Amazon.com Review
Michele Jaffe's first novel,
The Stargazer, may have very little to do with astronomy, but its mixture of murder mystery, historical romance, and steamy passion certainly has universal appeal. Our heroine, Bianca Salva, a doctor of the poor and unfortunate, first meets her love interest, Ian Foscari, as she holds a bloody knife over the body of a lovely, if dead, courtesan. Equally suspect and suspicious, they agree to a sham betrothal--Ian knows Bianca is guilty, and gives her one week to offer some explanation. If she fails, he can denounce her, she will be executed, and he will be no worse off. Bianca feels certain she can track down the real killer within the week, and finds Ian's home a convenient place to dissect the body and base her investigation.
Here's where the steamy part comes in to play. Ian, who had been deeply burned by his ex-flame Morgana da Gigio, can't help but feel attracted to his fake fiancée's beauty, but he refuses to acknowledge the pull she exerts on his heart. Bianca is eager to try out the knowledge she has gleaned from her prostitute friends, and Morgana, the beautiful ex, is using her sexual powers to manipulate everyone within reach of her perfume.
As Bianca closes in on the killer, Ian struggles with the battle between his head and his heart. Though their compatibility in bed is undeniable, the two's fragile bond is strained by the increasing dangers--explosions, more murders, seductions, executions, seven giants, and a dwarf flush out the mystery.
While a few historical inaccuracies surface, the overall flow and quick pace, not to mention Jaffe's charming characters and a few choice, steamy sections that should make you blush, make for a fine debut from a fresh new voice . --Nancy R.E. O'Brien
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
"My Lord, I scarcely expected to see you here," says Bianca Salva, calmly, in the opening scene of this stellar debut novel set in Renaissance Venice. Bianca holds a bloody dagger over the dead body of Isabella Bellochio as she addresses Ian Foscari, who believes, since the dagger bears his coat of arms, that Bianca murdered Isabella to frame him. But Bianca, the sharp-witted and unconventional daughter of a physician, knows the dagger is not the murder weapon. The two banter with mutual vigor, contempt and sublimated lustAbetween Bianca's hilarious bouts of sneezing. Ian formulates a plan that allows him to investigate the enigmatic woman while satisfying his family's desire for him to wed. He will install Bianca in his palazzo as his fianc?e and give her one week to prove her innocence. Bianca agrees on the condition that she can autopsy the corpse for her own iconoclastic research on female anatomy. Ian hides the body to prevent suspicion from falling on him until he can solve the mystery. A vivid collection of sensuous, dangerous characters complicate the plan, including secretive servants, an exhibitionist courtesan and Ian's lascivious ex-fianc?e, as well as the quirky all-male Arboretti family. An unknown source, possibly the murderer, drops hints to the government regarding the whereabouts of Isabella's body, and Ian is still stubbornly suspicious of Bianca. Jaffe's sure prose moves to an exquisitely dramatic climax as Bianca's lot grows desperate. The intricacies of Venetian society, imaginative love scenes and a memorable cast enlivens Jaffe's creative and suspenseful plot. Since five more novels are promised in this series, one hopes that Jaffe will develop the fertile stories of the other Arboretti and their mysterious cousins, and continue to combine historical context with lush sensuality and nuanced wit. Agent, Susan Ginsburg. (July) FYI: Jaffe holds a doctorate in Comparative Literature of the Renaissance.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
