when we started to get to the flashbacks in England, and the characters we have come to know and appreciate. I disliked the monkey metaphor. Furthermore the Venetian investigation lacked pace and interest.
I hope the series can be salvaged in the next book (if there is one and the author hasn't just run out of ideas.)

Sykes really conjures up the atmosphere of 14th century Venice brilliantly. Unfortunately I had not read the previous 2 books, so the first third of the book became tedious. Even when the past was revealed it did not make me like the character of Oswald any more. Having been disappointed with this 3rd in the series book, I am not inclined to go back and read the first 2. If this book sounds interesting, I would advise reading them in order.

After a tragedy in England Oswald de Lacy is haunted and has set off on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. However he has got no further than Venice as the city is besieged by the Hungarians and no ships are sailing. Lodging with an English merchant known to his mother, Oswald indulges in the hedonistic side of Venetian life and finds himself in debt. Then the grandson of his landlord is found murdered and Oswald is forced to investigate, partially for money, partially because his mother is crowing about his skills and partially because he cares for the wife of the house.

This is the third outing for Sykes' reluctant medieval sleuth and the setting has changed from Kent to Venice. This is a welcome diversion as it places characters in greater proximity to each other in the city setting. Sykes' research and ability to conjure up that elusive sense of time and place are excellent as ever. I particularly liked the psychological issues that de Lacy was undergoing and the fact that they were not explained until deep into the book. this is solid and entertaining series of books.

Thanks Hodder & Stoughton and netgalley for this ARC.

S.D. Sykes knows how to keep a series growing and changing to keep her audience enthralled.
Oswald takes control of his life, ego, and maybe even his mother while in Venice. I look forward to the next book to see how it all works out for everyone.

City of Masks by S.D. Sykes

It is 1358 and some years have passed since the events chronicled in The Butcher Bird. Oswald de Lacy, the young Lord Somershill, is not the man he once was. He is pursued by demons and they have chased him to Venice where he waits for passage on a vessel to the Holy Land. Pilgrimage is Oswald’s hope but Venice is at war with Hungary and this is keeping all ships in harbour. It’s also not doing much to help the mood in this naturally suspicious and paranoid yet pleasure-loving city. Executions and torture are common, and among the masked gamblers, drinkers and lovers, lurk spies, thieves and murderers.

As the novel begins, we’re not sure what has happened to Oswald to drive him from England in such despair but he’s in need of diversion. But this comes from an unfortunate source. A friend is found murdered outside the house where Oswald is staying and Oswald, who has brought from England a bit of a reputation as being a solver of mysteries, is hired by the dead man’s exceedingly unpleasant grandfather to find the young man’s killer. The pursuit of the murderer throws Oswald into the heart of this lively and misbehaving city of secrets. Most have something to hide. It doesn’t help that the belligerent Venetian authorities have Oswald in their sights – a foreigner asking questions stands out. But Oswald isn’t on his own. His mother has accompanied him to Venice. Oh dear.

City of Masks is S.D. Sykes’ third Somershill Manor mystery and it’s very different from the previous two. The obvious difference is that this novel isn’t set in England but Oswald, our young hero, is not the man he was before, due to tantalising reasons that only become truly known in the second half of the novel. We’ve moved away from the devastating impact of the Black Death on Oswald’s manor and tenants but Oswald is clearly in pain. Discovering the reasons for this adds both power and poignancy to a novel that is also a thoroughly satisfying medieval mystery which throws a curious light on life in Venice during the mid 14th century.

The Venetian setting is marvellous. Its places familiar to us today mix with those lost in history but all are filled with colourful, lovely characters, many of whom are up to no good. There is a theme of religious pilgrimage running through City of Masks but this is skin deep, as shown in the city’s hypocrisy and unkindness to the poor, ill and vulnerable. I loved the descriptions of the waterways and islands of Venice, its palaces, grand houses, prisons and inns. It is richly evocative, both glamorous and seedy, wealthy and squalid. In a way, Oswald himself sums this all up – he might be a lord but he is living on the edge of respectability.

I have to admit that I was wary when I heard that City of Masks would be moved away from its setting in medieval England. Medieval Venice didn’t have the same appeal to me. But I needn’t have worried. S.D. Sykes is such a fine writer who really knows her subject and history and she makes Venice seem so real – a mysterious place in which one can be lost so easily. The mystery is a fascinating and gripping one, even more so because it throws such light on Venetian society at this time. S.D. Sykes is also great with people – I loved the characters in City of Masks. Oswald’s mother drives me mad at times (poor Oswald) but I’m rather glad she came along.

Oswald’s character and story dominate the novel and deservedly so. He is always likeable, flawed though he undoubtedly is, and we care for him. City of Masks works well as a stand alone novel but I think much can be gained for having read the three books in order. Watching Oswald grow from boy to man is well worth doing and a lot of this culminates in City of Masks. I also really enjoyed the way in which the mystery behind Oswald’s troubles is revealed.

I have loved each of the three novels in this wonderful, brilliantly written historical series but, if I had to pick a favourite, it would be City of Masks. From start to finish, it is nothing less than mesmerising and engrossing.

Other reviews
Plague Land
The Butcher Bird

I read this book in 27 hours- a sure sign I enjoyed it and couldn't really put it down! This is book 3 in the Oswald deLacey series and I didn't feel that having not read the previous two left me at any loss! I would say that it made me want to buy the other two as this book is well paced and written with a really atmospheric story! Venice makes for a memorable location for most fiction but fourteenth century Venice really is something! Venice is the city of masks and its tight streets, canals, odd political structure and being at the crossroads of west and east it's a character all on its own! Oswald's mother is perhaps the scene stealer but the story of murder, homosexuality and gambling debts make for a really interesting and addictive story! Such a great read in a genre with such hot competition! A new fan found!

This is the third book in S. D. Sykes’ Somershill Manor series. I felt it worked fine as a standalone book and I didn’t consider not having read the earlier books affected my enjoyment. If anything, it made me curious to read the other books in the series.

In fact, the reader is given some insights into the past of our hero, Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, which may or may not be part of previous books. In a very inventive way, the author gives us clues about the reason for Oswald’s tendency to lapse into periods of troubled melancholy and hint at dark secrets. However, for most of the time, he is a sprightly hero with an eye for a beautiful lady, a love of wine and not averse to a spree at the gambling tables.

Alongside Oswald is a cast of colourful (but possibly not terribly historically authentic) characters who may or may not be involved in the murder he sets out to investigate. My favourite was his domineering mother (who I suspect in reality would have been dead for many years, life expectancy then being much less). Fourteenth century Venice makes the ideal setting for a mystery with its narrow streets, spies, canals, political intrigue, masks and its situation as a melting pot of different nationalities on the pilgrimage trail to Jerusalem. There are plenty of twists and unexpected reveals that make City of Masks a thoroughly entertaining read for fans of historical mysteries.

I received an advance reader copy courtesy of NetGalley and publishers, Hodder & Stoughton, in return for an honest review.

This third Somershill Manor Mystery has an entirely different vibe to its predecessors. It sails away from the familiar territory of Oswald de Lacy’s manorial commitments in Kent to transport us to the 'City of Masks', Venice 1358.

Considerable time has past since our ex-novice monk inherited the title of Lord Somershill and gained respect as an amateur sleuth and we are fast forwarded seven years from The Butcher Bird (book 2) for Oswald to embark on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

The aim of his journey is to help him recover from an unshakeable melancholy which is manifesting itself at untimely intervals. But it seems no matter how far he travels, or how long he ignores his responsibilities at home, an oppressive gloom continues to track his hiding places before silently passing judgement.

There’s a real sense of dread for Oswald this time around. He has suffered miserably through no fault of his own and exhibits signs of some very dark thoughts indeed and struggles to face demons that are not revealed until later in the story. The reasons for his predicament were a giant leap from the inexperienced and immature Oswald I’d grown accustomed to during the last two books, so this development came as a bit of a surprise.

Ironically, it’s not due to any religious aspect of the journey that he finds solace. Instead he finds his spirits lift when playing games of dice with dramatic successes. Alas, his low mood is restored when losses mount up and he faces the threat of debt recovery, Venetian thuggery style.

Of course no voyage is without its minor irritations either. Yes, there’s his mother who has not only encouraged the entire 'pilgrim ordeal' but insists on accompanying him every step of the way. As expected she’s her usual tactless self, testing the patience of the company they meet – oh dear, she would be mortified if she knew how Oswald was spending his time and his limited funds!

Their travel plans are also disrupted by the brutal death of the grandson of an old friend the de Lacy’s are staying with during their stopover and the huge question hanging over Oswald is: will his sleuthing skills come in handy and strengthen his resolve, or will he crack under pressure when the ever-watchful authorities takes an interest in his involvement? It's difficult to call, as his English title, together with the lesser known one of ‘Investigative Genius’ bestowed on him by his mother, are nothing compared to the callous motives of the murderer as the body count rises. I was partially right with their identity but I cannot say any more as this escalated into something I was not remotely anticipating!

This murderous diversion takes a desperately haunted Oswald into the most wretched parts of the city where he encounters unpredictable opposition from all quarters, redefines his people skills, and is pushed toward a darkness he can no longer turn his back on.

First appearances can be deceptive, and the 'City of Masks' is no exception. Whispered secrets slither through a warren of filthy streets and murky waterways to leave a trail where escape is not an option and discovery is deadly.

I hope there's a new mystery in the pipeline soon as I adore this medieval crime series and every single character that breathes life into it.

I don't quite know how it passed me by but I didn't realise when I started this that this is the third book in a series. I saw the setting of Venice and plunged into the book. Unfortunately this didn't work for me. Perhaps because the character has already been introduced and developed in the previous two books, I found it quite hard to connect with him and I was a little confused at times about a few things. The plot itself was alright, but I personally didn't love it. Probably due to the lack of connection with the characters. This just wasn't for me. I definitely recommend reading the first two books before this one, as I imagine to will result in more enjoyment.

The first thing to bear in mind about this book is that it's actually third in a series. This wasn't made clear in the blurb for my Netgalley ARC, so I was immediately wrong-footed when it assumed much more knowledge of its protagonist, and his history, than I had. It's part of the Somershill Manor Mysteries series, the first of which is Plague Land and the second The Butcher Bird. In my ignorance, however, and lured by the promise of a novel set in 14th-century Venice, I simply plunged straight in...

Our protagonist is Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, a young English nobleman who has stopped with his mother for a sojourn in Venice, on their way to the Holy Land. They stay with the irascible old English merchant John Bearpark, who has made a fortune trading with the Venetians, but who knows that his foreign birth will forever exclude him from the inner circle of the city's nobility. And they are not the only visitors: Bearpark is also playing host to two more pilgrims, Bernard and Margery Jagger, a brother and sister who spend their time visiting Venice's shrines and, in Margery's case, keeping the vow of silence she took upon leaving England. The final inhabitants of this curious household are Bearpark's much younger wife Filomena, his exuberant grandson Enrico, and his prim clerk Giovanni.

All is not well, however, at Ca' Bearpark. In the very midst of Carnival, Enrico's bloodied body is discovered at the house's water-gate and the frail Bearpark is anxious to avoid the probing attentions of the Consiglio dei Dieci. Fortunately Oswald has form as a murder investigator (which came as a surprise to me, but won't to anyone who's read the earlier books). He agrees to take on the case for a small fee, which he hopes will repay his gambling debt to Enrico's rapacious friend Vittore. But all is not as simple as it seems. There is no immediate suspect or motive. Bearpark confides in Oswald that Enrico liked men, rather than women, and wonders whether his grandson's 'special friends' might prove a useful place to start. And so Oswald sets off on his investigation, aided by the recalcitrant and reluctant Giovanni. He hopes not only to discover Enrico's killer but also, by hook or by crook, to free himself from the lowering shadow of his own depression, scuttling relentlessly at his heels. And that's not the only thing that's following him.

In principle, it sounded good. I'm all for creeping around the twilight streets of medieval Venice but, the more I read, the more I realised that I wanted to do so in the company of someone other than Oswald. He just never developed much of a character for me. Now, I'll admit that I was hamstrung by not realising there had been two earlier books, in which I may well have learned all the ins and outs of Oswald's soul. But I felt no spark of personality, no inner depths: his depression and his great sorrow felt like things which had been tacked on, rather than being organic, deep parts of his true soul. It's true that, with a third book in a series, authors can expect readers to have already tackled the first two. But they have to take into account that the odd reader might come stumbling into Book Three, blissfully unaware. I found myself in the company of a man who was being stalked by something ominous and dark, but who didn't explain what it was until halfway through the book. When he finally did, it was a bit of an anticlimax. And, although I appreciated the lack of infodumping, it was frustrating trying to figure out exactly what Oswald was running away from. Something had obviously happened in England, and people kept making sage references to his 'troubles', but the book was well advanced by the time I found out the details. Ultimately, however, I simply didn't believe in the stout, rich reality of the first-person narrator - and that was an issue.

The mystery was a bit odd too. I twigged one clue very early, although the final explanation was so complicated that I felt double-bluffed into blind acceptance. And why did it matter that Enrico was gay? He didn't have to be at all. Of course, why not have a character who just happens to be gay? - but the fact Enrico liked men was held up as being a major plot point and, in fact, wasn't. It felt a tiny bit as if the author was adding something to make him more interesting, rather like Oswald's own melancholia. Furthermore, I thought there was a rather dated attitude to the Venetian characters: Filomena is the engimatic dark beauty, while Giovanni is the stock foreign sidekick, who makes amusing mistakes with his English and fusses too much over his appearance.

Essentially, I'm afraid I just couldn't summon up the empathy or engagement to really savour this. Having come to it for, as promised, a tale of intrigue in Venice, I suppose I did get that, but I didn't really get a sense of why this was 14th-century Venice and not 16th or 18th-century Venice. Beyond mentions of the plague, there wasn't much sense of specific period flavour, nor was there ultimately much point to it. I'm frustrated that I didn't like it. Amazon practically bristles with five-star reviews, and I feel somewhat like a lone, plague-ridden beggar standing all alone on the other side of the fence with my warning bell. But that's the way it is. I wanted more feeling for the historical period; I wanted a cleaner, less convoluted solution to the mystery; and, more than anything, I wanted more immediate, more gripping characterisation.

The review will be published on 1 April 2017 at the following link:
https://theidlewoman.net/2017/04/01/city-of-masks-s-d-sykes