Don't know why I left this book for so long before starting it. The Venetian Masquerade was so good. I've not read or heard of Philippe Gwynne Jones before and loved this book about Nathan Sutherland, a translator who lives in Venice and gets called upon to investigate a missing murdered stranger who has one of Nathan's business cards. What is the connection? He then becomes involved in trying to find a musical masterpiece and meets some very interesting characters along the way.

This is the third book in a series, but its also a great standalone thriller, and I know now, having read it, I will definitely read the rest.

Am amazing thriller that trails around Venice and will keep you begging for more. It would make a really good tv series.

Philip Gwynne Jones is a excellent author and this book had great descriptive text and locations. I really felt I could be in Venice and would definitely like to go there.

The characters were also excellent and I definitely wont be waiting too long before I read or listen to another book by this author.

I listened to the audio version of this book which really help with some of the Italian names etc which I know I wouldn't have got right if reading to myself. Additionally, the narrator Tim Bruce was a perfect match for this book and I can say without hesitation that it wont be long before I listen to the rest of the series and anything else Philip writes. I believe there may

Any negatives? Not really, Nathan does drink a lot of Spritzes throughout which added an unusual quirk to his character.

A big thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK, Constable for the opportunity to read and review this book

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Atmospheric and vividly described, Gynne Jones whisks us away to Venice during Carnevale. Music, theatre, mystery - what's not to love? Wonderful escapism during coronavirus lockdown.

A good story, from an author who understands Venice.
For me, any novel written about Venice falls into one of two categories - did the author get the geography correct or did they not? This author, to my utter delight, not only gets the geography right but also the history, the quirks, and he also writes a good story!
I loved this book, will read others in the series, and watch out for any forthcoming books.
I can’t think that there is a better compliment to an author than that!

Beautiful descriptions of Venice. Murder mystery with the right amount of death/gore and the usual red herrings and unexpected twists. However, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as previous ones by the same other as the focus on opera/ operatic terms etc was beyond my very basic knowledge. I do believe there is a glossary which in a hard copy may be more accessible than my netgalley preview kindle version.

Absolutely loved this atmospheric murder mystery which perfectly evokes Venice. It's full of twists and turns with beautiful scenery and warm, easily repatable characters.

I'm always a bit wary when I read book that are set in Italy, especially in a place like Venice because there's the risk of reading of a place out of a turistic dream.
I loved the way the author writes about Venice, the places, the people, and the food. You can see he knows what he's talking about.
I liked this book, it was an entertaining and enjoyable read.
The mystery was solid and I liked the twists and turns. The characters are interesting and well written.
I was looking for something that was an entertaining read and this book was perfect.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Nathan Sutherland,honorary consul and part time translator is asked to help the famous conductor, Thomas Lockwood, and his gorgeous talented partner,Isotta Baldan, an opera singer,in their quest for a mythical,but unfortunately lost,opera of Monteverdi. But death seems to follow in the wake of their investigations...
The setting,Venice during carnival, is of course absolutely stunning but somehow I'm missing some personal link to the city. We get all the names of the calle,piazza's...but there is a certain warmth,a deep involvement lacking. The relationship between Nathan and his partner Frederica is a bit soppy,a lot of tesoro,mio cuore,caro mio(and I mean a lot!). There is also a lot foodstuff going on,but there again, I don't have the feeling they are particularly enjoying their food apart from huge amounts of Spritzes (basically vermouth/Campari,white wine/prosecco and sparkling water.) Yes,Spritz is definitely an on going theme!
It is an easy read and it is not a bad story as the mystery of a long list manuscript is captivating but it is certainly not as sparkling as the already mentioned Spritz.

Philip Gwynne Jones evokes a vibrant picture of the historical city of Venice with its backstreets and waterways in this murder mystery that echoes the full blooded emotion and drama of a Italian opera. Nathan Sutherland is a translator and honorary consul at the British embassy providing information on Brexit and Italian citizenship for the ex-pat community. It is his birthday, and his partner, Federica, aka Fede, has got tickets for a night at the opera at La Fenice with the celebrated Thomas Joshua Lockwood. He is overjoyed albeit disappointed that international soprano, Isotto Balden, is unable to perform. A man is stabbed to death in the box opposite, and Nathan had glimpsed a sinister figure there in a horror mask of the plague Dr Beak. His police contact, Vanni, informs him that the dead man was Matteo Zambon, and he just happened to have on his person Nathan's business card. Nathan is sure that he has never met the man but his curiosity is aroused.

To Nathan's astonishment, he meets Isotto, and is starstruck by her celebrity, being a opera lover and entranced by her beauty. She and Lockwood are a couple, and have a story to tell of Zambon, they are certain he had knowledge of the whereabouts of the lost manuscript of 'The Rape of Prosepina' by Claudio Monteverdi. Lockwood is passionately obsessed with getting his hands on the manuscript and hires Nathan to help him locate it. Nathan is aware of the danger, a man has already been murdered for what he knew, but he cannot help but be excited by the prospect of the quest. Lockwood additionally ropes in an old university friend of his, Christopher Maitland, a music teacher at a public school, in Venice for performances by his choristers at St George's Anglican Church. Amidst the revelry of Carnevale with its costumes and celebrations, with its numbers swelled by a mass of tourists, Nathan finds himself glimpsing the menacing Dr Beak far too often, he and Fede are in danger, being stalked and is horrified when another murder takes place. It all ends in a thrilling finale back at La Fenice where it all began.

One of the major highlights of this terrific novel is the author's close and personal knowledge of Venice, its historic buildings, churches, bridges, and architecture. He makes the reader feel as if they are right there in this city with its history, music, festivals and culture, and its mouthwatering food and drink. Nathan is a likeable and quirky protagonist, I particularly loved his relationship with his fractious anti-social cat, Gramsci, with whom he converses on his visitors, music and his life. Music is central to the story, opera in particular, with its colourful, dramatic and heartbreaking storylines that echo in the narrative so strongly. If you fancy being transported to Venice, then this is the perfect book with its intrigue, blackmail and murder. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.