'An irresistible concoction of crime and culture' is in full swing, the streets and waterways of Venice are crowded with masked revellers and Nathan Sutherland's birthday is about to be ruined. A night at the opera at La Fenice is always a memorable experience - and this time it will be so for all the wrong reasons as the curtain call is interrupted by a fatal stabbing. But why is the dead man carrying one of Nathan's business cards in his wallet? The mystery of the murdered stranger takes Nathan on the trail of a lost opera by Monteverdi. But what begins as a harmless treasure hunt leads to ruthless criminals asking the highest of prices for the lost score... and then a second body is found in the sanctuary of Venice's English church. The quest for the lost manuscript will bring Nathan back to the stage of La Fenice, where a final confrontation has deadly consequences... Val McDermid David Hewson Gregory Dowling - always gripping, beautifully constructed and vivid' Stephen Glover ' , is as haunting and darkly elegant as Venice itself' L.S. Hilton, bestselling author of 'The Venetian setting is ... good, fluid writing makes for easy reading' . . . If you love Venice, you'll love this because you'll be transported there in an instant. If you've not been to Venice, read this book and then go. If you like intrigue, and a clever plot, Amazon reviewer, 5*****