Customer Reviews

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

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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.

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

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!

(Sorry, Harriet. By the way, how can you read and review so many books?)

Sedately paced, with somewhat two-dimensional characters and mildly amusing dialog is how I would describe it. I find myself reading one or two chapters and then putting the book down. There is no great suspense to the mystery--indeed it seems to be shuffled aside about halfway through the story--but for some reason I keep plowing on. Perhaps it is the setting and the little educational nuggets. For example, I had to go to the dictionary to look up "logothete." (A great word that I will never have any use for, but, hey, I feel smarter already.) This is the perfect book for someone seeking clean-cut, casually highbrow, light reading that isn't going to eat up all your time. (Of course, the latter is what we're really looking for, eh?)