Bridge of Sighs
Venice, 1605. The Bridge of Sighs connects the Doge's Palace to the prison, and every prisoner who crosses it sighs at their last glimpse of beautiful Venice before descending into darkness. Marco Vianello is a glassblower accused of murdering a nobleman he has never met. He is innocent, but in Venice, justice is for sale and the truth is whatever the powerful say it is. Marco's only hope is his sister Isabella, a talented painter who refuses to accept her brother's guilt. Isabella begins her own investigation, navigating the treacherous waters of Venetian society — the corrupt magistrates, the secretive Council of Ten, and the powerful glassmaking guilds whose rivalries may have led to the murder. As Isabella peels back the layers of conspiracy, she discovers that the murder is connected to a secret that some of Venice's most powerful families will kill to protect. The truth lies on the other side of the Bridge of Sighs, but getting there may cost Isabella everything.
📖 Story Synopsis
Venice, 1605. The Bridge of Sighs connects the Doge's Palace to the prison, and every prisoner who crosses it sighs at their last glimpse of beautiful Venice before descending into darkness. Marco Vianello is a glassblower accused of murdering a nobleman he has never met. He is innocent, but in Venice, justice is for sale and the truth is whatever the powerful say it is. Marco's only hope is his sister Isabella, a talented painter who refuses to accept her brother's guilt. Isabella begins her own investigation, navigating the treacherous waters of Venetian society — the corrupt magistrates, the secretive Council of Ten, and the powerful glassmaking guilds whose rivalries may have led to the murder. As Isabella peels back the layers of conspiracy, she discovers that the murder is connected to a secret that some of Venice's most powerful families will kill to protect. The truth lies on the other side of the Bridge of Sighs, but getting there may cost Isabella everything.
✎ Editor's Review
Lorenzo Conti's Venetian mystery is a love letter to the floating city. The glassmaking world is vividly rendered, and Isabella is a determined protagonist whose art gives her access to places women of her era could not normally go. The political intrigue of the Venetian Republic is well-researched and genuinely suspenseful. The mystery is well-constructed, with fair clues scattered throughout. Some historical exposition slows the pacing, but the atmosphere more than compensates. A beautiful, atmospheric read for lovers of Venice and historical mysteries.
