Over the last few years I had read quite a few books set in Venice, or La Serenissima as it is known.  It is one of those magical cities that attracts visitors because of the architecture, canals and its amazing history.  The city built its reputation and wealth on being a maritime power; meaning that they controlled much of the Mediterranean and the lucrative trade routes within the area.

This story is set at the end of the 15th century and centres around the young orphan, Nico, who lives in an orphanage and is not adverse to pick-pocketing from the wealthy merchants he sees.  Nico finds himself caught up in politics, when he is randomly chosen to take part in a process to start the selection of a new Doge (ruler) of Venice.  When he accidentally sees one of the participants cheating, he finds himself in great danger and is later accused of stealing valuable jewellery from the current Doge.  This starts a string of events that finds him seeking refuge in Constantinople; but his nemesis also arrives in the Ottoman capital and Nico overhears a plot to kill the Doge and take power in Venice.  The question is; can he return to Venice and expose the plot and will anyone believe him if he does?

This is a great story of intrigue and adventure, with a hero who seems to have a bit of the Artful Dodger about him.  He is cheeky, loyal, and inordinately proud of his city.  The Lion’s Mouth of the title refers to a stone sculpture where people could place a piece of paper, with information on it, if they were too scared to go to the authorities.  I had come across this concept in a previous read and it makes for a great addition to the plot.  The author has given us a wonderful range of characters ; from the artists of the Bellini family, to the young girl Lisabetta, but above all we have the villainous Lord Foscari and his plot to change the future of Venice.  This is a great read, both for those who love adventure as well as those who are fans of historical novels.

 

Author Bio

Nancy McConnell grew up in a little family, in a small town on the outskirts of a bigger city. Besides her family, the two things she loved most in the world were: reading and playing pretend. When she grew up, reading was allowed but playing pretend was sometimes frowned upon. Since that was the case, she decided to write books so that the stories running around in her head would still live. In between writing stories, marrying her college sweetheart, and moving to a new country, she had her own little family and settled in another small town on the way outskirts of a much bigger city. Some things never change. When not writing, Nancy can be found puttering in her garden, taking photos or baking.

Follow Nancy on Instagram @nancywrites66, on Twitter @nancyemcc, and on Facebook @nancywrites4kids or visit her website nancymcconnell.com.