Oooooh, this one really gelled for me -- the combination of Venice's potent and beautiful setting and the medieval romance that unfolds against the backdrop of an unexpected death. I'm intrigued to see what happens after this, given the fallout from this installation in Lady's Emily's life. ( )

Well dang: I knew this was familiar.... I recognized a good portion of the story, but I'm not sorry that I read it again.

Lady Emily & Colin are called to Venice by an childhood enemy of Emily's to help solve the murder of her father-in-law & find her missing husband.

There is a tale of forbidden unrequited love and an ancient family feud, along with the story of ancient manuscripts that have been written over.

I liked the story, but needless to say, I didn't like Emily's childhood enemy or the fact that Emily was helpful to her when the woman continued to be a btch to Emily.... ( )

If you enjoy books where a savage beating and rape of a woman is seen by her lover as an opportunity for a tender seduction then you will love this novel. ( )

I'm giving this 4 stars but really, it's probably closer to 3.5 but it held my interest in a way few books have recently.

The story takes place in Venice and the author did a fantastic job with setting the scene, but still, for some reason, I was missing something that gave me that sense that I was there. Lady Emily is feeling rather self-important about her role as an investigator in this one too and that rather got on my nerves.

The book used a dual time-line plot between "present" day (Victorian era) and the 1600's, with alternating chapters; I normally detest these and I started reading with a certain amount of hostility about it. By the middle I was reading it with dread but completely immersed in the story and by the end I was looking up at the ceiling blinking rapidly and trying to get the tears to go back where they came from. The Victorian era plot was only just so-so and the big reveal about the murderer relied on hidden knowledge not shared with the reader. It's truly the 17th century story that elevates this book an extra star. ( )

What can I say? I didn't like the characters, I never got to know them, they were pretty flat, and I ended up not caring about the current mystery/murder (so I skipped that)...... I thought this was written in Victorian/Edwardian England, but by the tone of their speech I'd say it was modern times, so that in & of itself was a huge disappointment.

I did like the back story of the ill fated lovers and how it tied in to the paintings & ring, but I didn't like the ending... It was too pat. Besides, if someone has made your life hell all through childhood & up until that person married and moved away..... If they needed your help because their father-in-law was murdered, why would you help them (especially when they continued to snub you while you were helping them)? So that really made me like Lady Emily even less.....

The book told two stories in alternating chapters: the murder of a high born Italian patriarch and ill fated loves from another century. The story of the ill fated lovers was interesting and well written, it held my interest and I read it until the end. The story of the murdered patriarch was boring and I could have cared less.....

I'm sad because I had high hopes for this series...... ( )