This is the exciting conclusion to Rich's Midwife trilogy, begun with The Midwife of Venice. In 1575, Hannah Levi rescued a baby from his aristocratic parents, and fled to Constantinople with her husband Isaac. Now, several years later, Hannah is forced to return to Venice to rescue her adopted son once again. The dangerous streets of Venice are evocative and compelling, as Hannah's story comes to a thrilling conclusion. Fans of the trilogy will love this conclusion, and those who haven't read it will want to start with book one to gain the full picture of Hannah's exciting story.

This unfortunately, was not my cup of tea. The first two chapters were off to a great start, but after that, I had a hard time getting into it.
On a positive note, even though I did not read the first 2 books, I appreciate how the author managed to introduce the characters seamlessly

Roberta Rich concludes her trilogy about the Jewish midwife Hannah Levi in A Trial in Venice. Hannah pursues her adopted son Matteo from Istanbul to Venice. He has been kidnapped by Foscari and Cesca so they can claim his guardianship and assume control of his large estate. Intrigues follow as the latter contend for the guardianship and Hannah tries to get Matteo back. Impeccably plotted with well designed characters against the historical background of Venice. Read the whole trilogy to get the best understanding of the story.

A Trial in Venice
by Roberta Rich (Author)

“The Midwife of Venice,” is set in 1575, Hannah Levi was forced to flee Venice with the baby of a Venetian aristocratic family whom she rescued. Roberta Rich followed that action-packed adventure with The Harem Midwife, which exiled Hannah and her beloved husband Isaac to Constantinople--only for Hannah to become entangled in the shady politics of a sultan's harem. And now, with A Trial in Venice, set five years later, Hannah is forced back to Venice--both to luxurious yet crumbling villas and the Jewish ghetto known as Veneto. Her beloved adopted son Matteo has been kidnapped and is in danger once more. And this time, so is Hannah.
A carefree and evocative read, peopled with beguiling, unforgettable characters (including the epic return of the troublesome and winsome Foscari and Cesca),
This was a beautifully written, wonderful book to read. I most definitely recommend this book to all historical fiction lovers. this novel is a wonderful follow up to The Midwife of Venice and The Harem Midwife, certain to shock and delight fans of the series and solidify this author’s reputation as one of Canada's most loved historical fiction authors. The thrilling conclusion to the #1 national bestselling historical trilogy by Roberta Rich.

Gritty and grimy. Her language is revolting, but in a way that is reflective of the era (1580) where things were gritty and grimy. It’s very vividly descriptive without being too much of a slog. The chapters are nice and short, so makes for easy vacation reading. I like my historical novels on the gritty side, and I personally have an educational background in criminal history, though Italy is out of my wheelhouse, so I’m excited for something a little different. I haven’t read any of the prior books in this series, but I think I’ll have to now.

Epub Copy for Review

Hannah is a Jewish midwife who finds her raising a Christian baby which is illegal with her husband. But when he is kidnap by a couple who befriends and then year later they send them a letter telling her that she has him.

Risking her marriage and her pregnancy, she goes after the couple to find them and the boy. Her journey is not easy as she survives the long boat trip and her ending up jail on trial.

We are taken on a historical journey in a world that transcend time. Sweeping story that moves along making us feel like we are there.

I fell in love with Roberta Rich's first two novels about Hannah Levi, and have patiently been waiting for the third. When I read this book, I was completely capitivated by Hannah's plight. It was a non-stop read, from beginning to end. And when it finally did end, it stuck with me for a day. Good books usually take a while before they can get out of my head. I'm still waiting for it to leave me.