The Darkest Sin by D.V Bishop – Blog Tour and Book review

I’m pleased to be part of the blog tour for The Darkest Sin by D. V Bishop- a historical murder mystery set in 1537 Florence.

This locked room mystery is set in a Renaissance Florence convent during the spring of 1537. When Cesare Aldo investigates a report of intruders at the Convent of Santa Maria Magdalena, he enters a community that is harbouring dark secrets and divided by bitter rivalries. His case becomes far more complicated when he discovers the impossible: a naked man’s body deep inside the convent, stabbed more than two dozen times. All the evidence suggests one of the nuns must be a killer…

Review

I really enjoyed this historical murder mystery set in 1537 Florence. The Darkest Sin by D V Bishop is a must-read for anyone who likes a good murder with plenty of historical detail.

I received a copy of this book for a free and unbiased opinion.

The Darkest Sin is the second book in Cesare Aldo’s murder mysteries but you don’t need to read the first book to enjoy this book.

Aldo, an officer of the Otto of Florence, ends up investigating the murder of a naked man in the open Convent of Santa Maria Magdalena while investigating another crime and becomes embroiled in religious politics. He also has to deal with his estranged and spirited niece who has taken refuge in the Convent to escape an arranged marriage.

 The murder, the murderer and the motive was complex and multilayer- I had no idea who the murderer was right until the end. I found the descriptions of tensions between the Abbess and the Archbishop and the male-dominated clergy trying to turn the progressive Convent into an enclosed Convent.  The subplot of Strocchi’s investigation into the murder of an unpopular Otto officer adds to Aldo’s overall tension.

I loved the descriptions of 16th-century Florence- I haven’t read much historical fiction set in this time, so it was interesting to learn about the social and religious influences at the time.

I have added, the City of Vengeance, the first Aldo book, to my to read list and look forward to reading Ritual of Fire, the next book.

Content warning

Refences to domestic abuse

Perfect for Fan of

C. J Sansom, S. J Parris or anyone who enjoys historical murder mysteries.

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