The Four Deadly Seasons: Venetian Mysteries, Book 3

by David Hewson

A centuries-old score. A city built on secrets. A melody that kills.

When a celebrated music impresario is found dead in Venice—his body slumped in the hot house of a remote palazzo, a cryptic musical interval in his hand—rumours swirl around a rediscovered the original score for The Four Seasons, penned in Vivaldi's own hand.

But is it a masterpiece lost to time or a masterful forgery?

Arnold Clover, a reclusive British archivist seeking peace in the city on the lagoon, is reluctantly drawn into the mystery. Hired to authenticate the deadly manuscript, Arnold finds himself at the centre of a chilling conspiracy that spirals through shadowy music chambers, forgotten archives, and bloodstained Venetian alleyways.

As the seasons change, so does the tempo of the killings. With each movement of Vivaldi's immortal concerto, another victim falls.

To stop the music, Arnold must unravel a trail of coded messages, heretical symbols, and the unholy legend of the diabolus in musica, a sound once believed to summon the Devil himself.

A taut, elegant thriller steeped in music, myth, and murder, The Four Deadly Seasons is perfect for fans of Dan Brown, Robert Harris, and Donna Leon.

"Arnold Clover is back in his finest adventure yet. A rollicking, operatic read from a writer who both loves and understands the city." - Philip Gwynne Jones

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

Audible Audio

Published November 20, 2025

About the author

DAVID HEWSON was born in Yorkshire in 1953. His books range from the Nic Costa series set in Italy to adaptations of The Killing in Copenhagen and the Pieter Vos series in Amsterdam.
He's adapted Shakespeare for Audible and in 2018 won the Audie for best original work for Romeo and Juliet: A Novel, narrated by Richard Armitage.
2019 sees the release of a new, full-cast Audible drama set in New York, Last Seen Wearing, and a standalone novel set in the Faroe Islands, Devil's Fjord.

Series:
Nic Costa

Pieter Vos

The Killing

Reviews

[David Canford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Venice, such a unique place. A city without cars. Usually full of tourists, yes, but the back streets are quiet and convey an atmosphere of how the city must have been before mass tourism engulfed it.

This novel is built around the legacy of Vivaldi and is a case of nothing is as it seems. Highly entertaining and gives an insight into areas off the tourist trail.
An enjoyable thriller.

[Catherine Kestle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book very slow to start with, but as the characters evolved it became engrossing.
The details about Venice made the plot more interesting.
If you are expecting a quick read, this isn't the book for you, however if you want a book that draws you in - then this it .

[Mike Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

*ARC copy
I thought that I recognised the author's name, but couldn't place it, until I got your the rnd of the book and saw the advert for 'When The Germans Came', which I'd already read. my review for that said that the book got better as it wrnt on and the same applies to this one. After about 10%, I was ready to give up, but I persevered and it did improve.
This is sort of a book within a book and includes international intrigue, spying, food & Drink, Venice (the reason why I was initially attracted to the book) & Vienna, oh and Vivaldi! The storyline is a bit contrived and some of the complexities seem to be there solely to make the book more interesting. The author has clearly put a lot of time into researching the subject, but the early part of the book, in particular, felt like an academic text sometimes. Also, a number of Italuan terms are used. Although I understand that this is setting the scene, I find it irritating to either have to look them up, or skip over them.
There are a few loose ends, but it's a decent story, competently told (although there are deficiencies of commas and the word 'that') and definitely one that gets better as the book goes on. I ended up listening to 'The Four Seasons', while reading!

[Nigel Kirton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found it very difficult to get into but perseverance paid off when the story finally came to life.

[Robin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Hewson is a Grand Master with this type of thriller. In his latest novel he delves deep into the secrets of Venice and its cultural present and past. Anyone who loves opera and classical music will definitely appreciate the subtleties of the plot.
The characterisation is excellent, avoiding any hint of stereotypes, and not everyone is quite who they first appear to be.
The plot is complex and full of twists and turns. It has the quality of an Eric Ambler thriller and echoes of classic spy films as memorable as 'Casablanca' and 'The Maltese Falcon'.
The style is compelling and I was totally engrossed from the very beginning and couldn't turn the pages quick enough once Arnold Clover started looking at the mysteries of Vivaldi's life. The revelations in the denouement were unexpected and shocking.

[Sharon Rimmelzwaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favourite type of story! one which educates and entertains simultaneously! The Four Deadly Seasons had me gripped all the way.
We meet Arnold Clover, a retired English achivist. He lives in Venice just getting by doing translation work. His friend Luca tells him about some unknown manuscripts that have been found. The owners want to have them authenticated because they think they originate from Vivaldi, the composer. Arnold puts himself forward for the job, but he has no clue what he is getting himself into.
I learnt a lot about Vivaldi through reading this book and also think I need to visit Venice! David Hewson's descriptions of the city transported me right there. I was armchair travelling from the start! The story is an intruiging one as well as immersive. I totally loved it!

[Jane Welchman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book. A bit slow to start with but keep at it and it will keep you turning the pages

[Alison C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Retired archivist Arnold Clover is living simply in Venice when his friend Luca invites him to take on a task that should suit him: vetting and writing from a cache of documents apparently written by the 18th century Venetian Antonio Vivaldi. Almost nothing is known about Vivaldi’s life, except that he was lauded for a time and then forgotten, left to die in penury, but the purported discovery of writings could change all that. Unfortunately the task gets off on a sad note when the millionaire sponsoring the work kills himself and leaves his wife to carry on in his place; but that is only the beginning of Arnold’s trials and tribulations…. This is the third book in Mr. Hewson’s series set in Venice and featuring Arnold, who is a rather curmudgeonly Brit but also a keen seeker of truth, at least in terms of ancient (and not-so ancient) artifacts. Venice is itself a character, of course, but the real joy in this series lies in the relatively gentle nature of the main characters (despite the violence that they sometimes encounter). I figured out one part of the story midway through, but other parts of the complex puzzle eluded me to the very end, which is always a mark of a good mystery. One could read this as a stand-alone, I think, but then you’ll want to go back to read the first two (The Medici Murders, The Borgia Portrait). Recommended!

[Jeffrey Chang · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Four Deadly Seasons (Venetian Mysteries, Book 3) (Audiobook)
Author: David Hewson
Narrator: Richard Armitage
Rating for the Story: 8/10
Rating for the Narrator: 10/10

With some urging from his friend Luca, Arnold Clover reluctantly accepts the job of writing a book about the famous Venetian composer Vivaldi, based on newly rediscovered documents. Little does he know that finishing the book by the deadline will be the least of his worries compared to the dangers that lie ahead.

I think this is the best book in the series so far. This installment includes more action, mystery, and deceit, with Arnold facing many dire situations, which makes the book more exciting than the previous ones. Furthermore, the long-winded exposition of historical events seen in the earlier books is more concise here, making the plot more focused. One weakness is the predictable romance arc, which I find a bit trite; nevertheless, it does serve a purpose in the story.

Richard Armitage’s narration is impeccable as always. I started, and continue, to listen to this series because of his narration; otherwise, I would’ve quit after the first audiobook due to all the overly complicated and detailed recounting of historical events. But I’m glad the content of this third novel finally matches Armitage’s brilliant performance.

[Epernay TheReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

So pleased that we get to follow Arnold Clover is another Venice-set adventure. Because he does live quite the adventures in his retirement. My days are filled with non stop boredom.

Our Arnold is quite a lady's man too, wonder if that was happening while his "beloved Eleonore" was about....for another book perhaps.

Read this in audiobook with Richard Armitage as an excellent narrator once again, although I must say that:

-it was a little difficult at first to get into the story, as other readers have noted. Perhaps it's that it was all little...far-fetched to start with? or was it the audio format, not sure.
-it felt like an "Italian pronunciation 101" tape for a bit. Has Richard Armitage become fluent in Italian and thus seeking to mesmerize us with his lovely voice?

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Retired English archivist Arnold Clover living in Venice since his wife’s death earns just enough to keep going with some translation work. His friend Luca tells him of an exciting piece of work concerning the Venetian composer Vivaldi. It seems that some unknown manuscripts have been unearthed and look as if they belong to Vivaldi, the owners want Arnold to help authenticate them. Little does he know what he is getting into.
A very well written book with lots of unexpected twists, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

[Marc Rosove · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Comparisons to Dan Brown are very fair, although the scale of this story is pleasantly smaller than that of Dan Brown narratives.

Once the first dozen or so pages are struggled through, the book becomes a compelling, suspenseful, and thrilling page turner.

I look forward to reading more of this author's books. BTW, it's not at all obvious, but it seems that this is actually the third book in a series with the same protagonist.

[Graham Bowden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting & addictive read using the Vivaldi Four Seasons as a theme of the story. It centres around the main character Arnold Clover & his quest to write a novel on the great composer. There are are a few twists and turns as the widowed Mia Haas tries to open a concert venue to accompany the book.
Overall I found it an interesting read & if you are familiar with the city of Venice you'll enjoy it even more!

[Rhian · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Arnold Clover agrees to write a biography of Vivaldi he doesn't realise that he will be swept up into dangerous intrigue.
It took me a little while to get into this book, but then it gripped me.
Like Clover found myself confused and unsure who to trust.
But for me the main character was Venice herself - Hewson really brings to life the city with all its glories and all its dark shadows

[Alison Enever · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fine and pretty well written but it was so slow getting started and the characters felt one dimensional. I didn’t care about any of them and their actions felt unlikely. Arnold is an archivist and academic but is willing to accept the veracity of copies of primary sources which are clearly dodgy. So overall a bit of nonsense which would have been more enjoyable if it was faster paced.

[cliff whitbourn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly Gripping

For current David Hewson fans this is a step beyond. If you're not it's time you were. Utterly gripping, at times tear inducing and thoroughly entertaining throughout.

[Fizzie Heseltine · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fabulous tale. Full of intrigue and deception and captivating with the careful blend of the above and history and music.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took a while to get started, but it was great once again. Need to reread and penetrate RA's pronunciation of Venetian places and follow along.

[Carolyn Newton · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Four Deadly Seasons” by David Hewson is the perfect thriller for those enamored by Venice, its history, its charm, its mystique, and especially its seedy underworld. For fans of classical music, this book hits all the right notes. Recently widowed Arnold Clover finds himself back in Venice, for him a city with memories and a few treasured friends to soften his aimless days. Life plods along until a friend dangles a project in front of him, a mystery he cannot refuse. A wealthy couple is restoring an old estate with plans to open a dazzling venue for glorious concerts set amid a glossy hotel and restaurant. They claim to have never-before-seen evidence that sheds shocking truths about the great composer Vivaldi, and they need Arnold’s expertise to authenticate the bombshell revelations and write an explosive new biography of Vivaldi. All very exciting until a series of murders rocks the project, and Arnold finds himself in the middle of a wicked game of cat and mouse. I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy and highly recommend Hewson’s newest novel to classical music aficionados who love a rollicking tale of love and deception.

[Mary Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure about this at first but as time went on, it definitely grew on me. I found it quite a complex read when what starts as an assignment to write about Vivaldi escalates into murder, lots of deception and some political international involvement.

I never knew who to actually trust and I could feel the bewilderment of Arnold jump off the page as he struggles to get to grips with what is going on.Even when it looked like things were coming to a conclusion, there was a few more twists to come. I loved the backdrop of Venice and it felt very vivid. It's clear the author knows the area well and I learned a lot about Vivaldi through the book.

[V.J. Randle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is exactly the sort of thing I love to read! Sweeping locations, a mystery surrounding Vivaldi, lost manuscripts, politics, murders... honestly, this is everything live for (well, literary murders, not real life ones).

I didn't realise, although I should have, that this is the same author behind another beloved series of mine: the Nic Costa mysteries, so there are really no surprises that The Four Deadly Seasons was very much my cuppa.

Hewson writes beautifully, striking a balance between commercial appeal and intellect. I love an author who doesn't talk down to their readers, and I greatly appreciated learning a thing or ten as I read. The mystery is complex and thrilling at every turn.

I read this on Kindle, but I will definitely order the physical copy (I just have... and, oh my, I've seen that there is a Medici mystery in this same series... I will be ordering that too!).

Thank you, David Hewson, for an absolute treat!