A Death in the Venetian Quarter: A Medieval Mystery (Medieval Mysteries (St. Martins Hardcover)) [Hardcover]

Alan Gordon (Author)

Book Description

Series: Medieval Mysteries (St. Martins Hardcover) | Publication Date: March 12, 2002

In 1203, the relative peace of the Byzantine Empire is imperiled when the ships of the Fourth Crusade show up outside the walls of Constantinople. Instead of traveling to the Holy Land to battle the infidels, the Crusade, having sailed out of Venice, has been subverted and is now besieging the city. The jester known as Feste, his wife Viola, and their compatriots within the city are faced with catastrophe as the peace the Fool's Guild has worked so hard to maintain is about to be shattered.

With such a disaster looming, the death of one silk merchant in the Venetian Quarter of Constantinople seems insignificant. But Philoxenites, the Imperial Treasurer and one of the most power schemers at court, has taken a special interest in the case and wants Feste to investigate Venetian merchant's death. The merchant, of course, was not what he appeared to be and, if Constantinople is to have any hope of surviving the troops outside its gates, Feste must quickly uncover what forces were at work when the merchant lost his life.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In their third winning adventure (after Thirteenth Night and Jester Leaps In), those renegades from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, Feste the Fool and his wife, Aglaia (aka Viola), are in Constantinople on a mission: to keep a finger on the pulse of Byzantium and, working behind the scenes, to promote peace as the Fourth Crusade threatens the city. Their aims mesh well with those of Philoxenites, the emperor's spymaster, who wishes to preserve the empire (and his own power) at all costs. Philoxenites sends Feste to the virtually autonomous Venetian quarter to make an unofficial investigation into the death of Bastiani, an obscure silk merchant, who was Philoxenites' "principle informant" and a "possible conduit" to the Venetian fleet. That the Venetian fleet has just brought the crusaders to the city walls seems more than a coincidence. Gordon weaves a complex plot full of veiled motives and strained family loyalties with honesty in short supply. Feste narrates most chapters, and his "eyewitness" viewpoint lends a sense of urgency as Constantinople's residents prepare for the siege that may or may not come. Aglaia occasionally takes up the pen to describe events back at the emperor's palace, but since she writes with the same voice as her husband, those readers who don't stop at the end of each chapter can get confused. This sameness of tone, however, is a minor flaw in a book that should please existing devotees and newcomers alike.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gordon continues his winning streak with the third Theophilos the Jester novel--after Thirteenth Night (1999) and Jester Leaps In (2000). This highly original and highly entertaining series, set in the early years of the thirteenth century, puts forward the wonderfully engaging idea that court jesters--or fools, as they were called--were members of an elite guild that, in fact, functioned as an intelligence organization run by the government. (What better cover for a spy than to travel as an entertainer?) In this adventure, Theophilos--or Feste, if you prefer to use his performing name--finds himself smack-dab in the middle of the Fourth Crusade's invasion of Constantinople, where the death of a silk merchant may hold the key to the holy city's salvation. As usual, Gordon mixes history and fiction effortlessly, and his central premise remains utterly compelling. Feste, the professional jester who keeps his brilliance pretty much to himself, is a disarming fellow, deceptively polite and strategically obsequious. In a genre filled with carbon copies of the same basic character, he is a true original. Gordon came out of nowhere with the first Feste novel, and if he keeps up this quality, he's certainly bound for greatness. Fans of historical mysteries or spy yarns absolutely should not miss this series. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books; 1st edition (March 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312242670
• ISBN-13: 978-0312242671
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,280,417 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gordon is a genius!!!..., January 22, 2003

By 

Anton Anderson - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Death in the Venetian Quarter: A Medieval Mystery (Medieval Mysteries (St. Martins Hardcover)) (Hardcover)

I have read the entire series so far; and in my opinion, it seems to get better with each book. That being said I just finishing "A Death in the Venetian Quarter" this morning, disappointed only because I finished it. It was an HUGE effort not to start re-reading it immediately.

This is one of the most entertaining series of novels that I have ever read. All of the characters are fascinating. Every one shines in his or her own inimitable fashion. Honesty, I have never encountered a character like Theophilos in literature before. He is a breath of fresh air, much in same way that Vladmir Taltos (different genre) is to fantasy novels

(Personally, I wonder if he is really another famous character of the Bard. Hints have been dropped throughout the series to verify this.)

Theo is brillant, daring, ruthless and very funny. His wife, Claudia, is equally so. They complement each other well. In fact, the relationship between Theo and Claudia is one of the most charming and endearing things about the series. Their humorous banter and devotion to one another always brings a smile to my face

Overall, I cannot recommend this series enough. I can't wait for the fourth book!!

Just buy the whole series and read it.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars entertaining medieval mystery, March 3, 2002

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Death in the Venetian Quarter: A Medieval Mystery (Medieval Mysteries (St. Martins Hardcover)) (Hardcover)

In 1203, the two hundred plus Fourth Crusade ships anchor just off the walls of Constantinople causing panic and concern among the residents. The Imperial Treasurer Philoxenites not only worries about the horde of soldiers besieging his city, but the impact of a particular murder on that army. Someone killed Camilio Bastini, a silk merchant, in a locked room in the Venetian Quarter. Philoxenites assigns Theophilos "Feste the Jester" to uncover the truth about this homicide that could inflame the soldiers besetting the city into beginning the assault.

Feste, accompanied by his pregnant wife Aglaia, Rico the dwarf, and Plossus of the troupe of fools, quickly learns that the deceased is more than just a merchant. Soon the troupe of sleuths begins to uncover spies in every corner of the city representing numerous warring factions. The quartet concludes that even if they solve the case of the locked room, they might not survive the intrigue swirling in and out of Constantinople.

DEATH IN THE VENETIAN QUARTER is a humorous, often lewd tale filled with sharp puns and retorts, and a detailed description of the siege. Though historical mystery purists might cringe, Alan Gordon fills the story line with purposely placed anachronisms that enliven the narrative. The characters (real and fiction) are fun to observe; the locked door who-done-it is cleverly devised; and a mini note further explains the genuine events of the Fourth Crusade. The unconcerned about accuracy historical mystery reader will delight in this well written tale.

Harriet Klausner

5.0 out of 5 stars 3rd in Fools Guild series is twisty murder mystery with plenty of history, March 15, 2011

By 

Christina Lockstein "Christy's Book Blog" (Oconto Falls, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: A Death in the Venetian Quarter: A Medieval Mystery (Medieval Mysteries (St. Martins Hardcover)) (Hardcover)

Death in the Venetian Quarter by Alan Gordon is the third book in the Fools Guild series starring Feste, the jester in the thirteenth century. Feste and his wife Viola, also known as Aglaia, his wife and also a jester, have been serving in Constantinople since the last book, Jester Leaps In. The city is about to be attacked by the Crusaders under direction of the Doge of Venice, and there is fear that the Venetian Quarter in the city will support the siege, attacking from the inside out. Feste is asked by Chief Treasurer, Philoxenites to determine who murdered his contact, Bastiari a silk merchant, in the Quarter to see if the murder is the beginning of a plot to bring about the fall of the city. Feste's investigation leads him to split up his team of fools, sending some to the Crusaders in hopes of negotiating a truce, while those who remain in the city work to find the murderer, as well as hopefully find a way to send the Crusaders on their merry way. Feste has added incentive to keep his home safe, as Aglaia has recently revealed that she is carrying their first child, a daughter she believes. Feste will have to be at his agile best, both physically and mentally, to keep his growing family safe while negotiating the politically charged atmosphere of a city under siege. Gordon's series about the Fools Guild presents a remarkably believable view of the past in which jesters were constantly moving to manipulate people politically to keep war at bay, making them often the prime movers and shakers in history. Feste is the rare delightful character who surpasses readers' expectations. He is rarely bested, always two steps ahead of his enemy, and able to create a plan to bloodlessly usurp a emperor and save a city destined to fall. Aglaia's narration on a few chapters adds a new element to the series, and readers will come to love this woman who is unafraid to raise a frying pan to her beloved husband when he takes unreasonable risks. Feste is beginning to mature as he has to juggle the needs of the guild with that of being a husband and soon-to-be father, and the series is gaining depth emotionally through his relationship with Aglaia. Long may the Fools Guild reign!