Mystery & intrigue flow in 'Venetian Blood'

   Point Richmond, Calif. - Christine Evelyn Volker's novel Venetian Blood fairly drips with intrigue and mystery in a complicated plot that unfolds gradually in the city of Venice, Italy.
     And there are enough words and phrases in Italian to keep anyone in love with Italy and Italian culture happy for a long time.

     The subtitle of Venetian Blood - Murder in a Sensuous City - gives an excellent clue about much of the focus of the book. As strong as the characters are, the city of Venice is probably as major a player as any of the various people who move in and out of the chapters seamlessly. Anyone who has been in Venice will recognize a lot of the landscape, history and descriptions of the boats that ply the famous canals.

     The plot involves murder, love affairs, money, art and in some spots international intrigue on the level of an Ian Fleming novel.
     Oh, there is a journalist character, too, whose sources provide a lot of their own intrigue and interest as the main character, an American woman named Anna - lurches from an illicit affair into danger.

Christine Evelyn Volker

     Venetian Blood occasionally bogs down slightly in the author's carefully ornate descriptions of art, architecture and the many drawing room scenes. But those well-written passages might well turn out to be the favorites of some readers patient enough to wait for the next plot developments.
     Throughout Venetian Blood, there is an undercurrent that hints at a surprise ending.
     And hoo-boy, it certainly is a good one!
      
     The author keeps the surprise wrapped up tightly until nearly the last page of the book.
     Venetian Blood should leave any reader smiling as they finish it.
     Venetian Blood is a publication of She Writes Press and is available in August from Amazon.com and book retailers.

Reviewed by Michael J. Fitzgerald