The dark heart of Florence

Tasha Alexander, 1969-

Book - 2021

"In the next Lady Emily Mystery, The Dark Heart of Florence, critically acclaimed author Tasha Alexander transports readers to the legendary city of Florence, where Lady Emily and Colin must solve a murder with clues leading back to the time of the Medici. In 1903, tensions between Britain and Germany are starting to loom over Europe, something that has not gone unnoticed by Lady Emily and her husband, Colin Hargreaves. An agent of the Crown, Colin carries the weight of the Empire, but his focus is drawn to Italy by a series of burglaries at his daughter's palazzo in Florence--burglaries that might have international ramifications. He and Emily travel to Tuscany where, soon after their arrival, a stranger is thrown to his death fr...om the roof onto the marble palazzo floor. Colin's trusted colleague and fellow agent, Darius Benton-Stone, arrives to assist Colin, who insists their mission must remain top secret. Finding herself excluded from the investigation, Emily secretly launches her own clandestine inquiry into the murder, aided by her spirited and witty friend, Cécile. They soon discover that the palazzo may contain a hidden treasure dating back to the days of the Medici and the violent reign of the fanatic monk, Savonarola--days that resonate in the troubled early twentieth century, an uneasy time full of intrigue, duplicity, and warring ideologies. Emily and Cécile race to untangle the cryptic clues leading them through the Renaissance city, but an unimagined danger follows closely behind. And when another violent death puts Emily directly in the path of a killer, there's much more than treasure at stake..."--

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Subjects
Genres
Historical fiction
Mystery fiction
Thrillers (Fiction)
Detective and mystery fiction
Published
New York : Minotaur Books 2021.
Language
English
Main Author
Tasha Alexander, 1969- (author)
Edition
First edition
Item Description
Series information from Goodreds.com.
Sequel to: In the shadow of Vesuvius.
Physical Description
311 pages ; 25 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN
9781250622068
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

In 1903, Colin Hargreaves, agent for the British Crown, travels to Florence to investigate burglaries at his daughter's palazzo--crimes that may be more than they appear. Colin takes his wife, Lady Emily, and her friend Cécile du Lac along to make the trip appear to be a holiday. Almost immediately upon their arrival at the historic palazzo, a body falls from the roof into the courtyard. While Colin pursues the matter through his secretive channels, Lady Emily and Cécile look for more information about the man, learning that he might have died looking for the treasure believed to be hidden in the palazzo. The thrilling story of that quattrocento treasure and the family who owned the palazzo is told in parallel, as Emily uses Latin and Italian graffiti in the palazzo as clues to solving not only the old puzzle, but also the current spate of murders. Lady Emily and Colin continue to be formidable investigatory partners, and Cécile's flirtation with a local librarian adds a dash of romance. Alexander brings both early Renaissance and Edwardian-era Florence to life, with well-researched references to Florentine history, literature, and art.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Alexander's lively 15th Lady Emily mystery (after 2020's In the Shadow of Vesuvius) takes Emily and her intelligence agent husband, Colin Hargreaves, in 1903 to Florence, Italy, to investigate a break-in at the Palazzo di Vieri, the home of Colin's daughter, along with Emily's friend Cécile du Lac, an elegant Parisian with a passion for champagne and bohemian sensibilities. Meanwhile, the body of an informant associated with Darius Benton-Stone, Colin's fellow agent, has been discovered in the palazzo's courtyard. While Colin and Darius investigate, Emily and Cécile keep themselves busy visiting the sights and doing some digging of their own into the dead man's background. They also discover that the Palazzo di Vieri is believed to contain a secret treasure. Could the man have been searching for it? Flashbacks to late 15th-century Florence ratchet up the tension and provide answers to the present-day goings-on. Alexander effortlessly slips an enormous amount of Florentine history into a narrative that offers a loving portrait of the city and just the right amount of dashing derring-do. This series remains as fresh as ever. Agent: Anne Hawkins, John Hawkins & Assoc. (Mar.)

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review

In 1903, Lady Emily and her husband, Colin Hargreaves, an agent of the Crown, travel to Florence to follow up burglaries at his daughter's palazzo. Upon arrival, they are greeted by a violent death--and soon dig up dark secrets dating back to the Medicis that have bearing on contemporary politics. With a 40,000-copy first printing.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

Lady Emily Hargreaves, Alexander's durable heroine, returns to Italy in 1903 in a tale of murder, espionage, and hidden treasure. Colin Hargreaves, Lady Emily's husband, recently discovered a daughter, Katharina von Lang, whose existence had been unknown to him. As tensions with Germany increase, Colin, an agent of the British crown, is assigned to a case in Florence, where Katharina owns a villa inherited from her mother. Visiting her provides cover for Colin as he, Emily, and her friend Cécile du Lac meet with Colin's colleague Darius Benton-Smith. The villa is well guarded by faithful servants, but its peace is shattered by the murder of one of Benton-Smith's sources. A maid reveals that the house holds secrets going back 400 years to the time of Savonarola, who railed against the rich and destroyed many artworks. Emily and Cécile are intrigued by both the murder and the many clues written on the walls of the villa, which purport to lead to a mysterious treasure. Even though Colin can't confide in her, Emily resolves to investigate. Her first step is to learn more about the villa and its former inhabitants. Alternating chapters explore the life of Mina Portinari, one of these tenants, whose grandfather exposed her to radical ideas and more education than most young women could dream of in 1480. Her story becomes deeply intertwined with the hidden treasure as Emily and Cécile put their lives in danger searching for clues. Historical background adds depth to a complex, exciting mystery. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.