I've been reading the Lady Emily mysteries since the first book and although I like the continuing characters, I still believe the author brought Emily and her husband Colin together much too quickly; I wish their relationship had taken time to ripen in a few more books before they were married.

Frankly, I found most of the book rather dull except for the descriptions of Florence. Once again Colin (and an associate) are investigating a break-in at Colin's newly discovered daughter's home in Florence while also doing some hush-hush work for the Crown. Emily and her friend Cecile also investigate and find that the puzzle may be linked to the murder of an Italian man, and also to strange graffiti found on the walls of the Florence home. The mystery turns out, as indicated by the alternate plotline about Mina Portinari, to be tied to events that happened during the Renaissance. Mina is yet another woman ahead of her time, educated by her grandfather in Latin and Greek and in classic writing, who finds herself betrayed by a man and who is looked at suspiciously due to her education, book smart but woefully ignorant of the real world and completely shocked when "he done her wrong."

The Italian history portions and portions of Emily's and Cecile's investigation were the parts of the book that held my interest the most, and even those were a struggle to get through.

Historical novels are both my escape into another world and my way of filling the voids in my knowledge of history.. The pleasure I found in this novel was the journey into Renaissance Italy and the period’s respect for art and learning. The challenges faced by independent-minded women were highlighted in these sections of the book, but also mirrored in the protagonist’s life at the turn of the 20 th Century.

The interwoven stories were complex and posed an intriguing intellectual puzzle that was adroitly resolved by our heroine, Lady Emily, and her friend. The challenges I faced in this novel all related to my suspension of disbelief: I was unable to accept Lady Emily’s success as a sleuth. She boldly stepped into shops and homes and posed very pressing questions to the occupants. . . . The fact that they responded to her inappropriate inquiries was an issue for this reader.

The author included well-researched social and political history in the novel, which added significantly to its interest for me. But, the 20th century characters never came to life for me; they just felt like vehicles to move the plot forward.. I felt more affinity to the Renaissance characters. . . They had more believable passion for their pursuits.

NetGalley provided me a complimentary galley in return for a candid review of this book.

Both the central mystery and the historical mystery are appealing and engaging. As we've come to expect from Alexander, the two storylines work well together and keep the reader guessing.

Florence is a fabulous setting choice for this book, so rich in culture, beauty and history. Tasha Alexander's descriptions and storytelling really made this story come alive! It's been awhile since I've been to Florence but I could envision and feel the atmosphere and many places depicted in this fun dual-timeline mystery. The historical Renaissance elements described are fascinating and informative such as Brunelleschi's mindblowing dome, Dante's levels of hell as well as political feuds, bonuses sprinkled throughout the book, perfect for developing marvelous atmosphere.

In 1903 Lady Emily and her husband Colin travel to Tuscany to investigate breakins at his daughter's home but of course discover far, far more, including murder. While Colin and his friend/colleague Darius focus on solving mysteries, Lady Emily and her friend Cecile do some digging of their own, unafraid, always keen for adventure. What fun to see their differing approaches, lively humour and banter! We are also told about secrets the characters withhold from each other.

The second timeline is the 15th century, Renaissance Florence, the age of enlightenment. We are taken on a journey through Mina's life which is full of heartache and difficult choices. Her secrets are linked to those in the later timeline, beautifully done. Those in and out of her life are described in vivid detail making compelling reading. Perspectives from both periods are etched out nicely. Though Florence goes through changes over the centuries, she remains the same at heart, as do people.

At the end of each chapter I was eager to reach the next. Both timelines were entrancing and riveting, each as good as the other. There is a lot going on here but seamlessly done as the author captures each character and detail wonderfully. If you enjoy Historical Fiction with mysterious twists and turns, this book should be on your list.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this delightful book in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated.

A fabulous addition to the Lady Emily mystery series! I especially enjoyed this one. The Florence setting added something special to this, and it was conducive to the dual storylines. Both the 1903 Lady Emily main story and the related 15th century story during the time of the Medici were captivating. Emily’s friend Cecile has a role, and Emily’s husband Colin, an agent of the crown, is also involved, which is delightful. I am pleased to say that Lady Emily is still the driving force and star of the book.

Somehow, Tasha Alexander manages to make a gripping historical murder mystery also include a sense of adventure and fun. I think readers familiar with this series will love this, but I also believe this could be read enjoyably as a stand-alone.

How I LOVE Tasha Alexander. Each book is such a delight, and its so much fun to continue the next in the series, seeing the character arc as all my favorite characters keep maturing and changing and growing. This book was a wonderful trip to VIctorian England and Florence. A delightful mystery with red herrings, handsome men, and wit! Tasha Alexander is a witty and pithy author, and I always recommend anything she writes!!! Do yourself a favor and run to the bookstore and get yourself started with this wonderful series! Ten stars.

One of the pleasures of this series is traveling alongside Lady Emily and her friends. This installment is set in Florence during the early 20th century; and, as with previous books, there is an alternating storyline set during the late fifteenth century. The main mystery begins when Lady Emily's stepdaughter's house is broken into. This sets Emily and her husband, Colin, and French friend, Cecile, on a quest to discover what happened. Colin is an undercover agent for the Crown, so he can't divulge too many details of his work to his wife. But he has no problem with Emily looking for answers on her own.

The other storyline tells the story of Mina, who lived during the time of the Bonfire of the Vanities. Naturally, her story is linked to the mystery that Emily is trying to solve.

I was looking forward to seeing more of Kat in this book. Kat, Colin's daughter from a previous relationship, was introduced in the previous installment of the series. She was a great foil for Emily, and I was hoping to see more of her in this book, especially since her house provided the main setting for the novel. But Kat played a very minor role in the story. Hopefully she'll play a bigger part in the next book, because she gives some levity to the relationship between Emily and Colin.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

In the latest Lady Emily Mystery The Dark Heart of Florence, critically acclaimed author Tasha Alexander transports readers to the legendary city of Florence, where Lady Emily and Colin solve a murder with clues leading back to the time of the Medici.

I liked both stories, this time not getting confused by the different years. The mystery kept me guessing. I really like the characters and it was nice to visit Florence, especially as I had been there in person many years ago.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tasha Alexander is always a must-read for me. And the Lady Emily series transports the reader to many different locales. I love it.

#thedarkheartofflorence #netgalley

Tasha Alexander is a master writer of all things adventure and mystery set in a historical setting. Her stories never fail to captivate me.

"The Dark Heart of Florence" is a mystery set in 1903 in England and in Florence, Italy. There's also a secondary story going on in 1480-1498 in Florence. This book is the 15th in a series. You can understand this book without reading the previous ones, and the story didn't spoil the mysteries or major events of the previous books.

The author alternated between the murder mystery and a story about a women who hid the treasure that interested Emily in the 1903 timeline. The author clearly did a lot of research for both time periods and wove these details into the story. Emily asked questions, followed up clues, and considered possible scenarios until she figured out what was going on and whodunit. She was intelligent, competent, likable, and reacted realistically to events. The other characters were also interesting. I guessed whodunit at the same time as Lady Emily (based on a new clue).

There were no sex scenes. There was one use of (British) bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable novel.

Colin Hargreaves' attention is on his daughter's palazzo in Florence, where there has been a series of burglaries but he also has a duty to the Crown that he must carry out. Lady Emily is less than pleased with her husband's reticence, especially when they reach the city and are immediately met with murder. With secrets surrounding them, Lad Emily follows clues in search of a treasure dating back to the Medici.

After so many years of marriage, I would have expected Emily and Colin would have found some way to balance his career and their married life. "You have your secrets, so I will have mine" seems like a dangerous mindset to have in a marriage. I could understand Emily's frustration that her husband wouldn't tell her the truth about what he needed to do in Florence, but it also frustrated me as a reader to see her take it as reason to do as she pleased to learn the truth.

Th details of the mystery were interesting. The book's strength lies in the details of the setting and history. The storyline of past was only interesting in the last half when reign of Friar Savanarola began.

Well written and certainly well researched, this is one I would recommend to fans of the series. While it can be read as a stand alone, it does take the reader some time to catch up.

While not as disappointing as Alexander's previous Lady Emily mystery, Dark Heart's appeal was mainly in its setting. The descriptions of Florence and its wonders are what made the story readable. Unfortunately the main characters have developed little in the past few outings and the relationships have become rote and tedious.

I always love this series, and ‘The Dark Heart of Florence’ did not disappoint overall. The Hargreaves’ travel to Florence with Cecile to meet up with Colin’s friend, who, like Colin, is also engaged in top secret service to the crown. The trip is presumably to investigate a series of break-ins at Kat’s villa, but the two agents for the crown have another agenda to fulfill as well. Within a day or so of arriving, a murder occurs that has both sets of ‘investigators’ working to solve it, while Colin navigates the tricky business of what details, exactly, he can share with Emily. Along with this inquiry, the villa itself contains a centuries-old mystery relating to the time of the Medici, Renaissance art, and the tyrannical fanaticism of Savonarola and his followers.

My two minor complaints would be: I’ve grown weary of constant thinly veiled references to Cecile’s amorous proclivities. Her character has started to bore me as this is all she contributes to the plot these days. And I’m not a big fan of Tasha Alexander’s alternating point-of-view writing that she’s adopted in recent additions to the series. I find it muddles things.

I appreciate receiving a copy of this ebook from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.

This was a new to me author. While this is a standalone, I do want to go back and read other books in the series to learn about the characters. I enjoyed this historical mystery.

The Dark Heart of Florence is number 15 in the Lady Emily Ashton Mystery series by Tasha Alexander. It can be read as a stand alone if you have picked it up and it looks intriguing, however, the backstory of Emily, Colin and their friends does grow with each book. Therefore, reading them in order would give you a more satisfying experience.

In 1903, Emily, Colin, and Cecile travel to Florence to check on Colin's Daughter's home as there have been some mysterious break ins. While there, they keep finding murder victims. And there is the mystery of the legend that there is a treasure in Kat's house from centuries before. There is a seperate story about Mina, a young woman from the late 1400 and her love of learning and the erudite society that make Florence special. Both stories are engaging and eventually tie together to give us a view of how Florence evolved over the centuries. Thank you #NetGalley for allowing me to give my honest review on #TheDarkHeartofFlorence. I do recommend it to anyone that likes a little mystery or a fun look at history.

Tasha Alexander’s 15th volume in the Lady Emily Mystery series, ‘The Dark Heart of Florence’, is a historical mystery masterpiece! Alexander has created two intriguing stories, one in the 1480s and the other in the early 1900s, which, when woven together, culminate in the most surprising manner. Grab a bottle of prosecco because you’ll soon realize you are in for the long haul; you’ll “find yourself innamorato with Firenze” and lose all track of time. How lovely to be able to eagerly sip and read through all 320 pages. Buona lettura!

Lady Emily and Colin Hargreaves are in Florence under false pretences; on the surface, this Victorian couple appear to be on holidays, but as an agent of the Crown and one of Queen Victoria’s most trusted agents, Colin is investigating a series of burglaries at his daughter’s palazzo. In usual Lady Emily style, she finds every opportunity to do some sleuthing on her own and discovers some hidden treasures from the time of the Medici and the violent reign of Savonarola.

Mina Portinari’s story begins when she is a beautiful 16-year-old who has been given a rare education by her grandparents. They see to it that she learns Latin and Greek, socializes with the Medicis, reads books by authors such as Dante and Petrarch, and dines with the likes of Botticelli. Unfortunately, she garners the attention of someone who causes her heartache, and this forbidden love has far-reaching ramifications. Although a heartbreaking story, Mina will not be forgotten in her attempts to preserve history for generations of booklovers in the future.

This is my first Tasha Alexander novel and I’m hooked. I absolutely love learning as I read and she has managed to combine my love of history with the culture of one of my favourite cities, Florence, into a superbly written masterpiece. I loved adding to my knowledge of Savonarola and learning about the Arrabbiati, the Bands of Hope, and the Piagnoni. It was exciting for me learning about the customs and culture of renaissance Italy. Not only did Alexander’s dual timelines dovetail seamlessly, her evenly paced plot showcased her well-researched Florentine history. Her characters were lovable, flawed and historically believable and readers get to see them blossom and grow as the plot progresses. I fell in love with Mina’s character when she uttered the words “For me, though, books spoke to my soul. I needed them more than food or water.” I loved her cryptic clues for booklovers, the adventure, the sleuthing, and the secrets; they all were woven together to create a story that bibliophiles and historical fiction readers only dream about! You’ll need to mark this eagerly anticipated release date of March 9, 2021, on your calendar.

Thank you to Tasha Alexander, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this fantastic advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

These books are like sitting down with old friends at this point, you know and like the main characters and even though some books in the series are stronger than others, I’ve never been disappointed with a book in the Lady Emily series.

Emily and Colin are in Florence, seemingly on vacation but they’re really sent to solve what initially appears to be a series of unrelated murders. Emily is working more on her own to solve this without Colin, due to his position.

As with most of the books in the series, there’s two timelines with events during the Renaissance storyline that lead to the events in Emily and Colin’s time in the early 1900s. I thought the 1903 storyline was more interesting but I think this is another strong entry in the series, which luckily shows no signs of slowing down. I liked the addition of Kat in the last book and I like that she seems to be an active part of the books going forward.

I’m looking forward to the next in the series!

A fascinating novel, much more than a mystery story. Using the backdrop of the beautiful city of Florence Ms. Alexander takes us on a journey through large segments of the city's turbulent saga during the Renaissance and the brief but deadly reign of Friar Savanarola and his bands of thugs in their quest to destroy all of the ancient literature, Renaissance art depicting classical mythology and the Florentines' fight to preserve them for posterity. While Emily, Colin and Darius are sent to Florence on a "vacation" but in actuality to work for the Crown as well as solve a number of brutal seemingly at first unconnected murders, Emily and her friend Cecile du Lac are conducting their own parallel investigation into the murders as well as the legend of a hidden treasure in the palazzo in which they are staying.. I won't divulge the culprit as this would be a spoiler for future readers. But let me just say this is a wonderful novel which I thoroughly enjoyed. I received an advanced copy for my unbiased opinion and give thanks to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press and in particular Tasha Alexander.