The Darkest Sin

by D.V. Bishop

5 out of 5

Synopsis

The Darkest Sin is an atmospheric historical thriller by D. V. Bishop, set in Renaissance Florence and is the sequel to City of Vengeance.

Florence. Spring, 1537.

When Cesare Aldo investigates a report of intruders at a convent in the Renaissance city’s northern quarter, he enters a community divided by bitter rivalries and harbouring dark secrets.

His case becomes far more complicated when a naked man’s body is found deep inside the convent, stabbed more than two dozen times. Unthinkable as it seems, all the evidence suggests one of the nuns must be the killer.

Meanwhile, Constable Carlo Strocchi finds human remains pulled from the Arno that belong to an officer of the law missing since winter. The dead man had many enemies, but who would dare kill an official of the city’s most feared criminal court?

As Aldo and Strocchi close in on the truth, identifying the killers will prove more treacherous than either of them could ever have imagined . . . 

Review

Aldo and Strocchi are back with their next set of investigations. A man turns up naked and stabbed to death in a convent; and another body washes up from the river, that causes some uncomfortable questions.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book in the Cesare Aldo series. The main mystery in this book is completely seperate to what happens in the first, but I would recommend reading City of Vengeance first, as it builds the background for the Otto, and the political powers in Venice.

Cesare Aldo is sent to investigate reports of someone trying to break into a convent - a minor crime that is usually beneath an officer of the Otto; but this leads him to the discovery of a murder.

Aldo has to uncover the secrets of the convent, and who might be a murderer; before the church punishes the wrong nun.

Carlo Strocchi is visiting his old village, to introduce his mother to his new wife, when he stumbles upon a chance clue to a missing man. He confirms a missing officer of the Otto is indeed dead, and investigates who killed him. Unfortunately, the officer was widely hated, leaving Strocchi with many leads to follow.

Aldo's storyline in the main one, and takes up most of the book. Whereas Strocchi's investigation moves swiftly to start with, but moves into the background for the second half of the book (with good reason). There are the occasional Strocchi chapters past 50%, but he's mostly spinning his wheels, waiting for the right moment.

Aldo spends most of his time at the convent, and we are introduced to a a new wave of characters.

I've got to say, in the last book, I was left somewhat disappointed by the lack of likeable female characters - but The Darkest Sin more than makes up for it!

It really focuses on the limited roles open to women at the time, and the price they have to pay for the security of being a wife. The convent has its devoutly religious occupants, but it is also a sanctuary for the beaten and mistreated women; or those that don't fit the mould.

The Abbess in charge, cares deeply for all of her charges; but she is also keenly intelligent, and easily a match for Aldo.

Even within her convent, they are not free from men interfering with their lives. The archbishop rules over everything religious, and has the power to punish nuns, and even disband the convent.

We also learn more about Aldo's family - he's a bastard son, cast out by the family's matriarch; but we get to see some really sweet interactions with his half-sister Teresa, and her daughter Isabella.

Isabella is very head-strong, and despite coming across as somewhat spoilt and shallow to begin with, she's got a good heart, and she's not scared of danger. The more you get to know her, the more similarities she has with Aldo.

It was fascinating following Aldo and the others, as they stripped back all of the misleading evidence, and got to the root of what happened, and why.

It does keep you guessing throughout, with several of the nuns having very strong motives for wanting the man dead.

The big reveal felt a little anti-climatic after all the work towards it, but it was still reasonably satisfying.

Now, we have to wait and find out what repercussions will come from Strocchi's investigation!

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