The Dante Trap
In his cell in a noisome dungeon languishes The Black Orchid,Venice’s most dashing swordsman, secret agent and lover. But he is blessed with a good friend, who has told the Doge he is the only man to unmask The Chimera, a terrible murderer who has just killed an actor in a gory and spectacular manner. For this is no ordinary murder, but a vast conspiracy to put an end to the glory of La Serenissima…
Now read on! I didn’t know people still wrote books like this—Dennis Wheatley to the life complete with black magic, plus a Paul Doherty style set of murders and mysteries. It is all great fun, and mixed in with the thrills are plenty of facts about mid-18th century Venice and its illustrious past. Some of these are presented in a rather obvious way (almost as if a textbook had been interleafed with the novel) but are interesting and important to the tale for all that. The author paints a compelling picture of this unique city at its most decadent, all courtesans, sinister spies and sighing lovers, masks, palazzos and murky politics. I wouldn’t mind in the least if M Delandande decided to write another.
