Another Cesare Aldo adventure continues to enthrall and entertain. No longer an agent of the OTTO Aldo is tasked by Cosimo de Medici with the recovery of papers including a secret diary containing dangerous thoughts by Medici . This leads him back to the one place he’d vowed never to return to, Venice. Full of intrigue and violence the Countess Costello is heavily involved weaving mischief and making Aldo’s quest difficult in the extreme. A rollicking good read, roll on further revelations of this fascinating character.

A new Aldo mystery is always a treat, and this one is as delicious as the last. This time Aldo has a quest to retrieve the stolen journal of Cosimo de Medici, or face having to leave his home and loved ones. Back in Venice, he finds himself amidst enemies, treachery and danger.

A story full of spills and thrills, an exciting continuation of Aldo’s story, but also equally well read as a stand alone novel.

Carnival of Lies is the fifth Cesare Aldo book, set in sixteenth century Medici-era Florence. Except this one has Aldo reluctantly return to Venice at carnival time, with plenty of parties, masks, spying, cazzi e palle.

He gets stuck in the intrigues between the powerful rulers of Florence and Venice and gets into trouble with everyone - can he escape and live to fight another day?

A recommended read for lovers of historical mysteries.

Carnival of Lies is another fun entry into the Cesare Aldo series which, this time, takes him out of Florence and back to Venice, a place to which he vowed never to return. This is less a murder mystery in the way the previous books were - Aldo is required to cross wits with some dangerous individuals and what he is looking for, should he not find it, leaves Florence's safety at stake. Thus, there was more urgency to this one, the feeling that the stakes were higher, and there was the genuine question of whether Aldo would make it back to Florence again. Now that it's over, the question is what will come next in the series and I look forward to finding out.

Cesare Aldo no longer works for the Otto, but he's not granted much peace when his niece Isabella visits him with a proposal he cannot accept. He doesn't have much time to think about that when the Venetian spymaster Contessa Coltello asks for a visit and drags Cesare into her intrigues. When Duke Cosimo's secrets are compromised, he must go to the one place he vowed never to set foot in again: Venice.

Carnival of lies, the fifth book in the series is a little special for two reasons. First, Carlo Strozzi has no role in the book. In fact he isn't in Florence at the moment, which is a shame because the two together carry the series. But Contessa Coltello is back and in Venice we get to know a whole set of new characters. Secondly, the story is not set in Florence alone, but much more in Venice. Bishop is great at bringing a city to life and she does it perfectly with the chaotic Venice full of canals, bridges and stately palazzos that are not all well maintained.

The Venetians are planning an assassination attempt on Duke Cosimo De Medici that eventually culminates in the theft of a personal diary that Aldo, along with Ottone -head of security and not a nice man - must retrieve at all cost. The first part of the book focuses on the feud between those two gentlemen and the chase of thieves. I personally regretted that Ottone is covered so briefly, there was more in his character to get him to Venice I think.

But in Venice there is a pact with Coltello against Bragadin who wants Coltello locked up at all costs. And Cesare also meets someone from his past who once caused him to dislike the city.

This book is another fantastic addition to the series and ends with a cliffhanger that ushers in another story, hooray! I don't really have a favorite in this series, every book has something. But Strozzi can definitely return as far as I'm concerned ;).

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.


Carnival of Lies is the 5th book in the Cesare Aldo series by D. V. Bishop set in 1539 during the Renaissance in the country we know know as Italy,

At the time it was separated into city states with Aldo living in Florence then ruled by the Medici family whose great rivals was the city of Venice.

Normally when you get to the fifth novel of a series like Carnival of Lies is in the Ceasre Aldo series, it is advisable to read them in order.

However in this case because Ceasre Aldo has a new job and is going to Florence to gain a secret journal, this would be a good point to join the series.

Having said that even though the writer D.V. Bishop does a great job of informing readers of any storyline that is affected by precious books you may miss out on the odd little thing that readers who have read previous books would have.

So why read Carnival of Lies? Firstly we have the character of Aldo himself although part of Florence Elite families he has been abandoned by them which allows him to move through the full range of Florence society.

This allows readers to fully enter the world and time period which gets very little attention outside of art and science of the time.

In addition Cesare Aldo is a member of the LGBT community which allows the writer to show how this community had to live during this time.

While this informs Aldo’s action in his personal life, it has very little effect on the heart of the novel.

So where does this stand in the ranking of the series, that is smoothing that it is difficult to say and for the correct reasons.

Normally when book series get to around the 5th book the quality starts to go down, not because of the quality of the writing. But, more because the writer is just writing the same story again and again just with different characters and scenery.

However with D.V. Bishop giving Aldo a different job that has allowed the books to expand this has led this story to become different yet staying close to the first 4 books in the series making Carnival of Lies by D. V. Bishop is well worth reading.

It is 1539 (although we would already have said 1540, as the story takes place in early March) and it is bitter cold. Cesare Aldo no longer works for the Otto but turned freelance. He’s still living in the bordello and to his joy, still maintaining a wonderful affair with Saul. They have to be very, very careful because what they’re having – a gay affair – could have them both sent to jail and be killed. Anyway, as the story begins Aldo is summoned to the offices of Cosimo de’Medici who’s under attack. Apparently, the Doge of Venice still wants to get Cosimo out of the way so he can overtake Florence. The Doge hopes he can get some help from a cypher book that was stolen from Cosimo recently, but Cosimo in his turn sends out Aldo, one of his most trusted men, to get it back. Sounds easy: just go to Venice and steal a book.
It isn’t. First of all there is not only Cosimo but also Contessa Valentina Cotillo, spy master in Florence, who fears there are some very incriminating things about her written down in the book. Valentina was simply born a couple of hundred years too early – she could easily have the same role in our current time as she has in 1539. Other interested parties are luckily not so clever as she is.
What is not to like about this fifth book in the series? The writing is vibrant, there are snappy dialogues, there is betrayal and love and Carnival parties and most of all: ice-cold water. And Aldo hates Venice because of something that happened there more than twenty years ago.
At the end there is a surprise – one that hopefully leads to the next book in the series.
Thanks to Pan MacMilland and Netgelley for this review copy.

My thanks to the Author publisher's and NetGalley for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
This is the fifth book in this excellent series, all are beautifully written and researched, featuring a clever mix of fictional and real historical characters. Atmospheric clever descriptive intelligent storytelling, with action and mystery. Our hero Aldo is as usual in fine form, and I am pleased to report the ending suggests more to come.
Completely and utterly recommended

DV Bishop’s award winning Cesare Aldo crime series has taken readers across Renaissance Florence in the early part of the Sixteenth Century. Each of the first four books, starting with City of Vengeance were historical crime procedurals. Aldo was part of the Otto, the city police and with his sometimes partner Strocci, solved murders that usually had wider political implications. In the fifth book of the series, Carnival of Lies, Bishop changes register. He not only takes Aldo out of Florence but also delivers an extremely enjoyable combination of thriller and heist novel.
When Carnival of Lies opens, Aldo has quit his position at the Otto but is still helping out by exposing those who are trying to shake down the city’s brothel owners. He is also still working for the ruler of the city Cosimo de Medici by maintaining contact with the Venetian spy Contessa Valentine Coltello. The Contessa tips Aldo off to a plot to kill Medici and while he helps foil that plan, some valuable documents are stolen by another Venetian operative and Aldo is made part of the team dispatched to Venice to recover them. Part of the deal is that if he fails to do so he can never return to Florence.
To talk any more about the plot would be to give away some of its great twists and reveals. But as always, Aldo is the centre of the action and this tale gives Bishop the ability to dig deeply into Aldo’s past. For Aldo had lived in Venice before and there are reasons why he never wanted to return. Bubbling in the background of this book and possibly a set up for the next is also the question of Aldo’s parentage and his mother in particular. While there are plenty of great side characters in this book clearly Bishop’s favourite is the Contessa, a delightfully scheming presence in both this and the previous book A Divine Fury.
Once again, there is plenty of historical detail, atmosphere and setting to chew on. Bishop takes readers from Florence to Venice and then around Venice in the weeks of Carnivale – from the great to the crumbling houses, masked balls and the recently formed inquisition. And peopled by a range of fascinating characters, some based on real historical figures.
But the driving force of Carnival of Lies is thriller structure and a rollicking heist centrepiece. Bishop delivers in this register just as confidently as he produced historical procedurals in the previous volumes. This is overall another page-turning adventure through Renaissance Italy, and a great set up for future Aldo exploits to come.

Absolutely stunning. I really devoured this book, and was sad when I had finished it.
The story was brilliant, the characters well crafted and they felt very real. The writing was wonderful; elegant and yet full of action.
There were many moments of amusement for me, and if you like twists and turns in a story, you will find the machinations of the Contessa completely mesmeric. What a woman - my heroine!
I thoroughly appreciate the amount of research that this talented author puts into the books - this one was particularly enjoyable to me, as I could appreciate the research and accuracy regarding Venice - a city I know well.
This is a fantastic series, but I am happy to report that each book does contain a complete story and could be read as a standalone. But it is so, so much better to read them all, and appreciate the long story arc!
I love stories that are twisty, full of action, and keep my attention. This book fared perfectly on all counts.

I’m a huge fan of David Bishop’s Cesare Aldo historical series, and this one is a cracker. Though it begins in Florence, much of the action takes place in Venice, a place to which Aldo swore he would never return. David Bishop ensures that both these Italian cities are rich in atmosphere and the smells, sounds and sights fill the senses alongside the atmosphere of intrigue, deadly politics and strange bedfellows.

Cesare Aldo has, with relief, left the Otto and is freelance, aided by a hefty commission or two from Cosimo, Duke de Medici. This time Aldo is alerted by Contessa Coltello to a possible assassination attempt on the Duke’s life. When the Duke’s personal journal is stolen, containing his private thoughts on many of the important issues and people of the day, the diplomatic incidents his journal being made public would cause are a matter of very serious concern. Insurrection and war are just two unthinkable possibilities. Aldo is tasked with getting the journal back if he ever wants to return to Florence. The pacing is fast as Bishop mixes murder with political intrigue, duplicity and a constant power struggle within the Venetian confines.

Bishop uses tight pacing, splitting perspectives between Aldo, Saul, Contessa Coltello, and even Duke Cosimo, ratcheting the suspense so that everyone feels under threat of betrayal or death. There were moments when my pulse quickened—a ballroom chase, a secret rendezvous, some brutal revelations.

Cesare Aldo’s internal monologue always makes me feel like I am walking in his shoes, and this time, the weight of responsibility presses on him more than ever. He’s no longer just a freelance blade; he’s the bulwark between Florence and utter chaos. We get poignant flashbacks highlighting his fierce loyalty and vulnerability—especially in his bond with Saul. I loved seeing their relationship deepen, showing Aldo not just as a solitary protector, but as a man who loves and fears losing someone dear.

As for Contessa Valentine Coltello, she is a magnificent creation. Whip smart, beautiful and when required, deadly. She and Aldo dance a complicated Bassadanza, with each thinking they are leading, but neither quite knowing all the steps. Theirs is a relationship which, though clearly not built on trust, nevertheless brings them together, sometimes as allies, sometimes in an adversarial relationship.

Each respects the other but Coltello can’t help but be tempted to flirt with Aldo, especially knowing his preferences. She’s ruthless, witty, unpredictable; a siren certainly; ruthless enough to exploit Aldo’s vulnerabilities. Their encounters sparkle with wit, distrust, and an undeniable chemistry that kept me wondering.

Bishop’s Florence is a living, breathing entity. You can almost taste the smog of power and ambition from the Medici court, feel Aldo’s frustration as his network closes around him. Renaissance Venice, though, is the show-stopper. During Carnevale, the canals transform into deceptive labyrinths. Every mask hides motives and in Venice very few motives are pure. Damp alleyways, lavish masked balls, whispered secrets behind velvet drapes—Bishop’s research is rock-solid. He makes Venice a character, and put me right there, hunting shadows with Aldo.

Verdict: Carnival of Lies is a politically charged masterpiece. The richness and dynamics of the characters and Aldo’s own anguish layer on emotional depth and complexity. The opulent tension of Florence contrasts perfectly with Venice’s intoxicating mask of mystery and libertine behaviour. The pacing is fast and furious, the stakes are high, and Bishop’s research roots it solidly in history without ever overshadowing the brilliant story. If you are looking for intelligent thrills laced with Renaissance-era intrigue, this is it. I closed its final page, already pining for more of Aldo’s dangerous world. I keep thinking about that baited hook at the end that Bishop has dangled for us…. I’m in no doubt that I’m biting!

When Duke Cosmo Medici's life is threatened, he calls on Cesare Aldo for help. Whilst Aldo foils that plot, the real plan was a raid on the Medici archive and some of the Duke's most valuable papers have been stolen. Now Aldo is tasked with retrieving a particular journal and that quest is going to take him to Venice, a city he vowed never to return to. Also going to Venice is the Contessa Contrello, a femme fatale and ruthless spymaster. Also and the Contessa may have to work together, but can they trust each other.
This is volume 5 of the exploits of Cesare Aldo and the series just gets better. As much of the backstory is in place, Bishop can concentrate on the nuances of Aldo's relationships, here exploring his lost love. As such the homosexuality does not need to be pushed as much and therefore is more believable. It's a cracking plot with twists and betrayals a pleanty which kept me entertained throughout.

D V Bishop is another author the publisher hopes will replace C J Sansom and fill a Shardlake shaped hole. So David Bishop (previously author of a fantasy mystery) becomes known by his initials and a historical setting for a mystery is selected - here he has gone for a reassuringly renaissance setting but located in Italy to ring just enough of a change. His protagonist works in the law - not as a lawyer but as a now retired investigator. A mystery plot unfolds as the hero is enmeshed in the political manoeuvring of Princes and courtiers.

It all feels very promising. This is not the first of the books in the series, so clearly they have a following. Sadly, the comparison with Sansom’s Shardlake, so obviously invited, is not a flattering one. For one thing, Bishop’s hero, Aldo, never quite emerges as a fully realised character. Whilst Shardlake is interestingly compassionate, clever and tenacious, Aldo appears a collection of ticks and tropes, whose abilities are determined as much by plot necessity as anything else. Background characters are sometimes entertaining but don’t emerge with the same level of depth that Sansom achieved.

Part of the problem is also the odd use of a type of Italgish: certain words are always rendered in Italian, presumably to remind us where it is set. This works well where a word in foreign language has no easy translation, or carries a nuance that the English equivalent doesn’t but where that’s not the case, it becomes irritating. Here, for example, the word “stratagema” is frequently used where the words ruse, ploy, plan or, for that matter, strategem, might be easily employed.

The biggest issue must be plot, however. It is on the weak side. The main plot revolves around the need to recover a private journal used by the Medici prince to record his thoughts about various important figures and allies. Why he did so, is unexplained. Presumably he can recall why he doesn’t trust an important figure such as the Holy Roman Emperor and doubtless there are spies about who would have an idea what he might privately think. It doesn’t appear to contain his plans or discussions with those in his confidence (which might reasonably be written down for further discussion with others). Thankfully his enemies in Venice, having confirmed it is the secret diary of Cosimo Medici, written in code, they decide not to bother decoding and reading it! It doesn’t repay much thought.

Overall, whilst it isn’t bad, it really isn’t that great either. I fear I shan’t be catching up with previous entries in the series.

Carnival of Lies is the fifth in the excellent Cesare Aldo series set in 16th century Florence and, to my mind, the best yet.

Cesare has left the Otto (police) but is called to help protect the powerful Cosimo de Medici from the threat of assassination. It soon becomes clear that the suspected plot has been a ruse and instead, important documents have been stolen from Medici and taken to Florence’s great rival, Venice, where they could cause serious trouble for both the Duke and the city. Aldo is sent to Venice to try and retrieve the documents, where he comes across old troubles and new dangers.

Florence has always been a character in its own right through the series, a beautiful portrayal of a vibrant, dirty, dangerous city full of politics, religion and intrigue so it’s a change to leave it behind and spend most of this book in Venice. Fortunately, the descriptions are just as good – Venice has its own politics and rivalries, obviously, but its also carnival time so there is a real sense of decadence with the masked balls, the gondolas gliding between palaces and the behaviour of the wealthy elites. Aldo’s history with the city and some old faces make an interesting addition to his back story and, although many of the usual characters don’t appear so much in this novel, there are a few who remain important.

As always the plot is well conceived and I raced through the book, totally immersed in the setting and story. This is a fantastic series and, although Carnival of Lies could easily be read as a standalone book, it’s well worth going back to the start and enjoying them all. Excellent.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

Cesare Aldo gets involved in yet more intrigue in Florence and the Medici court. Action moves to Venice where more trouble ensues. Usual sort of stuff in this very good series. The ending of the Venice part started to feel a bit Bond like with the action and excitement but I still enjoyed the book. Maybe not as much as the previous 4 in the series but it was still a good read.

Carnival of Lies is the fifth book in the Cesare Aldo series by D.V. Bishop. Whilst it would be possible to enjoy it without having read any of the previous instalments, why miss out? Start with City of Vengeance and enjoy the treat ahead of you.

This book has a slightly different feel to it than the rest of the series, with Aldo having now resigned from the Otto to work as a free agent. The change works and keeps the series feeling fresh. This time round Aldo is hired to protect the Duke Cosimo de Medici, the ruler of Florence, from assassination. Then, when a private journal of Cosimo falls in the wrong hands, Aldo must follow it to the city of Venice, a swore never to return to.

D.V. Bishop is one of my favourite authors of historical fiction. The sixteenth century setting is vividly and convincingly portrayed and the main character of Cesare Aldo is one of the most unique in the genre. It’s gratifying to see such a well-written LGB character in historical fiction.

Thoroughly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers, Macmillan UK, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I just finished reading Carnival of Lies by D. V. Bishop, the fifth volume in his Cesare Aldo series, and it was a gripping, atmospheric dive into Renaissance Italy that kept me turning the pages. Set in Florence and Venice during the height of the 1539 Carnival season, the novel blends political intrigue, murder, and deception with a vivid sense of place that makes both cities feel fully alive.

The plot centers on an attempted assassination of Cosimo de’ Medici, with Aldo tasked with preventing the attack before it can unfold. The stakes are high from the start, and Bishop excels at building tension. From the opening pages, there’s an undercurrent of danger and duplicity. As you’d expect from a novel set in Florence and Venice, there’s a heady dose of secrets, shifting loyalties, and shadowy motives. Just when I thought I had the plot figured out, another twist caught me by surprise.

I especially appreciated the return of Cesare Aldo, Bishop’s flawed yet fascinating investigator. He remains as compelling as ever—sharp-minded, haunted, and walking a fine line between justice and survival. His demons make him human, but it’s his intelligence and moral complexity that set him apart. I also really valued how Bishop continues to write a progressive character whose decisions carry real weight and consequences, adding depth to Aldo’s development across the series.

What I loved just as much as the story itself was how the novel doesn’t rely on plot alone. The atmosphere is thick with tension, and the historical detail is rich without ever feeling heavy-handed. Florence, in particular, feels like more than just a backdrop—it’s almost a character in its own right: beautiful, dangerous, and full of contradictions.

If you’re a fan of historical thrillers that offer both clever plotting and well-developed characters, Carnival of Lies won’t disappoint. For me, it was a darkly thrilling journey through masks, secrets, and the slippery nature of truth. I’m already looking forward to what Bishop writes next.

My thanks to both Netgalley and the publishers Pan Macmillan for a free ebook and an honest o

I enjoyed this latest story from David Bishop even more than the last one and could hardly put it down. Cesare Aldo is a great protagonist and, despite his interior struggles with his past and his sexuality, he manages to accomplish the almost impossible task of retrieving stolen documents from Venice. The countess Coltello is more prominent in this book and is at the same time charming, cunning and totally ruthless. A very enjoyable read.

It has been a very, very long year I had to survive without D. V. Bishop‘s magnificent Cesare Aldo series, and I’m happy to report that Carnival of Lies was totally worth the wait. To be fair, I consoled myself by visiting Florence in the meantime, which I definitely recommend to anyone to do. It certainly gave me a new level of appreciation for the whole series.

Before we head into the review, a bit of housekeeping: this being the fifth book, some mild spoilers for previous books could happen despite my best efforts, so go forward with that in mind.

A few weeks/months passed since the events in book 4, and Aldo enjoys his new life, helping out where he can, serving justice in his own way, and spending more quality time with Saul. Until, news of an attempt to take Cosimo Medici’s life reaches his ears through the ever-intriguing Contessa Coltello. As it turns out, this assassination conspiracy is only the beginning – not only is Cosimo’s life in danger, but important papers get stolen as well, which could cause trouble for him. Aldo is tasked to take those papers back if he ever wants to return to Florence. He also has to team up with Ottone, the head of Cosimo’s guard, a fact neither man is happy with. What makes things worse is that the chase takes Aldo to Venice, a city he hates and never intended to return to. His collaboration with the Contessa plunges him right into the heart of Venice’s political snakepit, taking him closer to death than he ever was before.

Carnival of Lies, unlike the other books in the Cesare Aldo series, is not a murder mystery – don’t get me wrong, there are murders and deaths aplenty, but neither of them is very mysterious. The focus is more on a heist and some political intrigue set in Carnival time in Venice, when rules are a bit more lax. This allows Bishop to show us a different side of Aldo, to get to know his past a bit more and understand the man he has become. I certainly did not expect him to be so bold and passionate, despite the fact that he’s been living on the edge of the law in all his life. Being gay in an age when such things are illegal can do that to a man. Plus, this was one of my only minor complaints about the series – I wanted to know Aldo on a deeper level, and I finally got it. Poor Cesare really got put through the wrangler in this one. I properly felt sorry for him.

“Campana was right, of course. Antagonizing those with power or too many weapons at their command was a dangerous game – but also an enjoyable one.”

This time around, Contessa Coltello steps up to become a major character, and it’s clear that Bishop had a lot of fun writing her, which shines through the pages. And honestly, she had become one of my favourite characters as well. I would never ever want to be on her bad side. She is ruthless, cunning, and always two steps ahead of everyone else. The fact that in a men controlled world everyone underestimates her – even when they are aware of her reputation – makes it just so much more fun to read her fucking with them. Figuratively. Mostly. At times, I couldn’t predict what her next move would be which also added to the enjoyment level. I don’t know what the next book will bring, but I do hope she’ll make an appearance again.

“Coltello smiled. It was simple to control most men. All one needed to know was their vulnerabilities, and be ruthless enough to exploit them.”

Speaking of appearances, there was one regular character I sorely missed – Strocchi. He’s probably been my favourite character throughout the series, and while I understand the choice that was made for not including him – at least we’ve got an explanation for his absence -, I keep my fingers crossed for his return. I feel like he and Aldo have some unfinished business yet. But then, Aldo has more unfinished business, making me eager to pick up the next book. A shame I need to wait yet another year.

I’ve been singing this series’ praises ever since I started reading and reviewing them, and of course, Carnival of Lies isn’t an exception. Bishop keeps a steady, very high-quality writing, and knows how to keep things fresh. Taking Aldo out to Venice was an excellent choice to shake things up. With Carnival of Lies D. V. Bishop nudged the bar even higher up, establishing the series as one of the must reads of the historical fiction genre.

This is a slightly different book in the series. Instead of investigating a crime, Aldo is caught in an intrigue between Florence and Venice. He is told about a plot to kill Cosimo Medici during which a different crime takes place, Aldo is then sent to Venice to retrieve an item and is told not to return to Florence without it. There are twists and turns, plots and counter plots and a former lover to contend with, It’s a good fun, action story although I missed some of the characters from Florence who are barely in it. The end reveals more about Aldo’s family and feels as though the ext story has been set up. I hope that his character is able to develop a bit more during that. Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.