City of Vengeance by D.V. Bishop is an excellent historical fiction that has it all: an excellent historical fiction plot, mystery, murder, suspense, intrigue, and was truly fascinating.

This book is the first in what is sure to be an excellent new series set in Florence, Italy. The Renaissance time period creates a great atmosphere of societal, cultural, and political change. This is a great selection as a backdrop for the narrative. This book starts towards the latter end of 1536 and we are introduced to Cesare Aldo, a complicated man with a past. A man of the law, a previous soldier, and a complex and flawed individual that makes for great reading. He ends up being placed into a predicament: solve a high-profile murder in just a few days time or face the consequences. The investigations between Aldo and his colleague Carlo Strocchi make for a suspenseful, gripping, and thrilling read. The more they uncover, the more political espionage and darkening plots that are discovered. Things continue to get complicated with when the ante is raised at the involvement of the potential usurping and deadly plot to kill the city’s number one man: Duke Alessandro de Medici. As the book continues on, we see how separate cases, circumstances, and details seem to intertwine and thicken, and the book comes to a fabulous conclusion.

What makes this even better for me is to know that this story, and characters, will continue onward and that some of the dramatic details are actually based on real facts. I love when a book can be tied into history.

This is a wonderful tapestry of HF, complex and well-drawn out characters and plot lines, mysteries that kept me guessing, twists, turns, suspense, and thrilling events that truly make for a wonderful novel.

I highly recommend this gem.

5/5 stars

Thank you to Pan MacMillan for this wonderful ARC and in I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR, Instagram, and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 2/4/21.

City of Vengeance is a book with a large cast of characters and I did find it confusing at times. Also confusing is the way that the focus changes from paragraph to paragraph without warning or explanation. There is plenty of action with Cesare Aldo at the forefront of the investigations into the various murders and intrigues, Aldo is gay and I like the way that the whole gay issue weaves its way through the plot based in Florence, a city of bent members of the Otto (police) during a time when being homesexual was illegal. A sometimes confusing but very well researched book and I would like to read another with Aldo as the main character. With thanks ot Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review an e-ARC of this book.

Two honest officers of the Otto find their new cases are going to put themselves and their city in danger.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book covers a wide cast of characters, and you get to see plenty of sides to Florence in 1536; but the plot is focussed on two in particular.
Aldo leads a very quiet and modest life, despite his history as an excellent swordsman. He could have pursued his own ambitions and glory; but he prefers to work relentlessly at protecting the innocent people of Venice.
His newest case has a personal edge - Aldo successfully escorted a Jewish money-lender on a journey back from Bologna; only for him to be murdered later in his own home.

Strocchi is a promising new member of the Otto that Aldo has taken under his wing.
Strocchi has recently moved from the countryside, and lacks the corruption that many of his peers suffer from.
During his patrol, he comes across a person who is beaten to death. When many are dismissive because it was a gay man touting illegal sex; Aldo swears to get to the bottom of it.

This is a slow-building murder mystery that follows Aldo and Strocchi's investigations, as they both work separately to get answers out of people that answer because of religion, or fear of repercussions.
It keeps you guessing throughout, on who the culprits are and why, and what bigger plots are at hand. The plot throws suspicion on several people, who each have believable motives for the murders.
I thought it had all been resolved by half-way, as we hit a bit of a climax, and I wondered what could possibly happen in the next 200 pages. There were no big shocking moments after that, but it was still highly entertaining and I was hooked for the rest of the book.

I liked how well-researched everything was, with the Otto - an example of early policing. The protocols and intricacies of court and different castes in Florence.
I thought the taboo of being gay was very well done. At this time in history it was illegal. With Strocchi's investigation, you get to see how many people coped, how they hid their "sins", and the dishonour it could potentially bring.
I liked how this tied in with learning more about Aldo, who lives like a monk and has no interest in women.

The first half of the book did strike me as lacking any likeable female characters.
This is understandably male-heavy, as it deals with the deaths of a gay prostitute and money-lender, so most of the contacts made are male; and the Otto is a completely-male force.
But it just irked me a little bit that the only women that featured seemed to be working out how to get their leg over for their advantage.

In the second half it was much better, as Rebecca (the money-lender's daughter) and some other smaller characters stop acting like wet rags and became quite interesting.

The story ends well enough, with all the questions answered; but it is definitely setting up for a series, and I'm intrigued to see where this goes.

This is the first in a historical murder mystery series, a blend of fact and fiction, by DV Bishop, set in Renaissance Italy featuring an officer of the criminal court and former soldier, Cesare Aldo, in the wealthy and influential city state of Florence in 1536, ruled by the Duke Alessandro de Medici. Aldo is returning to Florence guarding a Jewish moneylender, Samuele Levi living in fear of his life, managing to repel an attack by murderous bandits. However, Levi is murdered in his home within the city walls, his daughter Rebecca leaving home after an argument with her father. Aldo, one of the most able investigators, is tasked with finding the killer within 4 days before the feast of Epiphany, an almost impossible mission. Meanwhile, Constable Carlo Strocchi is determined to find the brutal murderers of a young man, Luca Corsini, wearing a exquisite and expensive woman's dress.

Florence in this period of history is a hotbed of court intrigue, gossip, political machinations, plots, sexual excess, bordellos, sharp inequalites, with extreme wealth existing with desperate poverty. Debtors and criminals are housed in the notorious hellhole that is the La Stinche prison. Homosexuality is a crime punishable by death, so Corsini's murder is not seen as a priority, indeed, many see it as a fate the victim deserved. Strocchi, however, is determined to find the killers, and upon discovering Corsini's home has been ransacked, he searches it thoroughly, finding a hidden book with incendiary information under the floorboards. This book ends up in the hands of an unscrupulous official, Meo Cerchi, with the result that further deaths follow. Aldo, living in a bordello, finds himself delving into Levi's life, a man for whom hardly anyone has a good word to say, a case that becomes a living nightmare when he uncovers a plot to kill Alessandro de Medici, but struggles to be believed. Living in fear of having his private secrets exposed, Aldo works with Strocchi as it begins to emerge their separate cases just might be connected.

Bishop writes a riveting and atmospheric piece historical fiction, he makes this period of Florentine history come vividly alive, such as the need for the likes of Aldo and Strocchi to tread carefully when it came to dealing with the city's powerful elites, as a group they act with impunity, virtually untouchable by Florence's justice system. The highlight of this promising beginning to the series is, without doubt, the complex and towering figure of Aldo, larger than life, finding himself facing dangers from all corners, a resilient, memorable, charismatic and enduring character that immediately ensnared my interest, so much so that I cannot wait to read the next in the series. This is for all those who enjoy well written and enthralling historical murder mysteries, such as readers who love the novels of CJ Sansom. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.

A lovely feast of a novel. Meaty, juicy historical fiction served on a ornate Italian plate and covered in Florence flair.

I felt as if I'd stepped out of a time machine. Bit of a dangerous time - murder, Jewish moneylenders, and a maze of mystery. I believe this is based on true events too albeit with a few fictional moments of course and the mix is amazingly addictive. The author note is very interesting!

I thought this was excellent quite honestly and need the next one in the series now please!

A fascinating story of Florence in medieval times when it was a rich city state under rhe rule of the Medici Family. It was advanced at the time with a proper police force on which the story centres. A senior officer is tasked with the job of discovering within 4 days and to report progress every day on who and why was a prominent Jewish money lender murdered, quite a tall order. Meanwhile the officer also gets to be involved with another murder of a handsome young man dressed as a lady that the authorities have no interest in. However. the officer feels unable not to pursue both the two cases which somehow become related. The story provides a rich insight into the culture of what was the sin city of the time with its brothel’s gay facilities and rich courtesans openly looking for rich clients. Merged with the politics of finance and politics it provides a rich background to the story. Inevitably when the officers investigations ventures into the affairs of state it puts him in danger. An most engrossing , thrilling and all consuming worthwhile read.

This is a great debut historical mystery/thriller set in 16th Florence and based around real events of the time.

Cesare Aldo works for the criminal court after serving for a period in the military. The story starts with him escorting a Jewish money lender on his travels to bring him safely back to Florence only to have him murdered once they return home. Meanwhile, a ‘courtesan’ of the time is brutally beaten to death where they discover she is actually a he, and homosexuality is punished by death. As the reader quickly discovers, Aldo has a vested interest in solving both cases but while investigating, also unearths a plot to murder the current Duke, Alessandro de Medici. The book very visually describes the filth, violence and intrigue of this period in history and the short chapters and fast pace keep the reader turning the page quickly.

As the blurb says, this is perfect for fans of C J Sansom (one of my all-time favourite historical writers) but I would add Ken Follett too, as the type of characters remind me of the ones you would find in his Pillars of the Earth series.

Looking forward to the second book in this new series to read more about Cesare Aldo and the others we have been introduced to!

What an absolute treat. Based on true events, City of Vengeance is clever, twisty and inventive, transporting the reader back to the narrow streets of treacherous, repressive Renaissance Florence.

Cesare Aldo works for the local law enforcers and he has been tasked to protect a Jewish moneylender on a journey back from Bologna. Although they are attacked, Aldo delivers him home safely, only to hear he was murdered later that night. Aldo is given just four days to find the killer - and has to report his progress to the Duke himnself. But meanwhile old rivalries are plotting against Aldo and his secrets are under threat, and with them his life.

I really hope that this is the start of a series. Well paced, well written, cleverly blending fact and fiction this is an impressive debut. Highly recommended.