I adored this novel, number four in this detective series set In Renaissance Italy.
The year is 1539, Florence is the setting. Duke Cosimo de Medici is the ruler of the city.
Cesare Aldo is a Police officer on night duty, there to enforce the curfew. He and officer Benedetto come across a body lying at the foot of a fountain in the Piazza della Signoria. This man has a red mark around his neck, suggestive of being garrotted, and the body has been posed like a crucifixion.
Dr Saul Orvieto, a Jewish doctor is called to the scene. We surmise that he and Aldo are probably lovers, this does add an interesting slant to a Police series , set in Rome, which is known as a bastion of Catholic religion and beliefs. Men are expected to get married in Florence, that is probably why Aldo lives in a Bordello to avoid speculation about his love life.
Why was the man murdered? Why was his body arranged so, and what message was being conveyed?
This leads to a fascinating romp through Renaissance Florence. Along the way, we learn more about the Catholic Church, special services offered by certain priests, spies, conspiracies, politics of Italy and other influential places, and various sexual practices and how to hide your true nature, not to mention the murders that follow.
I found this to be an enthralling murder mystery. This is the first book I have read in this series, so I am very late to the party. I found the story easy to follow and felt it could be just as enjoyable as a stand alone story. I loved the characters of Aldo and Saul, very well portrayed, each risking so much to be together.
My thanks to Netgalley and Pan MacMillan for my advanced copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. I will leave a copy of this to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication. I gave this 5 stars.

I haven't read the previous books in the series, but the author brought me up to speed easily with well-placed references and backstory, so I never felt left behind. The worldbuilding is wonderfully immersive and the characters engaging. The writing feels historically and culturally accurate yet easy to read.

The plot was well paced, with rising tension that kept making me think 'one more chapter.' The entire set-up was great, but unfortunately, I felt rather let down by the revelation of the mystery - the character's motivations just didn't gel. Means and opportunity were well crafted, but motive fell flat.

So, I was left feeling a bit deflated, but I enjoyed 90% of the book and it won't put me off reading others in the series.

This is a fantastc series set in 16th century Florence. A great cast of characters and some excellent plots. This one deals with priests, exorcism and spying. Lots going on, as usual, with Strocchi and Aldo kept busy. I liked the ending and am looking forward to seeing how the series develops in the next book.

What’s not to like? A few hours in the virtual company of Cesare Aldo as he again works to foil the dark side in sixteenth century Florence was always going to be a pleasure, having enjoyed the first three books in this series. As always, there is much to be said from reading books in a series in order, but there is plenty here to entertain the first time reader of the adventures of Cesare Aldo. The author somehow manages to capture what seems to be an authentic atmosphere of the time and the pressures he faces from the political intrigues of the period in trying to solve a series of murders.

Another great read
Set in Renaissance Florence, Aldo a constable for the Otto attempts to solve a bizarre murder with the help of Strocchi against a backdrop of political intrigue and a superior who is full of his own importance and disregards the skills of his people.
Aldo gets dragged into the political machinations between Florence and Venice and is given limited time to solve the case whilst in fear for his life and job.
If you know Florence you will enjoy this book as you follow Aldo and Strocchi through the streets of Florence during the time of Cosimo Medici at the height of Medici power.

This is the fourth book in a series featuring Cesare Aldo. It works well as a standalone, but there is a lot of character development over the previous books which you miss if you haven’t read them.

D V Bishop creates Renaissance Florence and Italy to perfection. It was a country divided and regions were constantly under threat and the atmosphere if suspicion and intrigue us captured so well. I’ve never been to Florence, but reading these books has given me a sense of the opulence of the buildings, the narrow streets and the smells and taste of a city as it was over 500 years ago.

Aldo has returned after a period of exile but has been severely demoted to night patrol. An arduous and dangerous job in the dark streets when there’s danger at every corner. Needless to say he becomes involved with murder and we see the Aldo we’ve grown to love apply his knowledge and intellect, along with some cunning, to resolve the situation. For me, this is historical crime fiction at its best. I trust the research to be complex and comprehensive, and the period detail is sewn into every story seamlessly. There’s a real feel for the era and political connivings. Really enjoyed this and there are enough twists to keep the reader guessing.

A fascinating tale based in. Florence . Quite unusually written but it is definitely worth persevering with.

This is the 4th book in DV Bishop's hugely enjoyable historical crime thrillers, set in de Medici Florence. One of the things I really enjoy about these books is how well the author conjures up the sights, smells and sounds of Renaissance Florence, and how cleverly he integrates us into a very different society with very different morals, ways of living and fears. This is a city that lives under the eyes of the church, under curfew, ruled by a Duke who himself is constantly on the look out for enemies, in an Italy not united but fragmented into city states. The research is so beautifully woven in that it never feels out of place but as if Bishop is describing a place and time he himself inhabits.
The book opens with Aldo, the protagonist of the series, demoted to constable and placed on never ending night watch arresting curfew breakers until a mysterious murder sees his old assistant, Strocchi, now an officer in his place, requesting his help. The change in dynamic isn't easy for either man, especially when the Duke requests Aldo's help with another matter entirely, one unconnected to his work with the Otto, the law-enforcing arm of Florentine law. I didn't find the mystery itself quite as compelling as previous books, but enjoyed the character development, the new characters and the interplay between Aldo and his unpleasant boss Bindi, and with a glamorous, intelligent Contessa who is playing Aldo as much as he is playing her...
Dark, twisty and a lot of fun. Recommended.

This is a solid historical fiction novel from The Aldo scries set in Florence. Although it is not the first, not reading earlier novels isn’t vital.

The story is fast moving, complex and has a nice twist at the end. I enjoyed it.

I am enjoying this series and was pleased to receive a review copy of this fourth book (many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley). The plot had the traditional gruesome elements associated with a serial killer (tongues split in half for example) and it was good to spend time with Cesare Aldo again.

Whilst still enjoying this I did find that it dragged more than previous novels, I think in part because of the larger focus on Strocchi at the expense of Aldo, he is much less engaging, and I must admit that I found the seductive Venetian spy rather funny, more an 'Allo 'Allo character than a serious temptress. As the cast of characters is fairly small it didn't take long to identify the killer.

Having said this it was well-researched as ever, and the modern themes like being gay in an oppressive society are handled sensitively.

This is the fourth outing for Cesare Aldo of the Otto in Florence and very enjoyable it is too. There are familiar characters in Strocchi and his growing family and the rather slimy Bindi who does everything he can to make Aldo’s life difficult and ingratiate himself with Cosimo d’Medici. The interweaving of historical detail and a juicy murder mystery is immaculate and seamless and the storytelling is smooth and accomplished. But I missed the tension that Cecci added to the mix and the threat of danger from previous stories. Aldo’s life seems more settled and less adventurous, even his relationship with Saul is untroubled despite the presence of a femme fatale spy mistress. While the conclusion was not unexpected this was a satisfying read and I hope there is more to come.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

This is the fourth in a series of historical mysteries set in Renaissance Florence and centring around policeman Cesare Aldo. I haven’t read the first three but was interested in the setting and that was very well portrayed, with a real sense of time and place. The mystery itself was interesting but not too difficult to guess as there weren’t really many suspects, and it didn’t completely engage me. Some of the characters felt a little underdeveloped too but perhaps this is because I haven’t read the previous books. An interesting read though.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

A Divine Fury is the fourth volume of the Cesare Aldo series of historical mysteries. Whilst it is technically possible to start here, you’d be missing out on much of the character action – not to mention three brilliant books. Go read City of Vengeance, you won’t regret it.

Book 4 finds Cesare Aldo back in Florence following a period of exile, but permanently banished to night patrol. The grisly discovery of a murder victim, posed as if crucified, offers him a chance to return to his previous life as an officer of the Otto.

I do enjoy this series. It has everything you would want from the historical crime genre. Convincing and compelling characters – Strocci, Bindi, Saul and Rebecca all appear within these pages, well written dialogue, a well-realised setting and a good plot. The series grows book by book and I can’t wait to read the next one.

Much recommended to fans of historical crime fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers, Macmillan UK, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cesare Aldo is back in Florence. In this fourth book of the series, he has been assigned to the night watch but is desperately trying to get back to proper detecting. When a body is discovered in one of the piazzas, he joins forces with Strocchi to bring the guilty to justice. His investigation brings him into conflict with the Florentine church. In addition, Cosimo Medici also has plans for Aldo.
I enjoy the historical aspect of this series. Fifteenth century Florence is brought to life in vivid detail. With the earlier books, I found them slow to get into but there was usually excitement and an upping of the pace towards the end. With this book I felt it fell a bit flat. The story was not engrossing and the characters didn't engage as well as in previous books. Strocchi was a much stronger character than Aldo in this book. For me Aldo seemed rather two dimensional.
It was a reasonably entertaining read but I hope for better from the next book in the series.

From GoodReads:
Murder, Intrigue, Mayhem, Spys, Florence, Medici's, Forbidden Love .. and a dose of Religion
This is as good,if not better, than the previous books in series. Really enjoyed - what next for Aldo though

I was thrilled to get my hands on A Divine Fury, the fourth in the Cesare Aldo series. As a massive fan of historical fiction, these books are my happy place.

Aldo is back in Florence, stoic after being banished for a while & then demoted by the incompetent Bindi. He & his faithful sidekick, Stocchi, are soon up to their necks in what appear to be ritual killings. Add in a mysterious Contessa, spies & the usual filth & poverty and the scene is set.

I was a bit disappointed that the story didn’t focus on Aldo as much as the previous novels. I missed finding out more about him & his life. If anything, it felt like Stocchi was promoted to the fore whilst Aldo retreated to the shadows for a while. This series has been compared to the Shardlake books, and for good reason, the characters are the centre of the story, with intrigue & murder thrown in for good measure.

Saying that, I still enjoyed the book & the descriptions of Florence are vivid & well written. I’m looking forward to seeing what Aldo gets up to next.

While I am a huge fan of this series I do feel people could still pick any of these up and read them on their own. There are tantalising bits about what has happened previously to the main characters but not enough that I think it would stop anyone from going back to the first and reading in order.

I have thoroughly enjoyed each of these books not only for the historical detail of a time and place I have no real knowledge of, but the mysteries themselves. C J Sansom is to date my absolute favourite historical mystery author but with no more from him, DV Bishop is definitely poised to take his place. I am really looking forward to see where he takes Aldo from here!

This series just gets better and better.

It's Autumn 1539, and some eighteen months have passed since the events of "Ritual of Fire". Cesare Aldo has returned from the wilderness, and is back in Florence, albeit still as a constable and on permanent night patrol. A curfew is in force, so his work mainly involves picking up drunks and other persons whose night-time activities aren't fully legal. Once such individual leads Aldo and his companion a chase through the city until they reach Michelangelo’s statue of David, at the base of which lies a corpse, posed as if crucified. When a further body turns up the next day, Aldo realises there's more to this than meets the eye.

Soon, Aldo and his associate Strocci are deep in a mystery which includes the merchants of the city, the church and the de Medici family. What is it that links the murders and what is the meaning of the positioning of the bodies? Once again, the author has woven together a complex, yet plausible series of events which unfold nicely, while developing the characters fans of the series have come to enjoy. And again, the city of Florence appears as a colourful, aromatic and noisy backdrop.

Readers of the series will be glad to know that familiar characters appear in this book, as well as a few new ones. Aldo's relationship with Saul continues, despite fate getting in the way. The pitiful Bindi, segretario of the Otto, continues to be, well, Bindi. Strocchi, now a Captain, but beset by doubts about the job, and desperate to keep his family safe, continues to be at Aldo's side. The complex relationship between him and Aldo still delights, as they strive to balance frustrations with friendship.

There's a very nice thread, concerning the Contessa Valetine Coltello, who, despite the death of her husband, continues to act as spymaster for Venice, and whose verbal and mental sparring with Aldo is a delight to watch. Her affect on Aldo is surprising, and hints at more events to follow. The final denouement might or might not come as a surprise to diehard fans, but it doesn't matter. Aldo has seen through the lies, the sleight-of-hand and the red-herrings and on the way has realised what it is that makes his life interesting. The final pages of the book certainly set up a whole new direction for him, and I cannot wait to see where the next book finds him.

"A Divine Fury" gets top marks from me, and I definitely recommend it to fans of the series and of historical thrillers.



Fans of the Ceaser Aldo series are going to love this

I love this series of books by DV Bishop. It is best to read them in sequence as there is reference to the previous books running through the story. The characters are compelling in their deviousness andAldos private life is a constant threat . Excellent just like the previous books.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I imagine I’m not the only person who has read/will read this series in a desperate effort to fill the void left by the absence of CJ Sansom’s Shardlake series. I’m pleased to say that it does just that! Having discovered that I was picking up a series at book 4 I was skeptic all that I was going to find any interest in the characters, and I’ll admit that they didn’t feel as fleshed out as I’d like, but I did engage entirely with them. Given that, for the average reader of the series, they’ll have experienced 3 more stories, I would say that these characters are totally formed, engaging and entertaining. The addition of some new characters seems to have kept the book fresh as well.

Initially, I found the shift in character focus to be a little jarring, but as you progress through the book these do become very seamless and your brain forgets to notice: a sure fire way to tell that something is done well. The story and situation, as well as the historical context was easy to adapt to and understand even if you hadn’t read the novel’s predecessors.

I did feel as though some of the sexual content was a little superfluous and gratuitous lip service to the mainstream but I really enjoy the modern issues such as homosexuality and diversity being seamlessly thread through this piece of historical fiction. The integration of accuracy with universal thematic concepts was really refreshing, without banging it over your head.

In terms of the plot, I did predict the ending and felt as though, for a mystery, our suspect pool was limited from the off. Whilst still enjoyable, it did dampen the tension a little. When the final killer was revealed, I can’t say I was entirely convinced/clear on his motive but it remained believable nonetheless.

It is safe to say that I have a new series to delve into and enjoy in place of the much loved and seemingly finished Shardlake series.