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Carnival of Lies

Author D. V. Bishop
Narrator Mark Meadows
Publisher Pan Macmillan
Run Time 14 hours
Format Audio
Genre European history: Renaissance, Historical crime and mysteries, Historical fiction, Narrative theme: Sense of place, Thriller / suspense fiction.

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What to expect

The Crime Writers' Association Historical Dagger Winning Author

'Full of dash and atmosphere' - The Times

Venice. Winter, 1539.

When Cesare Aldo learns of a conspiracy to assassinate Duke Cosimo de’ Medici, he is hired to protect the ruler of Florence – with his life, if necessary. The deadly attack that follows leads to bodies, bloodshed . . . and something far more dangerous.

Those behind the plot obtain a journal of the duke’s containing explosive secrets that – in the wrong hands – could destroy all of Florence. Aldo must hunt down those responsible and reclaim the journal, or face banishment from the city and everyone he loves.

The trail leads him towards the one place Aldo has sworn to never return, a city of masks and lies where he has no allies and far too many enemies: Venice.

The fate of a dynasty rests on his shoulders – if he can make it out alive . . .

Carnival of Lies is the fifth Cesare Aldo mystery by D. V. Bishop, preceded by A Divine Fury, City of Vengeance, The Darkest Sin and Ritual of Fire.

'A brilliantly entertaining historical thriller that twists and turns like the very calli and canali of Venice itself' - Philip Gwynne Jones, author of the Nathan Sutherland Venice mysteries

Critics Review

I have very much enjoyed this series to date, and this one takes Aldo out of his beloved Florence and dumps him in Venice during Carnivale.

James Oswald, author of For Our Sins

A brilliantly entertaining historical thriller that twists and turns like the very calli and canali of Venice itself – I had no idea where it was going! A very, very clever ending and a hell of a cliffhanger!

Philip Gwynne Jones, author of the Nathan Sutherland Venice mysteries

Carnival of Lies is an absolute scorcher. A swashbuckling masterpiece, laced with intrigue, treachery and unexpected tenderness

Orlando Murrin, author of Knife Skills For Beginners and Murder Below Deck

A brilliant series

Anna Mazzola, author of The Book of Secrets

Aldo is a magnificent creation

Vaseem Khan, author of City of Destruction

Bishop brings the Machiavellian machinations of Renaissance Florence and Venice magnificently to life, as Aldo encounters ruthless politicians, a deadly femme fatale and an old flame. You can feel the damp of the canals rising from the prose.

Douglas Skelton, author of the Company of Rogues series

I loved the story, in particular the Venice setting and the Contessa! What an excellent sparring partner for Aldo.

Lin Anderson, author of The Party House and the Rhona MacLeod mysteries

David Bishop is a gifted writer of historical crime. Carnival of Lies, is an immersive, fascinating journey through Renaissance Venice. The city is so vividly drawn, it almost becomes a character within the story.

Kate Rhodes, author of the bestselling Isles of Scilly mysteries

A very exciting read, great plot with tension maintained right up until the end. The Contessa was truly superb, and so was Venice. The picture of a treacherous, dark bureaucracy grinding along behind the masks and parties was quite chilling.

Fiona Forsyth, author of the Lucius Sestius mysteries

An absolutely astounding book. [David is] so skilled at bringing [his] characters to life.

Joanne Wallace, bestselling author of You'd Look Better as a Ghost

Atmospheric . . . Aldo, as irreverent and maverick as always, is a colourful guide to the seamier side of Florence.

The Times on A Divine Fury

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