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Leonardo da Vinci and Niccolo da Pavia #1
A Comedy of Murders
Here is the wittiest historical mystery to come along since "The Name of the Rose." "A Comedy of Murders" stars as amateur sleuths the unlikely duo of Leonardo da Vinci and a young dwarf.
The court of the Duke of Milan is in turmoil. In this autumn of 1498 there are threats from within and without. The French are preparing to march across the Alps and claim the dukedom with armed force. The Venetians to the east and the army of the Borgia pope to the south would also be happy to grab their slice when the conditions are right. They only await a signal.
The Duke is informed by his chief of security that a mysterious individual known as the Griffin is operating a ring of assassins within the court itself. The first attempt on his life is made during a hunting party visit to a monastery in Pavia where the plot is thwarted by a young and highly intelligent dwarf named Niccolo. In gratitude, the Duke brings Niccolo to his court where a mutual admiration blossoms between the brilliant young man and the resident artist Leonardo da Vinci. When a score of cardinals attached to the court begin to perish under decidedly odd circumstances, including an overdose of aphrodisiac, the angry attention of the Borgias is drawn to Milan.
As the dead body count multiplies and invasaion threatens, it is Leonardo and Niccolo who attempt to untangle the motives and methods of the assassinations, vendettas, and simple murders. Due to Leonardo's anatomy studies and inventions, including a flying machine, the two amateurs draw conclusions that could spell their own doom unless the artist and his young friend can use their wits to reveal the killers even as their enemies close in.
The court of the Duke of Milan is in turmoil. In this autumn of 1498 there are threats from within and without. The French are preparing to march across the Alps and claim the dukedom with armed force. The Venetians to the east and the army of the Borgia pope to the south would also be happy to grab their slice when the conditions are right. They only await a signal.
The Duke is informed by his chief of security that a mysterious individual known as the Griffin is operating a ring of assassins within the court itself. The first attempt on his life is made during a hunting party visit to a monastery in Pavia where the plot is thwarted by a young and highly intelligent dwarf named Niccolo. In gratitude, the Duke brings Niccolo to his court where a mutual admiration blossoms between the brilliant young man and the resident artist Leonardo da Vinci. When a score of cardinals attached to the court begin to perish under decidedly odd circumstances, including an overdose of aphrodisiac, the angry attention of the Borgias is drawn to Milan.
As the dead body count multiplies and invasaion threatens, it is Leonardo and Niccolo who attempt to untangle the motives and methods of the assassinations, vendettas, and simple murders. Due to Leonardo's anatomy studies and inventions, including a flying machine, the two amateurs draw conclusions that could spell their own doom unless the artist and his young friend can use their wits to reveal the killers even as their enemies close in.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1994
71 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
George Herman
47 books8 followersGeorge Adam Herman, Jr. (born April 12, 1928) was an American playwright and writer.
Herman taught playwrighting and was the artist-in-residence at numerous American universities. For 16 years he lived and worked in Hawaii on the staff of the State Superintendent of Education. He directed over 200 plays for numerous schools and theatres, served as the Artistic Director for at least one theatre (the Commedia Repertory Theatre in Hawaii), and designed sets and lighting for more than 40 productions.
While in Hawaii, Herman also worked for as a theatre columnist and drama critic. He turned to writing novels at age 65, and published seven novels and one children's book to date.
As a playwright, Herman won numerous awards since 1953. His best known play is "A Company of Wayward Saints", which has been in print continuously since it was first published in 1963. His plays for radio, TV, and the stage have been produced around the world. He has five published plays, and number of his award winning unpublished plays are also available through his website. Herman has received more than 30 awards for his writing.
Herman taught playwrighting and was the artist-in-residence at numerous American universities. For 16 years he lived and worked in Hawaii on the staff of the State Superintendent of Education. He directed over 200 plays for numerous schools and theatres, served as the Artistic Director for at least one theatre (the Commedia Repertory Theatre in Hawaii), and designed sets and lighting for more than 40 productions.
While in Hawaii, Herman also worked for as a theatre columnist and drama critic. He turned to writing novels at age 65, and published seven novels and one children's book to date.
As a playwright, Herman won numerous awards since 1953. His best known play is "A Company of Wayward Saints", which has been in print continuously since it was first published in 1963. His plays for radio, TV, and the stage have been produced around the world. He has five published plays, and number of his award winning unpublished plays are also available through his website. Herman has received more than 30 awards for his writing.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 13, 2025
I did audible for this. Hated the virtual voice. Made the listening boring. Might have been a better book for me if I read it.
August 20, 2014
A Comedy of Murder is a richly researched and richly imagined visit to that amazing time of city-states run by princes, and explorations of our planet and the sciences, and a church more concerned with rich coffers than rich souls, and wars fueled by personal vendettas, and personal vendettas fueled by wars. We meet the Duke of Milan, the French King, the Pope, minor city-state princes, courtiers and other hangers-on. The reader does not need to be an expert on these times or people; the author informatively guides us through them.
Have you ever seen Richard Lester's film The Three Musketeers? While reading A Comedy of Murders, I found myself playing a film of the story in my mind, in the style of Lester's filming of the classic historical adventure tale. Both tales are told as bawdy, silly, historical farce, in which real people from the past are imagined as flawed, corrupt, pompous idiots who are lost in circumstances beyond their control.
There are some characters who rise above others in their moral fortitude, and one of those is the artist-architect Leonardo da Vinci. The author weaves Leonardo's life and work into the story, and from about page ninety, Leonardo plays a large role in the story. A Comedy of Murders is actually the first novel in a series of comic novels that feature Leonardo da Vinci and his friend, the fictional Niccolo de Pavia, a diminutive scholar and courtier.
There are eight books in the series, all historical comedies for adults set during the height of the Italian Renaissance, full of courts, castles, dungeons, torture, gossip, courtesans, rivalries, out-sized egos, rampant libidos, political scheming, erudite learning, monumental building project, and the creation of timeless art.
I would advise a reader to sit back and savor the author's masterful recreation of that raucous, vibrant, violent, cruel and creative era. He is especially knowledgeable about Renaissance warfare, and Leonard da Vinci's work. Do not expect a "mystery novel". Be open to the comic historical novel, and let history wash over you. The author makes us a visitor to a Renaissance city-state's court, and puts us in the middle of all the nonsense.
Read my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...
Have you ever seen Richard Lester's film The Three Musketeers? While reading A Comedy of Murders, I found myself playing a film of the story in my mind, in the style of Lester's filming of the classic historical adventure tale. Both tales are told as bawdy, silly, historical farce, in which real people from the past are imagined as flawed, corrupt, pompous idiots who are lost in circumstances beyond their control.
There are some characters who rise above others in their moral fortitude, and one of those is the artist-architect Leonardo da Vinci. The author weaves Leonardo's life and work into the story, and from about page ninety, Leonardo plays a large role in the story. A Comedy of Murders is actually the first novel in a series of comic novels that feature Leonardo da Vinci and his friend, the fictional Niccolo de Pavia, a diminutive scholar and courtier.
There are eight books in the series, all historical comedies for adults set during the height of the Italian Renaissance, full of courts, castles, dungeons, torture, gossip, courtesans, rivalries, out-sized egos, rampant libidos, political scheming, erudite learning, monumental building project, and the creation of timeless art.
I would advise a reader to sit back and savor the author's masterful recreation of that raucous, vibrant, violent, cruel and creative era. He is especially knowledgeable about Renaissance warfare, and Leonard da Vinci's work. Do not expect a "mystery novel". Be open to the comic historical novel, and let history wash over you. The author makes us a visitor to a Renaissance city-state's court, and puts us in the middle of all the nonsense.
Read my full and illustrated review at Italophile Book Reviews
http://italophilebookreviews.blogspot...
October 1, 2017
This mystery takes place at the court of Duke Ludovico Sforza where Leonardo da Vinci is in residence. The Duke has recently taken in Niccolo,a young and very small person with prodigious observational abilities, and the two of them work together to try to solve the mystery of who is trying to murder the Duke. The politics of the court, the sexual intriguing and the desire for vengeance result in a surfeit of dead bodies and murderers who use ever more imaginative and shocking methods. In the end the only people who seem truly sane are Niccolo, Leonardo and the members of the comedy troop who pop in and out throughout the book trying to make people laugh while staying alive amid all of the mayhem.
November 11, 2023
All of George Herman’s works in this series are delightfully fun reads. They should be more famous than they are! The two lead characters are wonderfully complementary (LdV of course world famous, the other created by Herman). I am picky about art historical fiction, as a professional artist and art historian, but these are great. I constantly recommend this book, and all in the series to everyone.
December 6, 2018
A fantastic story, with likable characters, unique twists, and a hugely enjoyable plot--set in a time few people know much about...
December 29, 2023
Great Historical fiction.
May 30, 2019
E xcellent historical fiction
The author made Leonardo da Vinci come alive for me. I could imagine him having the adventures and talking with Niccolo.
P
The author made Leonardo da Vinci come alive for me. I could imagine him having the adventures and talking with Niccolo.
P
March 31, 2013
Unterhaltungsroman über das Mailand Ende des 15. Jahrhunderts, in dem sowohl I l Moro als auch Leonardo und dessen Erfindungen eine entscheidende Rolle spielen. Man erfährt nebenbei einiges über seine Experimente und Werke. Auch war mir vorher nicht klar, dass in diese Zeit auch die Erfindung der comedia dell'arte fiel. Dass es Fortsetzungen des Romans gibt ist aus meiner Sicht aber überflüssig.
January 15, 2014
The first book in a series of interesting historical detective novels that pits Leonardo Di Vinci and his trusty "Dr. Watson Like" dwarf Niccolo da Pavia against the political intrigues of the 15th Century Italy.
June 13, 2019
Boisterous.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews