#TheBorgiaPortrait #NetGalley This was the first book that I have read by this author. I loved the storyline in this book and the cat and mouse game of trying to decipher the clues left behind by Lucia to find the missing Borgia portrait. It is obvious that the author has done his research on the history of Venice and the real life characters within the book. For me though, as a thriller, I found the pace at times a little slow and there were far more extremely detailed descriptions as opposed to nitty gritty action than I prefer. Also, when reading on a kindle, to see the fact that there are "44 minutes left" in the chapter makes it more of a chore and I found myself skim reading at times, rather than with shorter chapters where I find myself saying "just one more chapter" umpteen times before I put it down!! The action, when it came was exciting and twisty although I did find that too much was wrapped up in a short time when Lucia returned.

What a fabulous novel! An incredible game of cat and mouse linked to Lucrezia Borgia set in contemporary Venice. David Hewson is a marvellous wordsmith and this incredible novel needs to be discovered and enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever! Many thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this terrific ARC!

I do enjoy a Hewson mystery, especially Italian settings. Hewson brings the story to life which his descriptive writing style. Another entertaining Venetian mystery installment with Arnold Clover.

Book 2 in the Venetian Mysteries series.
Retired British archivist, Arnold Clover is now living in Venice, when he is recruited by a British lady, Lizzie Hawker, who following the death of her father, a rock music impresario, needs his assistance in securing her inheritance.
Her mother, an Italian countess, disappeared 35 years ago and is presumed dead.
But when her mother vanished, so did a priceless painting of Lucretia Borgia.
The race is on to find the painting through the buildings and waterways of Venice.
The perfect intellectual historical mystery.
The author provides a wealth of information, especially on the history of Venice, it’s architecture and art works.
Also the author’s notes at the end of the book show that the majority of the locations featured are real and just waiting to be discovered by a tourist explorer.
Thanks @davidhewson, @severnhouse & @netgalley for the eARC

“Lady L! You must be left to last. Replace those beautiful eyes that others may look around and truly find you.”

My thanks to Severn House for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Borgia Portrait’ by David Hewson.

This is Book 2 in his Venetian Mysteries series featuring retired British archivist Arnold Clover, who is now residing in Venice. Returning in supporting roles are his fellow archivist, Luca Volpetti, and Capitano Valentina Fabbri of the Venetian Carabinieri.

Clover is recruited by Lizzie Hawker, whose infamous music promoter father has recently died. She needs assistance with securing her inheritance of the family home Ca' Scacchi, a leaning palazzo in Dorsoduro. It had belonged to Lizzie's mother, an Italian countess, who had disappeared thirty-five years ago, and is presumed dead. When her mother vanished so too did a priceless painting, an intimate portrait of Lucrezia Borgia.

Then a secret (no spoilers) is uncovered at the crumbling palazzo. It reveals a document containing cryptic clues that might lead to the location of the portrait. Yet Lizzie and Arnold are not the only ones interested in finding the painting and soon the race is on through the secret history of Venice.

Hewson provides a good deal of information about the history of Venice, including its architecture and art works. There are also plenty of stops at cafés and restaurants with delicious sounding food and drink. It is quite an intellectual mystery, though does build to a nail-biting conclusion.

I have been reading David Hewson’s novels for years and have great trust in his ability to craft an intriguing, well-paced mystery. As someone who is interested in European history and art history, the focus of this series has a special appeal.

Overall, I enjoyed ‘The Borgia Portrait’ very much and look forward to more Venetian mysteries for Arnold and friends in due course.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I think that the story of palazzo Scacchi is inspired by Ca Dario, a a Venice Renaissance palace which is thought to be cursed as a lot of people who owned or lived there died while they were living there.
The cursed palace is not just something born with the plot, I assume it's inspired by the real story.
That said I loved this story that talks the underbelly of Venice, of how it was in the 70s, and how the history and the romance were never very far.
There's a lot going on, there's a complex plot and I was glad to catch up with Arnold, Valentina, Luca and the cast of characters.
A solid plot, twisty and full of surprises, that kept me guessing and hooked.
Loved it
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Borgia Portrait is the second book in the Venetian Mystery series and I must say I'm growing fond of Arnold Clover, and also of his sidekicks Luca and Valentia.

I really like the way the author weaves the story about an episode from Casanova's life together with information about Lucretia Borgia in the quest to retrieve her erotic portrait and the mystery about the death of Lizzies mother. I just loved the riddles, of which I managed to solve a few, which sent them on a quest through the whole city. (a bit Dan Brown, but than much better ;-) ) Offcourse this created an excellent opportunity to describe a lot of interesting places in Venice and paint a vivid image of the city. I've visited Venice a couple of times and even did a two week Italian language course in the city and it was like I was back in the city, walking around all the familiar places. Made me put another trip to Venice on my todo list.
The food spots and food descriptions are a bonus!

Well written and excellent historical researched as always, looking forward to Arnold Clovers next adventure.
Full marks

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for this advanced copy.

The Borgia Portrait by David Hewson is a riveting tale filled with unexpected twists, intricate characters, and a plot brimming with suspense. The author's talent for seamlessly blending historical elements with a contemporary quest makes this book a must-read for both mystery enthusiasts and history buffs alike. Prepare to be swept away on a thrilling journey with potentially deadly consequences that will leave you guessing until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for this advanced copy.

When Arnold Clover is recruited by Lizzie Hawker to help her look into her family inheritance, he cannot begin to guess the journey he is about to embark on. Lizzie's mother, an Italian countess, disappeared thirty years ago , so too did a priceless painting, supposedly an erotic portrait of Lucrezia Borgia, Her father, a famous, some say infamous, music promoter, has just died and now the family home Ca' Scacchi, a leaning palazzo in Dorsoduro, has fallen to her. When a body is discovered in a hidden crypt beneath the checkerboard courtyard of the palazzo, other secrets are unearthed with it.
Well written, well paced with wonderful characters & beautiful descriptions, the mystery also had me enthralled. The author certainly knows how to draw you in from page one & captivates you until the last page. Whilst I loved the mystery it’s the descriptions of the locations that’s the icing on the cake – I felt as though I was there. The second book featuring Arnold & I preferred it to the first as this time I wasn’t as bogged down with the history. I found it very hard to put down & read it straight through
My review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

This is the second outing for Arnold Clover, the retired archivist we first met in The Medici Murders, which you might want to read first for full enjoyment of the series. That said, there is enough catch-up in this book and the main story is self-contained so...
In this book, Arnold is asked by Lizzie Hawker to help with her inheritance, specifically the wonderful family home Ca'Scacchi that she has kind of inherited after the death of her father and long ago disappearance of her mother, an Italian countess, some 30 years since. But there is another vying for possession of said building, as well as a painting which also vanished at the same time, a priceless, special, portrait of Lucrezia Borgia. On re-opening of the house, a body is discovered in a hidden crypt. But will this discovery help or hinder...?
I really took to Arnold on his first outing. He's quiet and unassured but he is oh so very smart and well educated. This is reflected in the way that the author also knows his stuff and has done his research, which really shows as you read the book. He's an outsider to the wonderful city of Venice in which the book is set so he can leave the passion aside and just get on with things. And the things in this book include the mystery of the body, the disappearance of both mother and painting, and a treasure hunt too. We also reconnect with a few familiar faces from book one to assist where appropriate.
I would imagine you would appreciate this all the more if you were familiar with Venice. I'm not but it didn't mar my enjoyment and might even have nudged me to pop it on my to-visit list! I did do a bit of googling along the way too, but nothing distracting as the plot itself was quite fast paced and sucked me in right from the start, leaving me satisfied at the end. And hungry for book three...
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A destination mystery set in Italy that fans of The Da Vinci Code will surely enjoy. The chapters are dense and there are a few twists that keep the reader entertained throughout!

The Borgia’s and Venice! What a combination!

Hewson has produced an impressive mystery novel that explores the hidden and dark parts of Venice. Arnold Clover (first met in The Medici Murders) has been referred to Lizzie Hawker, the only surviving daughter of the missing, presumed dead Countessa Scacchi, to translate for her in a legal case. The city has concerns about the subsistence of the family palazzo, Ca’Scacchi just off the Grand Canal. The city has demanded legal right of entry to check.
When the city engineers begin investigating the subsistence what they find is a crypt with a dead body dressed in a distinctive dress owned by the Contessa. A letter in a typewriter gives a mysterious message.
The palazzo has had a chequered history and is believed by locals to be cursed.
Treasures belonging to the palazzo have disappeared over the years, including a hidden, erotic portrait of Lucia Borgia.
The mysterious Lucia portrait, owned by the Scacchi family has driven men and women to outrageous sexual heights, bewitched as they are by it. It apparently holds an almost mystical sway over viewers.
Arnold joins Lizzie in the hunt for the portrait, following the clues left by her mother.
Their journey is shadowed by minions of Enzo Canale, a self made business man, a bully, who is after the portrait.
An intriguing, rich and rewarding read that leads into places unknown and never lets up the pressure.

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Venice, art-crimes, archivist, amateur-sleuth, mystery, suspense, thriller, widower, curse, cultural-exploration, cultural-differences, historic-buildings, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, heiress, friends, family, family-history, local-law-enforcement, deceit, expats, lies, secrets, murder, corruption, riveting*****

I missed the first in this new series! But the author kept me in the loop except for wanting to read more about Arnold, Luca, Valentina, and Venice. There is so much detailed history and location descriptions skillfully woven into the mystery that this history geek was entranced. The publisher's blurb is a good hook but the writing kept me riveted.
I requested and received an EARC from Severn House via NetGalley. Thank you!

A missing painting, a crumbling palazzo, and a long gone woman make for a puzzle that Arnold tries to help Lizzie solve. He's a widower fairly newly resident in Venice and she's just come into an inheritance- an inheritance someone else wants badly. This is complex enough that it's difficult to synopsize and, more importantly, to keep even veteran fans of the genre guessing, I love that it's set in Venice, with all the intrigue that's just part of the fabric of the city, Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, Excellent read,

This is the second book in the author's "Venetian Mysteries". The first book "The Medici murders" was very good, this one is even better.
We meet again Arnold Clover. He and his wife planned moving to Venice on their retirement, including learning Italian. Unfortunately his wife died before they could move, but Arnold now lives in a small apartment away from the tourist route. He works occasionally as an archivist. This is where he met his friend Luca Volpetti. Valentina Fabbri is capitano of the carabinieri. She has used Arnold's services translating for english speakers.
This time Valentina asks him to help a young english woman - Lizzie Hawker. Her english father is dead and her venetian mother disappeared long ago. Her mother's family own a dilapidated venetian palace Ca Scacchi in the Dorsoduro district.
The authorities are concerned as many expensive articles are missing including a priceless portrait of Lucrezia Borgia. A local wealthy business man Enzo Canale wants to acquire Ca Scacchi and will go to any lenghths.
Lizzie and Arnold discover the body of her mother Lucia Scacchi and the puzzles she has left that need to be completed to find the missing riaque portrait. Can they solve the eight riddles that take you all over Venice and save Lizzie's inheritance?
A marvellous adventure. Very highly recommended. I certainly look forward to the third book.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House Publishers for an advance copy of The Borgia Portrait, the second novel to feature retired archivist Arnold Clover set in Venice.

Arnold has been asked to help Lizzie Hawker navigate the Italian legal system. Her mother disappeared thirty years ago at the same time as a priceless sensual portrait of Lucrezia Borgia and her father recently died so bureaucracy is taking an interest in her mother’s historic home, Ca’ Scacchi. When a body is found in a hidden crypt it poses more questions than answers as it is hiding a short story with clues to the whereabouts of the painting.

I enjoyed The Borgia Portrait, which is as much a travel guide to Venice’s hidden attractions and history as it is murder mystery. Still, it is full of twists and turns and has an engrossing story to tell.

It is told from Arnold’s first person point of view and that is an inspired choice as he is very unassuming, but quite bright at solving obscure clues. He is the outsider who can give an objective view on the city and its inhabitants, but as a resident he has enough familiarity to get about. He is very likeable in his kind but diffident manner and brings warmth to a narrative that is decidedly tricky.

The plot consists of Arnold and Lizzie trekking through Venice from one historic site to the next, following obscure clues to find the painting. Of course, they’re not alone in this hunt, although there is never any tension in the hunt. It’s all a bit convoluted and seems designed to expose these less well known sites to a wider audience. It’s completely wasted on me as I have no visualisation skills and can’t process it, especially as most of the clues have no real bearing on the location of the painting. I did, however, enjoy the ending of the novel which produces no end of surprises and explanations. It’s well worth the trek round Venice.

The Borgia Portrait is a good read that I can recommend.

A palazzo off the Grand Canal with a distinct lean, which has been stripped of its former glories and imbued with a curse is a prize indeed, and the perfect location for Renaissance mystery with a twist of the gothic. Lizzie is in Venice following the death of her father who she nursed through his later years. She is struggling with the Italian bureaucracy and so has been put in touch with Arnold Clover the retired archivist for assistance. When a body is found, along with some mysterious documents, in a secret crypt in the grounds, life suddenly gets complicated. A fanciful tale about Casanova along with a puzzle, whose clues when solved promise to reveal the location of a lost masterpiece. What more can Lizzie and Arnold do but try to solve the puzzle and become art treasure hunters.

A storyline of journeys and discoveries, some wonderful, others requiring some soul searching. The most obvious one is the quest for the missing painting which provides the spine of the plot. Lizzie has much to discover too, only hearing about her early life from her father, her perspective has been skewed. This is something she discovers when the Venetians she meets recall what he was like. Perhaps he poisoned her mind to her mother? Lizzie must also discover herself too, having had her early life blighted by her father pushing her onto the stage and then, of course, nursing him through his decline. She is a woman entering middle age but only just awakening in herself. There is also some self-discovery and memories stirred for Arnold too.

Venice is the perfect setting for such a mystery and has been used its fullest. The treasure hunt clues providing the perfect device to have the unlikely pairing, of Lizzie and Arnold, seeking out the hidden unexplored corners of the city. Arnold’s knowledge is limited, so of course there is room for friends Luca, Ugo and Carabinieri Capitano Valentia to chip in with their local knowledge. The dapper Luca and glamourous Valentia bring that effortless Italian style and panache to proceedings which the Brit abroad could never manage. Somehow making an aperitivo at a simple restaurant seem better than cocktails at the Ritz. They also ensure that their stamina in maintained by sustenance for the many local delicacies. This is not a book for those on a strict diet.
The puzzle is also a perfect way to introduce some of the incident and odd characters of Venice’s past to embroider a rich tapestry backing the quest. A treasure hunt that seamlessly weaves together fact and fiction and will have you Googling people and places as you read along. If immersing yourself in history is your kind of book, you'll love it.

The chemistry between Lizzie and Arnold works well considering the generational age gap, with the lightest of nods towards the great partnerships of 1940s/50s Hollywood. She has so much to learn about her past, her life and the Italian way they he bears the brunt of her frustrations. As they progress and settle into friendship Arnold starts to reflect on his own past and we learn just a little more about his married life.

The story line moves along smoothly and logically. Classic elements are added by including rivals for the search introducing some urgency and competition. There is little by way of violence and jeopardy, its not that kind of thriller, but when it does appear it is even more shocking for it.

Light relief comes in the form of situations, observations on the Italian way of life and small cameos from old locals and the wonderfully named journalist Gervaise Alfonso Lascelles. He’s a slightly grotesque figure, the boozy tabloid hack, but with some redeeming features.

The Borgia Portrait is a Renaissance mystery wrapped up in a love letter to Venice and its people.

Thanks to Net Galley, the author and publisher for allowing access to this eArc in exchange for a fair review.

This is second book in the Arnold Clover Venetian Mystery Series.

Arnold is a quiet and unassuming widower. Having moved to Venice for his retirement, Arnold’s experience with archives and unlocking historical mysteries means that he finds himself embroiled in mysteries and murders.

In this installment, Arnold has been hired to help an heiress look for a missing but priceless painting of Lucrezia Borgia. Lizzie Harker is the daughter of a staggeringly rich Italian countess and a famous music producer. But her riches to rags story, hides some dark secrets.

The mystery of the painting leads Arnold and Lizzie on an interesting although in some cases pointless treasure hunt across Venice. The riddles that Lizzie’s mother leaves take them to hidden treasures and stories behind buildings and events in Venice. The clues don’t really seem to lead on from another, but are fascinating and cleverly put together highlighting the countess’ (and the writer’s) intelligence and knowledge of Venice.

Lizzie and Arnold are well supported by Arnold’s friends as they race to find the painting before corrupt official and all-around villain Enzo Canale who has his own connections to the crumbling mansion.

The real star of this book is Venice itself. The descriptions are so atmospheric and rich that even if you have never been to the city, the reader can vividly picture the settings. Added to the descriptions of the food, this will definitely make you want to pack a bag and head for the airport.

Thank you to Netgalley for my gifted digital copy of The Borgia Portrait

The second book in David Hewson's Venetian Mysteries series, The Borgia Portrait was a fascinating glimpse at some of the little-known corners of Venice. I enjoyed the returning characters from the previous book in the series, as well as Lizzie Hawker, who is searching for answers regarding the disappearance of her mother while Lizzie was a small child. Lizzie's father has recently died, leaving her with a serious debt, and she is also in danger of losing the family's ancestral palazzo. While I enjoyed the book immensely, I never could quite reconcile Lizzie purported age with her behavior. Overall, a quick, enjoyable read. Thank you NetGalley and Severn House!

A treasure hunt to find a priceless piece of art following clues in Venice? This sounded like the perfect book for me. I would highly recommend it to readers of historical fiction, which unfortunately is not me. Even though this is the second volume in a series that I hadn’t read before, I wasn’t at a loss at any time. The background is sufficiently explained to make it easy to follow as a standalone, without being repetitive. I really liked the cast of supporting characters, as well as the look at one of the most beautiful cities in the world. In the afterword, the author explains how he based his story in real-life locations that he doesn’t exactly place, so that readers can find these spots on their own. It is also clear how much research he’s done on the historical part of the plot. My problem was precisely that… it contains too many details, dates, names and historical facts that I was not interested in. I enjoyed the descriptions of Venice, especially the dilapidated palazzo at the heart of the novel, but the pace was slower than I usually enjoy. Not a bad book, I’m just not the right reader.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Severn House!