May 2014 Book of the Month and eBook of the Month.
A terrific book of which this is the second in a trilogy, following The Abomination, set mostly in Venice and following three different strands. it is an outstanding work. You can get away with reading this without having enjoyed the first but doing so will have you missing out on a great experience. Mixing recent history stretching back to World War II, an American undercover mission and a virtual reality website into a complex plot, it is riveting stuff. Kidnapping, murder, duplicity and skulduggery abound in one of the most thrilling crime tales I’ve read for a long time. Roll on book three.
A superb conspiracy thriller set in Venice, from a Sunday Times bestseller. ******** The girl in the feathered mask was just another Carnival reveller, dancing in the streets at midnight, anonymous in the Venice crowds. So nobody noticed when she was bundled into a van and driven high into the hills. It was several hours later that she was finally reported missing. Captain Kat Tapo, of the Venice police, is considered too headstrong to lead a high-profile kidnap case. But Kat has reasons of her own to mount a secret investigation. What she discovers will rewrite the past... and send shockwaves into the present. This is the second novel in a trilogy of stylish and intelligent thrillers set in Venice from Jonathan Holt who, under the name J.P. Delaney, is also the author of the Sunday Times bestselling psychological thrillers The Girl Before and The Perfect Wife. ******** Reviews for The Carnivia Trilogy: 'Genuinely thrilling... An illuminating portrait of a particular world' Literary Review. 'Tense and mind-bending' Daily Telegraph. 'Breathtaking... A truly haunting glimpse into a mysterious shadow world' New York Times. 'Impressive... Venice is a magnificent backdrop for a story of secrets and lies' Daily Mail. 'A cracking, upmarket thriller... A rare entertainment for the thinking deckchair reader' Saga Magazine. What readers are saying about The Carnivia Trilogy: 'Superb – an exciting tale involving people smuggling, the Catholic Church and US intelligence operatives... A compelling story which will appeal to readers who enjoy a mix of conspiracy theory and cover-up' Amazon Reader. 'An unravelling of several interconnected plot strands with action and twists that never stop, but at a deeper level Holt also engages with human rights and gender issues... This is a "can't put it down" novel' Amazon Reader. 'The detailed reconstruction of the setting in Venice is fabulous and is equalled both by characterisation and plot... Gripping and thrilling... and distressingly possible' Amazon Reader. 'Fabulously descriptive, intriguing, fast paced... A must-read for anyone who enjoys a good thriller that is well researched and excellently written' Amazon Reader. 'Fast paced, good characters and interesting mix of plot strands. Each book in the trilogy can be read as a stand alone, but reading all of them rounds off the story strands nicely' Amazon Reader.
