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Masquerade in Venice
In an attempt to escape her life in New England, Sara Randall journeys to Venice to stay with her great-aunt
185 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1973
2 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Velda Johnston
75 books30 followersVelda Johnston was a writer of romantic suspense. She also wrote under the pseudonym 'Veronica Jason'.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 6, 2022
I just love these chic "women's mysteries" written from the 50s through the 70s. they have become a comfort food-type pleasure and for that I can thank my gateway drugs, Mary Stewart & M.M. Kaye. this one is about a woman fallen on hard times in 1880s America who flees to relatives in decadent Venice. there she finds a job as caregiver to an elderly battle axe and governess to a precocious child + monkey. also present in this decayed mansion on the Grand Canal is her old flame, a new rival, secrets in the attic, footsteps in the fog, screams in the dark, and murder during a masquerade. I mean really, all the good things. "evocative" is, yet again, the perfect description for this. so much good Venice in here! felt like I was there. Johnston is a smart and elegant writer, careful to make her newly-poor and also rather uptight heroine a realistic woman of her time period, and just as keen to score the occasional sociopolitical point. e.g. the power of money to establish class and to allow entry into a community underlies more than one plotline. this suspenseful story had me turning the pages quickly.
July 1, 2019
“Masquerade In Venice” is 1880s historic fiction but strength among women conveys modernity. Sara is an American whose Father died without money and needs to fend for herself. She visited an opera-singer cousin after his performance in town and got the idea to work for his Mother, at that family branch’s homestead in Italy.
Mystery novels seldom reveal criminal motives that I am on board with. The perpetuator of attempted murders acted too drastically, for things that could have been sorted-out in benign ways. However, what you get from gothic mystery big names like Velda Johnston, is a fluid story and a great breath of originality! Sara’s Italian-speaking and reason for going to her Grandma’s Sister in Venice are wonderfully plausible. She remains inspiringly independent, unlike the dreary helpless tones of many mass-produced gothic stories. 1973 is after all modern, my time, and is the literary time period I enjoy for that!
Even Sara’s reason for jilting her fiancé in the USA, has a complex enough explanation that you don’t dislike Caleb and understand his viewpoint, a little. The protagonists are shaped as real people, with faults and strengths; while no time is wasted sketching less important characters. I loved learning that Venice is a unique, manmade geographic wonder; like San Francisco. Velda weaves art, masonry, and history into her novel beautifully; which I am proud to own in a perfect, smooth hardcover.
Anyone who mistakes the choice gothic mysteries and authors as fluff, doesn’t know this genre. Their engrossing atmosphere of suspense, while not being violent “thrillers”, was dropped by “cozy mysteries”; after those flooded the market that gothic mysteries had occupied. One reason I grew-up loving the genre is because its top authors crafted storytelling with magnificent writing. Brava, Velda! I will relish the other hardcovers I have.
Mystery novels seldom reveal criminal motives that I am on board with. The perpetuator of attempted murders acted too drastically, for things that could have been sorted-out in benign ways. However, what you get from gothic mystery big names like Velda Johnston, is a fluid story and a great breath of originality! Sara’s Italian-speaking and reason for going to her Grandma’s Sister in Venice are wonderfully plausible. She remains inspiringly independent, unlike the dreary helpless tones of many mass-produced gothic stories. 1973 is after all modern, my time, and is the literary time period I enjoy for that!
Even Sara’s reason for jilting her fiancé in the USA, has a complex enough explanation that you don’t dislike Caleb and understand his viewpoint, a little. The protagonists are shaped as real people, with faults and strengths; while no time is wasted sketching less important characters. I loved learning that Venice is a unique, manmade geographic wonder; like San Francisco. Velda weaves art, masonry, and history into her novel beautifully; which I am proud to own in a perfect, smooth hardcover.
Anyone who mistakes the choice gothic mysteries and authors as fluff, doesn’t know this genre. Their engrossing atmosphere of suspense, while not being violent “thrillers”, was dropped by “cozy mysteries”; after those flooded the market that gothic mysteries had occupied. One reason I grew-up loving the genre is because its top authors crafted storytelling with magnificent writing. Brava, Velda! I will relish the other hardcovers I have.
October 3, 2013
I don't read too many novels which are mysteries or that are set in Italy -- so this was a fun diversion. Written in the 1970s but set in the 1880s, this storyline has aged quite well. Truthfully,one of the reasons I wanted to read it was that I loved the cover because it reminded me of the Nancy Drew novels I used to read as a girl.
This is a murder mystery, so there is some blood shed and suspenseful moments. The content was clean outside of a couple of mild curse words and the mention of a "romantic intrigue" between two of the characters, but with no real details given.
I did enjoy it enough that I would read another vintage Velda Johnston novel.
This is a murder mystery, so there is some blood shed and suspenseful moments. The content was clean outside of a couple of mild curse words and the mention of a "romantic intrigue" between two of the characters, but with no real details given.
I did enjoy it enough that I would read another vintage Velda Johnston novel.
September 10, 2022
This was a page-turner for me. Written 50 years ago and set 150 years ago in late 19th century Venice, it still caught my attention and interest as well as anything written today.
It’s interesting how books are always more progressive than movies or other media of the day. Giuseppe quite obviously being gay, even if nobody comes right out and says that, still was a surprise, but one I liked.
As the plot wound on to its completion, I thought I had at least half of it figured out. Turns out, I had none of it figured out, and there was more than one plot twist. I like that.
Sara, the protagonist, has pluck, and wit. I like that too. This was an enjoyable read.
It’s interesting how books are always more progressive than movies or other media of the day. Giuseppe quite obviously being gay, even if nobody comes right out and says that, still was a surprise, but one I liked.
As the plot wound on to its completion, I thought I had at least half of it figured out. Turns out, I had none of it figured out, and there was more than one plot twist. I like that.
Sara, the protagonist, has pluck, and wit. I like that too. This was an enjoyable read.
May 2, 2015
Sara Randall came to Venice from New England to serve as a companion to her Great Aunt and governess to her young cousin in a grand old palace that had seen better days. There was nothing left for her in America following the death of her father and the tragic demise of her last employer, but she hadn't counted on running into her former fiance in this new situation. When tragedy strikes suspicion falls on Sara who must scramble to find the guilty party and clear her name. I really enjoyed this fast paced period mystery set in a Victorian era Venice.
July 3, 2015
Excellent good fun. Reminiscent of Mary Stewart's best suspense novels.
December 28, 2024
Compared to novels of suspense nowadays, this story, written in 1973, does not really keep you at the edge of your seat but it does keep you curious and wondering. I would categorize it more as a murder mystery rather than a suspense story. Sara Randall is the protagonist in the story. Leaving her troubled life in New England she travels to Venice to stay with a distant relative, a Contessa living in an old, decaying mansion. The old woman is welcoming and has work for Sara but along with the Contessa comes her family of misfits and ne'er-do-wells. Sara quickly discovers that the Contessa and her family do not get along which sets the stage nicely for the murder later on. Plenty of suspects.
Although Sara hoped to escape from the situation overseas, we find that her past has followed her to Venice. Her ex-fiancee re-enters her life at the old mansion, Caleb. This situation was a bit of a surprise and I am not sure that I was convinced that this was a viable idea. But with that development, I had the expectation that the murder mystery would then be figured out together with Caleb but Sara did all the "detective" work herself. This made for much internal thought text which I didn't really like.
The fact that Sara did all the detective work seems to follow the independent woman "theme" that the author seemed to be highlighting. I did like Sara's independent character but in the end I wondered if she would actually stick to that mantra when she returned to her regular life with Caleb.
All in all, Johnston does set up an acceptable mystery with a good amount of clues and red herrings and suspects. I thought I had it figured out but got it wrong - so kudos to the author for throwing a nice little twist at the end.
Although Sara hoped to escape from the situation overseas, we find that her past has followed her to Venice. Her ex-fiancee re-enters her life at the old mansion, Caleb. This situation was a bit of a surprise and I am not sure that I was convinced that this was a viable idea. But with that development, I had the expectation that the murder mystery would then be figured out together with Caleb but Sara did all the "detective" work herself. This made for much internal thought text which I didn't really like.
The fact that Sara did all the detective work seems to follow the independent woman "theme" that the author seemed to be highlighting. I did like Sara's independent character but in the end I wondered if she would actually stick to that mantra when she returned to her regular life with Caleb.
All in all, Johnston does set up an acceptable mystery with a good amount of clues and red herrings and suspects. I thought I had it figured out but got it wrong - so kudos to the author for throwing a nice little twist at the end.
May 23, 2014
It took some time for the action to develop, but I really ended up liking this book. The only part that through me off was the first appearance of a former love interest of the main character. Otherwise, it was interesting to see the point of view of an author and woman from a different time. The mystery was fun, and it was great whodunit within Venice.
October 20, 2016
This book just sort of showed up on my shelf one day and being in need of a new book I decided to give it a go. The plot is a rather familiar one to start with but it does take a surprisingly dark turn at the end that I have to give it credit for.
September 7, 2013
Great read!! Light with some mystery and intrigue and romance. This is a perfect combination.
July 27, 2020
Picked this up and sped through it. Enjoyable enough -- well into it I read a single line and a light bulb goes off -- this is the second time I've read this book. It does not however appear in my Goodreads info anywhere until now. Tsk. Masquerade, Venice, a Contessa and a twisted family secret all wrapped up in the end somewhat predictably.
September 30, 2024
Started out slowly, but boy, was there intrigue and danger! Would make a great TV movie.
January 19, 2026
Read in 2026. Old school gothic suspense. 3.5 stars
November 7, 2011
Not worth reading any of her other books.
March 13, 2014
Wasn't an edge of my seat thriller, but a cute mystery that had you rooting for the couple and loving the main character.
October 28, 2017
C. fiction, mystery, suspense, Mom's stash, discard
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews