The Borgia Portrait

By David Hewson

What it’s about?

From Netgalley:

When Arnold Clover is recruited by Lizzie Hawker to help her look into her family inheritance, he cannot begin to guess the journey he is about to embark on.

Lizzie’s mother, an Italian countess, disappeared thirty years ago, presumed dead. Her father, a famous, some say infamous, music promoter, has just died and now the family home Ca’ Scacchi, a leaning palazzo in Dorsoduro, has fallen to her. When her mother vanished so too did a priceless painting, supposedly an erotic portrait of Lucrezia Borgia, which has captivated men for generations.

When a body is discovered in a hidden crypt beneath the checkerboard courtyard of the palazzo, other secrets are unearthed with it. Lying with the body is a document, a story of an episode in Casanova’s colourful life, and within it a set of clues that might lead to the location of the painting. But it quickly becomes apparent that Lizzie and Arnold are not the only ones interested in finding the painting.

The search for the lost Lucrezia quickly becomes a race through the secret history of Venice, one with potentially deadly consequences

What I think:

This is second book in the Arnold Clover Venetian Mystery Series.

Arnold is a quiet and unassuming widower. Having moved to Venice for his retirement, Arnold’s experience with archives and unlocking historical mysteries means that he finds himself embroiled in mysteries and murders.

In this installment, Arnold has been hired to help an heiress look for a missing but priceless painting of Lucrezia Borgia. Lizzie Harker is the daughter of a staggeringly rich Italian countess and a famous music producer. But her riches to rags story, hides some dark secrets.

The mystery of the painting leads Arnold and Lizzie on an interesting although in some cases pointless treasure hunt across Venice. The riddles that Lizzie’s mother leaves take them to hidden treasures and stories behind buildings and events in Venice. The clues don’t really seem to lead on from another, but are fascinating and cleverly put together highlighting the countess’ (and the writer’s) intelligence and knowledge of Venice.

Lizzie and Arnold are well supported by Arnold’s friends as they race to find the painting before corrupt official and all-around villain Enzo Canale who has his own connections to the crumbling mansion.

The real star of this book is Venice itself. The descriptions are so atmospheric and rich that even if you have never been to the city, the reader can vividly picture the settings. Added to the descriptions of the food, this will definitely make you want to pack a bag and head for the airport.

Thank you to Netgalley for my gifted digital copy of The Borgia Portrait