Myers, Beverle Graves - THE PAINTED VEIL

[LJ Roberts]

THE PAINTED VEIL (Amateur Sleuth-Venice-1700s) – VG Myers, Beverle
Graves - 2^nd in series
Poisoned Pen Press, 2005- ARC

Castrato soprano Tito Amato and the opera company are preparing to perform at the nuptials of the Doge's eldest daughter. The scene painter disappears, placing the opera in jeopardy, and Tito is asked to find him. The trail leads Tito to the painter's body, into the Jewish ghetto and on the trail of a masked figure who is the head of a mysterious cult.

Myers excels at providing us a view of Baroque Venice. Amato is a wonderful, realistic character, surrounded by the cast of the opera and his family. But we are also shown the dark and unpleasant side of this period and city and it's people. The story seems to start with a fairly simple mystery and lots of suspects, but soon turns into something much darker and more complex. This is a wonderful mix of music, mystery and history.