Aldo is back ........ no longer a policeman he is now a Private Investigator/Enforcer helping those
who need it most , those often ignored by their rulers .
But those who matter won't leave him be , he is called to investigate a plot against the Duke by Cosimo de Medici
- a summons he cannot say no to . A case that brings back the Contessa Coltello into his life , a woman hard
to forget for a variety of reasons .
The case takes him from Florence to Venice , a city he swore never to return to ..... old betrayals are
at the forefront of his mind . Just who can he trust ? what will be the cost ? The Contessa has her own agenda ... will it align with
his own quest ?
The Author is a master at writing Renaissance murder mysteries , characters leap of the page , the historical details are full of colour and life , drawing the reader into a world politics , betrayals with a well written storyline - I cannot recommend this series enough and look
forward to the next book

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

“Carnival of Lies” is a gripping historical thriller that cements D. V. Bishop as a master of Renaissance intrigue. Cesare Aldo is a brilliant protagonist—his secret life in 16th-century Florence adds layers of depth and tension to an already thrilling narrative. In this installment, Aldo is thrust into the shadowy world of Venetian politics, where deception is an art form and danger lurks behind every mask.

The stakes couldn’t be higher as Aldo races to recover a stolen journal filled with secrets that could topple the Medici dynasty. The novel is rich with political maneuvering, deadly conspiracies, and atmospheric detail that transports the reader straight to the bustling streets and candlelit palazzos of Renaissance Venice.

One of the book’s standout elements is Contessa Coltella, the Venetian spy mistress who makes for a formidable and fascinating adversary and ally. The interplay between her and Aldo crackles with tension, making every encounter a delight to read. Bishop’s deep understanding of the period shines through, blending historical accuracy with page-turning suspense.

Superb, immersive, and utterly unputdownable—I’ll be going back to read the earlier books in the series. If you love historical thrillers with depth, intelligence, and razor-sharp intrigue, Carnival of Lies is a must-read.

Full of danger, strategy, humour and atmosphere, ‘Carnival of Lies’ races away from Renaissance Florence to the intrigue and peril of Venice during Carnival. There are two main characters, Aldo: resourceful, ex police and mercenary who is loyal, loving and likeable. And the brilliant Countess, strategic, highly intelligent and beautiful who has to outwit those men who want her power and are determined to destroy her. Will this unlikely couple survive Venice? And if so, at what cost? I am new to this series and now want to read more of Aldo’s adventures. This book (5 I believe) never made me feel I was missing out by not having read previous books in this series.

Another twisty thriller rich in historical detail by DV Bishop which sees Aldo facing enemies and treachery in a city he had sworn nerver to return to - Venice.
No longer a member of the Otto, the Florentine police, Aldo has turned private enforcer, helping those too poor or inconsequential to be noticed by those who rule Florence. But he can't stay under the radar for long, called upon to help investigate a plot against the Duke and his wife, a plot which sees him once again a reluctant ally of the intriguing and devious Contessa Coltello. Meanwhile, both in Florence and Venice, his past haunts him, old betrayals feeling very fresh indeed.

Fascinating and very readable, I think this is the best in the series yet. Highly recommended.

Cesare Aldo has left the Otto but he hasn’t retired by any means. Freelancing as a kind of Florentine private detective he is now engaged by Cosimo d’Medici to investigate a life-threatening rumour. Aldo’s powers of observation, natural curiosity and skill as an investigator soon embroil him in an intriguing mission to recover Cosimo’s private journal which takes him to Venice in the company of Venetion spymaster Contessa Coltello. This story draws on events from Aldo’s previous outings, but necessary detail is subtly woven into the narrative, although it might well tempt the reader to explore earlier books in the series. The writing is steeped in historical detail, the characters are colourful and full of life and there is plenty of action and a good meaty plot to keep the reader entertained. Put James Bond into hose and doublet and this is what you get!
I am looking forward to the next book already as the story ends with unanswered questions and the mystery of Aldo’s past yet to be revealed. Can’t wait!

Huge thanks to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for an opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Really enjoyed this book , a real romp in Venice/Florence in the 1530s. A very easy read about some very interesting characters

I really enjoy Aldo's world of intrigue, lies and secrets! His new adventure(s!) in this novel enabled me to fully get immersed into a journey paved with action, murder and betrayals. I like Aldo's character, his sense of justice and his simply being human with weaknesses and strengths. A great plot leaving me often riveting and wondering whom should Aldo trust ??? I loved reading about Venice and its palazzi as well as getting some idea of what Carnival felt like in the XVIth century! A great series!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

The fifth book in the series sees Cesare Aldo travel to Venice . The writing is excellent and I could almost smell the odours of the canals and damp palazzos. The tension builds during this adventure with different characters in the plot generally looking out for themselves! Anyone new to this series by DVBishop is in for a treat. Look forward to the next adventure. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review.

At last, Aldo goes to Venice! I've thoroughly enjoyed the previous four books in the Cesare Aldo series, and Carnival of Lies did not disappoint. I loved seeing Aldo travel to la Serenissima, and spending so much time in the company of the Contessa Coltello (such a delicious character). As ever I've got to the end of the book only to wish I could immediately read the next one in the series...

It has been a long time since I didn´t read anything set in Venice, so I was very excited when I realized this story was going to take us there.

This is the 5th book I read about Cesare Aldo (who is currently not working for the Otto anymore) and let me tell you, this author never dissapoints. In this one, instead of a murder mystery, we got a sort of treasure hunt: Someone has stolen a journal that belonged to Cosme de Medici, and Aldo is tasked to retrieve it before it´s too late. If he cannot achieve this mission, he might never be able to return to Florence.

Now, several things here.

Although I missed Strocchi (I´ve grown awfully fond of his character, after so many adventures in which he appeared), I think it was such a delight to have Contessa Coltello as the other protagonist in this book. I already liked her from previous ones, but I think this one reinforced my opinion of her. She´s probably my favorite villain all through this series, always charismatic and being Aldo´s ally only when it suits her (and let me tell you, this time it suited her a lot, since this journal Aldo was trying to retrieve, had clues that she was the head of... something terrible that I´m not going to mention because it´s a spoiler. And thus, she needed to get her hands on that journal as well, to remove those pages that incriminated her).

I believe she was one of the strongest points of the novel. Because, although in this one there is no murder mystery per se, it is very suspenseful. All the time, since Aldo left Florence in pursuit of the people who stole the journal, I had the feeling anyone could be an ally or a traitor at any given moment (and I was right).

I also loved that we got to see a bit more about Aldo´s past relationships and what Venice meant to him. I hope, in future books, we also find out what happened between his stay in Venice (twenty year ago) and his time as mercenary, because I see so much potential for more plot and character development.

Without much more to say, I´ll just add: This series is 100% recommended, and I hope I´ll be able to read more in the future.

I enjoyed this - the fifth in the Cesare Aldo series. The novel sees Aldo reluctantly returning to Venice, a city he fears and hates, with the task of finding and returning the stolen journals of Cosimo di Medici, which could trigger even more hostilities between Venice and Florence. He is accompanied by Contessa Coltello, the alluring widow who is a match for him in stealth and cunning, if not strength. Aldo's personal life is a background to his time in Venice and he meets once more the man who has been the love of his life.

The plot races along and engaged me - right until the last few chapters (no spoilers) when it began to break any bounds of credibility. Long term fans and new readers would enjoy this book and thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy.