Death in the Palazzo: A Venetian Mystery

Sklepowich uses the city of Venice as one of the characters in this offbeat "country house"mystery. If you have never been there, you may think yiu have: if you are fortunate to have been a visitor, forgotten memories may flash back.The characters are interesting, but almost incidental to the story and setting. It is a fast-reading page-turner that keeps you guessing

Barbara Alvise, the widow Contessa da Capo-Zenrini has mixed emotions about having her portrait painted by her famous relative, Gemma Bellini-Rhys. She wants the painting done because she promised her deceased husband over two decades ago that she would have her picture painted. At the same time, she does not relish the unveiling because her family and her in-laws, who have feuded for over thirty years, will be coming together at her home. A few weeks later, thirteen people come to stay for a few days at the Contessa's Venice home to attend the unveiling. One particular room, the Caravaggio room has been kept locked since 1938 because several people died inside and her spouse believed that there is a haunted painting inside the room causing the deaths. The next day, one of the guests, Molly, is found murdered inside the Caravaggio room. Barbara, who believes that the room caused her visitor's demise, nonetheless turns to her friend, American expatriate Urbino Macintyre to find how who did it and why before someone else dies. DEATH IN THE PALAZZO is an interesting who-done-it that has hints of the supernatural to add a dash of flavoring. The lead characters are intriguing, though their motivations do not always ring in tandem with their personalities. No one does Venice better than Edward Sklepowich. This is a novel for readers who enjoy a fun continental mystery. Harriet Klausner ----