The Madman of Venice
Ned Fletcher is excited to learn that his employer, London merchant Matthew Ashby, will set out for Venice in the spring of 1602 to inquire into pirate attacks on his ships. To Ned, this journey offers opportunities for adventure in an exotic city and increased proximity to his employer’s daughter, Celia. But when a mysterious woman approaches Ashby to help her find Sarah Tedeschi, a Jewish girl who vanished after being accused of witchcraft by the Countess Montemoro, the journey takes on a deeper – and darker – significance. Soon after they arrive in Venice, Ashby disappears. In order to find him, Ned and Celia must figure out why the Countess is so desperate to forever silence Sarah.
Masson delights the reader with her characterization of Venice as a seductive and treacherous beauty, brimming with color, vitality and romance, but also full of secrets and danger. Ned Fletcher – verging on manhood, full of dreams and plans, but socially awkward and suffering the pangs of a seemingly unrequited crush – makes a sympathetic protagonist. Celia Ashby, indulged by her father and more headstrong than sensible, is less sympathetic at first. Fortunately, Masson explores her perspective later in the book, thus helping the reader connect to her. Celia undergoes a transformation that makes the romantic conclusion satisfying. Still, I wished the young lovers had actually spent more time together, actively experiencing their physical and emotional attraction rather than just thinking about it.
Readers should find the historical background on Jews in 17th-century Venice illuminating, and will note how the story’s mysterious atmosphere is enhanced by allusions to Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice and Romeo and Juliet. The actual mystery plot is complex and somewhat convoluted, but readers who are attentive and patient will find this a rewarding read.
