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desolation73's review against another edition
4.0
I thought City of Vengeance was a very accomplished solid debut historical fiction book, it was set in Florence which was a unique setting compared to other historical fiction books Ive read so far. If you like CJ Sansom that sort of thing you should give this a read.
donnaratcliff's review against another edition
4.0
A really atmospheric, historical mystery with political intrigue, court gossip, bribery, love, friendship and a rich, diverse cast of characters. A great start to a series.
jalso's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
lhart2222's review against another edition
5.0
Winter, 1536 Florence, Cesare Aldo works for the Otto as a protector and member of law, tasked with defending a jewish money lender on a journey from Bologna, when they arrive safe home to Florence despite trouble all seems to be fine. Later that day the money lender is found slain in his own home, Aldo feels partially responsible, he is given till epiphany to find the killer and bring them to justice. This is only the start of something much deeper and Aldo must figure out the real reasons he was hired in the first place, or watch the powers of the city crumble as well as the walls surrounding it.
One of my first historical fiction books based on truth, the book managed to blow me away with just how atmospheric it was, every detail was told to near perfection the images it created in my mind were almost real. Managing to blend both descriptive and informative information while remaining entertaining and thrilling, City of Vengeance was a great read.
Setting the scene was done superbly well that when it came to telling the story, half the work was already done. Introducing us to several key characters off the bat, all of whom play an important role come the book's finale, everyone has a purpose and this makes the whole book feel like it needs to be read. The main character Cesare is who we follow for most of the time, not only do we follow him as he tries to solve the crime he’s been tasked with, we also follow him on his own private story which lets us see who he really is, making him feel special, and setting up future books nicely.
The story was one that was written superbly well, using the setting to its advantage and allowing the reader to really get a feel of what it would have been like for men of the law in the 16th century. Maintaining both a murderous and historical side the author does a great job of keeping everything real, not allowing story telling to get in the way of what would have been possible at the time. Not trying too hard to add twists and turns helped this book flow and wasn't trying to trick the reader, allowing you to just enjoy.
Overall, I enjoyed City of Vengeance, both for the unravelling story it told and the wonderful descriptions of 16th century Florence, combining the two to make a really well written and engaging historical crime fiction book. I would definitely recommend reading this book, to both fans of period set books as well as crime books, delivering way above what if first thought, I am very excited to read the next instalment of the Cesare Aldo story.
One of my first historical fiction books based on truth, the book managed to blow me away with just how atmospheric it was, every detail was told to near perfection the images it created in my mind were almost real. Managing to blend both descriptive and informative information while remaining entertaining and thrilling, City of Vengeance was a great read.
Setting the scene was done superbly well that when it came to telling the story, half the work was already done. Introducing us to several key characters off the bat, all of whom play an important role come the book's finale, everyone has a purpose and this makes the whole book feel like it needs to be read. The main character Cesare is who we follow for most of the time, not only do we follow him as he tries to solve the crime he’s been tasked with, we also follow him on his own private story which lets us see who he really is, making him feel special, and setting up future books nicely.
The story was one that was written superbly well, using the setting to its advantage and allowing the reader to really get a feel of what it would have been like for men of the law in the 16th century. Maintaining both a murderous and historical side the author does a great job of keeping everything real, not allowing story telling to get in the way of what would have been possible at the time. Not trying too hard to add twists and turns helped this book flow and wasn't trying to trick the reader, allowing you to just enjoy.
Overall, I enjoyed City of Vengeance, both for the unravelling story it told and the wonderful descriptions of 16th century Florence, combining the two to make a really well written and engaging historical crime fiction book. I would definitely recommend reading this book, to both fans of period set books as well as crime books, delivering way above what if first thought, I am very excited to read the next instalment of the Cesare Aldo story.
queenterribletimy's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This review was originally posted on Queen's Book Asylum!
First of all, how very dare you. I don’t know how, but I’m going to find the person(s) who FAILED to make me start reading the Cesare Aldo series much sooner. HEADS WILL ROLL FOR THIS! *Ahem* Lucky for me, I still have a couple of months to catch up before book 4 is published this summer – a book I requested and ARC of halfway through City of Vengeance. If that’s not enough of an indication of how much I enjoyed this debut historical mystery novel, then let me elaborate further.
I’ve been eyeing City of Vengeance for a while now, but I kept pushing it aside. Having read C.J. Sansom‘s Shardlake series, I developed very high expectations for historical fiction novels, and it’s a bar that’s hard to jump for many. So I’m wary when it comes to picking a book in the same genre, as it can go either way. Although that’s true for everything, I guess. Anyway, back in January when I created my shortened TBR for 2024, I put City of Vengeance on it, then in February on a whim, I went and got an audiobook copy. I couldn’t tell you why my brain picked it, but it did, and a good thing too, for the reason above.
City of Vengeance is set in early 1536, in Florence. The plot revolves around two murder cases, one of them revealing a plot against the Duke. If you are familiar with Alessandro de’ Medici’s history, then you probably won’t be surprised who is behind it (I wasn’t either, but not because I know anything about these historical events, but because I’ve read enough mysteries to know who might be a primary suspect, especially when it comes to politics). One of the victims is Luca Corsini, a young boy who is found beaten to death in a dress courtesans usually wear. Strocchi, a young constable who recently moved to Florence is determined to find out what happened to him, even though no one above him is interested much in the fate of a “buggerone” as one of them likes to call him. He soon finds out that a number of wealthy merchants favored the boy, and thus there are a few possible suspects who might have wanted to keep their identity secret.
The other victim is a Jewish moneylender, who is killed in his home on the night he returns from Bologna. Guarded by none other than Cesare Aldo, ex-mercenary, police investigator. And so, he sets out to find out who wanted him dead so much that they not even attacked on the road, but went as far as killing him in his home, when he was adamant he was safe within the walls of Florence. His investigation is thwarted by the close-knit Jewish community who don’t want to talk to him, but at the same time, he gets pressured to solve the case by the Emperor’s representative and the Duke himself. The time is ticking and Aldo not only has to find a murderer, but keep an eye on his own back as someone is determined to set him aside, revealing a secret of his own.
I loved pretty much everything about City of Vengeance – the setting, the intrigue, the characters, the way Bishop made Florence come alive. There are quite a few characters, but it never feels too many because Bishop navigates between them with ease. They never feel onedimensional, even those characters who only appear a few times. I liked Strocchi, the young constable for his morales and the way he has no prejudice against victims – every life matters, and everyone deserves justice. He is the naive, idealistic character in this story.
Then there is Aldo himself, with a strong sense of justice, a natural curiosity, and determination to find answers. But he is no saint, he had his share of killing on the battlefields, and has no qualms about getting his hands dirty if needs be. He can be brutal and he is no idealist that’s for sure. I liked how Aldo and Strocchi worked together, so different and yet making a sensible pair.
Another character that needs to be mentioned is an officer above them (I have no idea how to spell his name since I listened to the audiobook, and I’d rather not butcher it), who has it for Aldo. He is a nasty piece of shit that’s for sure. He is the type who only looks out for himself, actively asks for bribes, blackmails people if he can get money out of them, and definitely punches down as much as he can. He is as bigot as they come and I’m not sure he had any redeeming qualities. But maybe that’s what made reading this book such a joy – the spectrum of characters, some you could cheer for, some you could enjoy hating all the while you try to figure out what must have happened.
Well that, and also the look into the life of these people, especially the Jewish community – I would have liked to see more of that. And if I want to nitpick a bit more, sometimes I thought people happened to be at a certain place a bit too conveniently, but I could forgive that. I also wasn’t sure about certain plotlines, like Aldo and the doctor’s connection, though I can see how that gives more character to Aldo, so I’m not so mad about that either.
City of Vengeance is a very strong debut from D. V. Bishop, and I can see why he is praised and even compared to C. J. Sansom. This is not a perfect book, but it’s an excellent start to what I expect to be an amazing series. I absolutely can’t wait to continue. Also, City of Vengeance gave me the final push in wanting to learn Italian. Between Bishop (not least thanks to the amazing narrator, Mark Meadows) and Maneskin they just made me completely fall in love with it. How can you not with names such as Scoronconcolo? Oh, and Florence! I need to make a trip to Florence someday soon. Anyway. I need to stop gushing, I have the next book to read.
First of all, how very dare you. I don’t know how, but I’m going to find the person(s) who FAILED to make me start reading the Cesare Aldo series much sooner. HEADS WILL ROLL FOR THIS! *Ahem* Lucky for me, I still have a couple of months to catch up before book 4 is published this summer – a book I requested and ARC of halfway through City of Vengeance. If that’s not enough of an indication of how much I enjoyed this debut historical mystery novel, then let me elaborate further.
I’ve been eyeing City of Vengeance for a while now, but I kept pushing it aside. Having read C.J. Sansom‘s Shardlake series, I developed very high expectations for historical fiction novels, and it’s a bar that’s hard to jump for many. So I’m wary when it comes to picking a book in the same genre, as it can go either way. Although that’s true for everything, I guess. Anyway, back in January when I created my shortened TBR for 2024, I put City of Vengeance on it, then in February on a whim, I went and got an audiobook copy. I couldn’t tell you why my brain picked it, but it did, and a good thing too, for the reason above.
City of Vengeance is set in early 1536, in Florence. The plot revolves around two murder cases, one of them revealing a plot against the Duke. If you are familiar with Alessandro de’ Medici’s history, then you probably won’t be surprised who is behind it (I wasn’t either, but not because I know anything about these historical events, but because I’ve read enough mysteries to know who might be a primary suspect, especially when it comes to politics). One of the victims is Luca Corsini, a young boy who is found beaten to death in a dress courtesans usually wear. Strocchi, a young constable who recently moved to Florence is determined to find out what happened to him, even though no one above him is interested much in the fate of a “buggerone” as one of them likes to call him. He soon finds out that a number of wealthy merchants favored the boy, and thus there are a few possible suspects who might have wanted to keep their identity secret.
The other victim is a Jewish moneylender, who is killed in his home on the night he returns from Bologna. Guarded by none other than Cesare Aldo, ex-mercenary, police investigator. And so, he sets out to find out who wanted him dead so much that they not even attacked on the road, but went as far as killing him in his home, when he was adamant he was safe within the walls of Florence. His investigation is thwarted by the close-knit Jewish community who don’t want to talk to him, but at the same time, he gets pressured to solve the case by the Emperor’s representative and the Duke himself. The time is ticking and Aldo not only has to find a murderer, but keep an eye on his own back as someone is determined to set him aside, revealing a secret of his own.
I loved pretty much everything about City of Vengeance – the setting, the intrigue, the characters, the way Bishop made Florence come alive. There are quite a few characters, but it never feels too many because Bishop navigates between them with ease. They never feel onedimensional, even those characters who only appear a few times. I liked Strocchi, the young constable for his morales and the way he has no prejudice against victims – every life matters, and everyone deserves justice. He is the naive, idealistic character in this story.
Then there is Aldo himself, with a strong sense of justice, a natural curiosity, and determination to find answers. But he is no saint, he had his share of killing on the battlefields, and has no qualms about getting his hands dirty if needs be. He can be brutal and he is no idealist that’s for sure. I liked how Aldo and Strocchi worked together, so different and yet making a sensible pair.
Another character that needs to be mentioned is an officer above them (I have no idea how to spell his name since I listened to the audiobook, and I’d rather not butcher it), who has it for Aldo. He is a nasty piece of shit that’s for sure. He is the type who only looks out for himself, actively asks for bribes, blackmails people if he can get money out of them, and definitely punches down as much as he can. He is as bigot as they come and I’m not sure he had any redeeming qualities. But maybe that’s what made reading this book such a joy – the spectrum of characters, some you could cheer for, some you could enjoy hating all the while you try to figure out what must have happened.
Well that, and also the look into the life of these people, especially the Jewish community – I would have liked to see more of that. And if I want to nitpick a bit more, sometimes I thought people happened to be at a certain place a bit too conveniently, but I could forgive that. I also wasn’t sure about certain plotlines, like Aldo and the doctor’s connection, though I can see how that gives more character to Aldo, so I’m not so mad about that either.
City of Vengeance is a very strong debut from D. V. Bishop, and I can see why he is praised and even compared to C. J. Sansom. This is not a perfect book, but it’s an excellent start to what I expect to be an amazing series. I absolutely can’t wait to continue. Also, City of Vengeance gave me the final push in wanting to learn Italian. Between Bishop (not least thanks to the amazing narrator, Mark Meadows) and Maneskin they just made me completely fall in love with it. How can you not with names such as Scoronconcolo? Oh, and Florence! I need to make a trip to Florence someday soon. Anyway. I need to stop gushing, I have the next book to read.
mrcreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
arf88's review against another edition
5.0
It's been awhile since I read a proper mystery, and even longer since I read historical fiction, but what a book to get myself back into the genres. I could not put this down. A fantastic read with some really unexpected turns.
beca's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Antisemitism, and Violence
Minor: Sexual assault
natcat's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Entertaining murder mystery with a very compelling setting - I know pretty much nothing about 16th century Florence other than that the Medicis were important, and I really enjoyed the portrayal of the city and how it worked, and how well explained the politics and the various real people were. The depiction of the legal system was particularly interesting.
I also appreciated one of the main characters being queer, which I was in no way expecting, and I'm always delighted to find unexpected gay characters (particularly in murder mysteries, my comfort reading of choice!).
There are definitely some rough edges in the writing here; there's a lot of POV changes in short succession, which felt a little unnecessary, and there's places where the dialogue and phrasing feels awkward. But the plot was solid and built well, Aldo and Strocchi are good main characters (and I particularly liked getting their views on the same events and also on each other) and I feel like the rough patches are all things that can definitely be improved with practice, and I will definitely be trading the next books in this series (may there be many more!).
I also appreciated one of the main characters being queer, which I was in no way expecting, and I'm always delighted to find unexpected gay characters (particularly in murder mysteries, my comfort reading of choice!).
There are definitely some rough edges in the writing here; there's a lot of POV changes in short succession, which felt a little unnecessary, and there's places where the dialogue and phrasing feels awkward. But the plot was solid and built well, Aldo and Strocchi are good main characters (and I particularly liked getting their views on the same events and also on each other) and I feel like the rough patches are all things that can definitely be improved with practice, and I will definitely be trading the next books in this series (may there be many more!).
terranovanz's review against another edition
3.0
A slow first half led to a cracking 2nd. I really like Aldo and Strocchi. The plethora of Florentine flunkies got a little overwhelming but the plot was tight and interesting. Will read the sequel.