In another Venice Beauty mystery, Nina Wachsman introduces the reader to the courtesan Belladonna, whose charm, allure, and mystery make her an object of fascination for Venetian society. Belladonna eventually finds herself caught up in a tale of buried treasure in the Caribbean, treasure desired by both the English and the Spanish who believe Belladonna has a connection to the man who possesses the treasure map. Wachsman brings the reader across seventeenth century Italy and into the luxurious culture and allure of Venice, and she also introduces the reader to the Jewish ghetto and the social existence of Italian Jews in the seventeenth century. Settings play a huge role in the story and feature heavily and in great detail, something which Wachsman does incredibly well. Wachsman's characters are well-established entering the novel, and they experience several highs and lows and tense stakes, and Wachsman’s female characters are particularly powerful and inspiring. This series continues to introduce readers to a fascinating point in Italian history and in religious history, while Wachsman continues to introduce high stakes and forced confrontations for her many characters. The Courtesan’s Secret is a fun, interesting historical mystery with great settings and compelling, lively characters.

This second volume in Wachsman’s series continues the adventures of the characters introduced in the previous volume - Belladonna ( the courtesan of the title), her friend Diana and her family, as well as assorted Venetians in the sixteenth century. The English emissary George Villiers (later first Duke of Buckingham) is added to the cast to good effect.

Tightly plotted, the book is a pleasure to read from the opening scene in King James I’s court to the last one in Venice. You will like spending time with these characters, even the assassin. Recommended (as was the first volume in The Historical Novel Society’s review magazine).

Venetian intrigue, international politics, the lure of gold, and the Jewish ghetto form the center of this 17th century historical mystery. An envoy from the New World with a map to great riches disappears and the only lead people have is the name Belladonna, a courtesan in Venice. Warned of the danger, Belladonna disappears into the Jewish ghetto to stay with friends and and hunt for the envoy who also holds the dangerous information about Belladonna's origins. Now she fights for all she has achieved and all she loves with death lurking close.

The premise is wonderful, its has complex and interesting characters, dangers galore and intrigue enough to satisfy any thriller addict. The writing has immersive details that bring to life the sights and sounds of Venice. Some of the writing is a bit repetitive but it is a good story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It seems when Christopher Columbus got ill he gave his most trusted men who defended him during a mutiny his gold and told them to keep it safe now Spain wants to buy the gold his Eres oh fighting over it and that’s not even really what the book is about it is about Racquel‘s brother has the map but she didn’t even know her brother was alive because back in the day Spain was getting rid of all the fanatical Christians and that included her family but somehow her and her brother survived but didn’t know each other made it. Now that she has moved to Venice and made a life for her self as a courtesan she is living a nice life until she gets the signal and old friend wants to see her this is when she finds out she must go underground because the Venetian‘s all looking for her brother and no she has something to do with him but just what it is they don’t know so the man who saved her from my life of slavery is giving her safety once again the English king wants the map of the nations want the map and many other people and it makes for one crazy story. Will Raquel see her brother again OK antitrust Isaac at all? This book started with a bang or actually a fire at the king of England masquerade ball and it ended with a bang as well what a great book I love historical fiction and Lagunitas done right and I must say The Courtesans Secret was definitely done superbly. It is written by Nina Waxman an author I am not familiar with but one who’s books I would definitely be down to read this was a superb book that moved the long rapidly and the entry is high as well as the steaks definitely a five star read! I want to thank Net Galley and level best books for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Enjoyed learning about the Jewush religion. But the story felt very unreal and was hard to keep ny attention.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I didn’t realize that this book was as a sequel when I requested it. I don’t love reading the second book in a series without having read the first, so I located the first book and read that prior to this one. This novel could probably stand on its own but reading the first book definitely helps give a more well-rounded understanding of the characters.

As a fan of historical fiction, I enjoyed the obvious research the author did to lend authenticity to the story. I don’t believe I’ve read many novels that take place in Venice during the Inquisition and learning new things is always appreciated.

My difficulty with this novel was the number of characters and various points of view. I had a hard time keeping track of who was who, how they all related and who had which motivation.

I look forward to reading the third novel.

I only just realised this book is a sequel abut I must say that it didn't feel like one as I had no problems reading it and understanding it. A well researched 17th century story of Venice, courtesans, secret, mystery and so much more. It is a very interesting read and the characters are what really make it.

The story itself doesn't flow as well as what I had hoped but it is fairly fast paced and wasn't too long. I enjoyed it in parts but can't say it is a favourite although I think it has plenty of potential with a bit of good editing and re-wrtitng.

Thank you NetGalley and Level Best Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I read, but didn't love it. The story itself was just okay and there were many portions that I skimmed through. If perhaps there wasn't so much going on I would have enjoyed it more. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a curious book!!

This was such an interesting read if you couldn't tell from the cover alone. A beautiful read, which I devoured. The plot was thick with details and I found myself paying close attention to everything. The set of characters itself also added to the story - such different personalities making for such interesting relationship dynamics.

Wachsman is to me a clearly crafted author and I can't wait to read more of her works!

This is a story regarding a courtesan, her brother, a pirate, the Jewish community, a king, his men and the Spanish islands. It all gets twisted together in a story I sometimes felt was long drawn out and at other times was captivated. Parts of it I didn’t understand why they were included as it did t add to the story… until it did tie in. I didn’t love it but it was an interesting story

This novel is a sequel, but can stand on its own with ease; this is one of the finely executed elements, offering enough background and references to past events to clue in new readers while featuring a cast of characters familiar to series readers. I didn’t know this going in, and only realized it after a passing reference to the shared history between Diana & Belladonna a few chapters in. While I’m sure readers of the first will have an enhanced experience with the second, I didn’t feel my own experience suffered for not having read it. In that respect, it’s an ideal second installment.

The content itself is quite good; it’s well-paced, the story is attention grabbing, the characters are well-formed. It grapples with antisemitism and blood libel, subjects unfortunately all too relevant to this day, as well as the roles of women in the 17th century; the author’s note is thoughtful and cites pertinent resources, something always appreciated. It has the bones of a memorable, gripping, and thought-provoking novel.

Unfortunately, the execution is where it stumbles. While some structural and grammatical errors are to be expected in an ARC, the prose itself is often stilted and clumsy; this is particularly noticeable in the first two chapters, which are also, on the whole, unnecessary, not particularly establishing the plot or characters in any way that is not far more efficiently done later. Setences often run on with little to break them up and little to justify their wordiness; the prose is not purple or overwrought, but it what it lacks in flowery language it makes up for in the over-description of the mundane.

This line near the end of the opening chapter, for example:

“With his pronouncemenmt, Aruden’s arm went to his hip and chin jutted out in defiance of anyone who would challenge his assertion.”

There are many ways to communicate this. This is perhaps the worst option (and could almost immeidately be salvaged by the removal of the extremely unnecessary “With his pronouncement.” Readers can and will infer this by the immediately preceding quotation marks signaling the end of said pronouncement.

This is a common issue, recounting a character’s every slightest movement in a manner that makes it feel like the word count is being stretched within an inch of its life. Another example from early in the book:

“Isaak disengaged himself from her and rose to pour himself another brandy, tossing it quickly down his throat. Wiping his lips with the back of his hands, he coughed before speaking.”

“Isaak rose” was all that was required prior to pouring himself another brandy. We can simply be told “He wiped his lips and coughed once.” While stylistic prose is always appreciated, this does not feel stylized; it feels unnecessary.

It is not that the author is incapable of good prose. There are also passages I highlighted because they stood out positively; most memorably, Belladonna’s memories of her family’s massacre coming to her is visceral, just descriptive enough to evoke horror, immersive. The potential is there. It’s simply the polish that is not.

The greatest respect in which this novel suffers is less the wordy prose, which is easy enough to amend and to, as a reader, ignore, and more the fact that it does not trust the reader enough. In the vein of over-explaining every action a character takes, we are also generally told, then shown, then told again; the story unfolding is intriguing, the characters capturing a reader’s attention, but it promptly shoots itself in the foot by killing its own momentum with breaks for lengthy exposition. One of the earliest examples of this is Belladonna entering her bedchamber and realizing she is not alone; her hand goes to her dagger, and then. Well. Then we are treated to a paragraph explaining how she acquired the dagger, how it works, and the assurance that she can handle herself, an assurance made unnecessary by the fact that she has a dagger on her person at all times, a thing just established when she drew said dagger.

There’s a reduncacy in this that is, far and away, the most distracting aspect of the reading experience; many times there is a slog of a paragraph (occasionally multiple paragraphs) of a character remembering something, expositing something, only to be promptly followed by a single line of dialogue and body language that could have communicated everything the preceding paragraphs did, both more impactfully and far more intriguingly. Some ambiguity that can (and will, invariably) be cleared up is not a bad thing; readers do not need to be spoon-fed the same information twice over to understand what has occurred. A character’s feelings can be inferred by their body language, or simply stated, but both (body language followed by an explanation of what the body language indicates) are almost never required. Reading between the lines, as it were, is one of the joys of reading; it keeps one engaged, it encourages turning the pages. Much information can be accurately deduced from a simple line of dialogue in this novel (Belladonna asserting that she does not go by Raquel anymore in sharp tones is enough to tell the reader she does not appreciate being called Raquel; we do not need need to be told how much she does not appreciate it before she opens her mouth to speak), which is wonderful. It would be wonderful if it stood on its own.

The protagonists and their companions are, nearly without exception, intriguing, distinct, and delightful to spend time with. The dynamics between characters are also easily and compellingly established, including among the supporting cast; one of the most memorable images in the book is four begrudging and shakily allied characters sitting around a breakfast table the morning after one of them’s failed abduction attempt of another. One of the strongest points of the novel, and arguably its saving grace.

The strength of the vast majority of the characterization unfortunately does, however, highlight the rare instances where it is lacking; the thieving servant is almost comically incompetant and unpleasant in-between her swiping of her employer and guests’ belongings. She’s rude! She’s bad at styling ladies! She never cleans! She steals food! She steals jewelry! She never answers the door! She is a plot device, and a conspicuous one; she might have benefitted from a bit of nuance that would lead the reader to understand why Sara (whose historical counterpart, as stated in the author’s note, did in fact notoriously fall prey to swindling staff) might take her on, keeping her on aside. This particular plot thread also suffers a bit narratively, as the jaded and wiley Belladonna hatches an elaborate set-up to catch the servant thieving with no consideration for either the implications of her jewelry surfacing while she is believed missing or dead or the simple probability of the servant fleeing after stealing from her instead of sticking around to be caught. Characters are permitted their missteps, but this particular instance was too visible as a plot requirememnt instead of blending seamlessly into the narrative.

On the topic of a comedy of errors, there is also the matter of Antonio, who is professed in his point-of-view introduction as an accomplished assassin who never misses and always comes out on top. He procedes to fail at literally every endeavor we see him make, including mere paragraphs after his prowess was established. This is, in fact, a fairly delightful gag if intentional (though a wink at his absurd overestimation of himself and unreliable perception in another respect would solidify this as a deliberate character choice and not plot-required sudden incompetence; it could presently read as either one, but was a nice bit of comic relief nonetheless).

Overall, this is a very fast and easy read; it kept my interest & attention in spite of the sometimes momentum-breaking exposition and occassionally akward prose. Perhaps the most frustrating and disappointing aspect of this novel is not in any shortcoming it has, but the fact that it has all the makings of a truly excellent novel, and one is plagued by the feeling that it really ought to be better than it is. The potential is absolutely there; should it be gutted of all stilted prose, excessive exposition, and occasional redundancy, its problems would be solved. Should it be further furnished instead by fleshing out the various plot threads and side characters that we only fleetingly see or have recounted to us (following Moderna after his arrest, for example), it could become something truly exciting.

Full potential reached or not, it’s an enjoyable journey, and one that I would like plan to continue upon the third book’s release. The Courtesan’s Secret offers enough in spite of its shortcomings to make me add its predecessor to my reading list.

An enchanting and thrilling spy cloak and dagger story in Venice at the height of its glory! Conspiracy, a courtesan, an assassin, and everyone’s favorite intriguer, George Villiers.

The book is so intriguing and mysterious. The author has created such an intriguing, mysterious and alluring characters. Belladonna is a kind of woman who has an aura of mystery and charm. Her beauty, wit and charm never fails to amaze anyone. The description of Venice is enchanting. Some characters were mysterious and not as they were appearing to be. While some were really good and some were purposefully evil. I love the beginning and ending. I loved how the plot unfolded and the intricate mysteries woven in the plot.

So Belladonna is a courtesan and she has a dual identity. With a poignant back story and her mysterious aura, she leaves a mark on everyone. Villiers is looking for Roderigo to find the map of treasure. While Roderigo has came to Venice to meet Belladonna. There is some inevitable connection between them which has put Belladonna under danger. She must abandon the palazzo to save herself from danger that is lurking upon her and take refuge in Ghetto. There she forms some deep friendships and connections. And also solves the prevailing mystery there and some truths and secrets gets unveiled. I loved Isaak and Belladonna’s bond. I loved Diana’s character and intricate mysteries in the plot. I felt sad for Roderigo.

Thank you for the ARC Copy.