The Hearts of All on Fire
Florence, 1473. Guid’Antonio Vespucci, Doctor of Law, is already preparing for a case when a guest at his home for a festival dies suddenly. The autopsy, performed by female physician Francesca Vernacci, reveals the prominent cloth merchant guest was poisoned by mushrooms served by Vespucci’s servant. When a dog ends up dying of the same poisoning outside their gates, Vespucci is forced to consider the merchant was murdered by someone who had access to his home.
In this latest volume in the Guid’Antonio Vespucci mystery series, which can be read as a standalone, White’s meticulous research shines as readers are taken through the streets of Florence, into its criminal justice courts and hospitals, and are shown the majesty of its architecture and artwork. Rubbing elbows with the Medici family and a young da Vinci, Vespucci at first brushes off the possibility of murder. He’s preparing for a case involving a grandfather violating and murdering his granddaughter. But as time passes, he will learn to trust those around him if he wants to solve both alarming cases.
While I can’t say I was surprised who the culprit was, White’s writing skill will draw readers in as Vespucci begins his search for answers. White surprises with the secrets some of the characters hold, and readers will look at the victims and perpetrators in a new light as the story unfolds. A deftly researched, intriguing mystery tucked comfortably within a richly atmospheric setting.
