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Venice #1
The Venetian Game
From his office on the Street of the Assassins, Nathan Sutherland, English Honorary Consul to Venice, assists unfortunate tourists as best he can. A steady but unexciting life that dramatically changes when he is offered a large sum of money to look after a small package containing a prayer book illustrated by the Venetian master Giovanni Bellini.
Unknown to Nathan, from a palazzo on the Grand Canal twin brothers Domenico and Arcangelo Moro, motivated by nothing more than mutual hatred, have been playing out a complex game of art theft for twenty years. And now Nathan finds himself unwittingly drawn into their deadly business . . .
309 pages, Paperback
First published March 2, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews
December 1, 2022
Very entertaining. It reads like a travel guide of Venice with added mystery. Well written, good characters with a nice sense of humour on the side.
3.5stars .
3.5stars .
July 12, 2023
Nathan is referred to as an Englishman a couple of times but it turns out he’s a Scot. How do I know? He replied Aye to a question and mentions Edinburgh a couple of times! He works as a translator and an honorary consul in Venice. He has an estranged wife and drinks too much - hackneyed tropes in books with a male “detective” - and finds himself in the middle of a mysterious situation involving art theft.
Venice is always a wonderful setting and the author lives there so, like Donna Leon, he knows it very well. It is almost a character itself and he labours the point by often mentioning the local dialect and using Italian words that those of us with no Italian then have to look up in case we’re missing an important reference. Ho hum! Nathan has a cat called Gramsci that is supposed to be an amusing sidekick but the humour missed the mark for me.
The front cover promises ”an unputdownable thriller”. I didn’t find it particularly thrilling though it did try. The expression beh is used 45 times in this book - I read it on Kindle so I searched when it became annoying! - but this book is more meh! for me. It was interesting due to its location as I’ll be in Venice in a few weeks and I enjoyed the art history and descriptions of churches. Other than that, it really is a very average read.
Venice is always a wonderful setting and the author lives there so, like Donna Leon, he knows it very well. It is almost a character itself and he labours the point by often mentioning the local dialect and using Italian words that those of us with no Italian then have to look up in case we’re missing an important reference. Ho hum! Nathan has a cat called Gramsci that is supposed to be an amusing sidekick but the humour missed the mark for me.
The front cover promises ”an unputdownable thriller”. I didn’t find it particularly thrilling though it did try. The expression beh is used 45 times in this book - I read it on Kindle so I searched when it became annoying! - but this book is more meh! for me. It was interesting due to its location as I’ll be in Venice in a few weeks and I enjoyed the art history and descriptions of churches. Other than that, it really is a very average read.
July 12, 2018
Scottish Spritz lover, grumpy cat, crime, art and Venice. And Venice, and Venice. I don't need anything else!
April 3, 2018
This is definitely not a thriller. More of a slow burn. This book describes Venice so well that it bought it to life, but oh my gosh, I am not a slow burn reader. NOTHING MUCH HAPPENS. And what does happen could be condensed into less than 100 pages.
The cast of characters were just too many for me to keep track of as they rarely made an appearance in between the pages and pages of architectural and city comments. The protagonist could have been an interesting character if we heard some more about his story and his estranged relationship with his wife and his loneliness in Venice. Instead we just get him being a mediocre spineless character who sits on his hands not sure what to do and then he tries to do something but I as the reader am SO BORED.
The redeeming feature was the cat. The cat I liked. I knew where I was with the cat and he didn't care if I liked him, and I liked him for that.
I would recommend this to those who like slow burns where not much happens or if you want to read more about Venetian life. It just wasn't for me.
The cast of characters were just too many for me to keep track of as they rarely made an appearance in between the pages and pages of architectural and city comments. The protagonist could have been an interesting character if we heard some more about his story and his estranged relationship with his wife and his loneliness in Venice. Instead we just get him being a mediocre spineless character who sits on his hands not sure what to do and then he tries to do something but I as the reader am SO BORED.
The redeeming feature was the cat. The cat I liked. I knew where I was with the cat and he didn't care if I liked him, and I liked him for that.
I would recommend this to those who like slow burns where not much happens or if you want to read more about Venetian life. It just wasn't for me.
May 14, 2024
Over the years I’ve read most books set in Venice. So my husband struggled to find a novel for me to read before our trip to Venice. He was pleased to find this series by Philip Gwynn Jones.
Fun read, the author really caught the feel of Venice and it made me look forward to my trip even more.
Note - when we arrived in Venice, I realised our hotel was one street away from the Rio Tera dei Assassini, where the main protagonist lives…. plus Caffe Brasilia actually exists - strange coincidence 🙂
Fun read, the author really caught the feel of Venice and it made me look forward to my trip even more.
Note - when we arrived in Venice, I realised our hotel was one street away from the Rio Tera dei Assassini, where the main protagonist lives…. plus Caffe Brasilia actually exists - strange coincidence 🙂
May 4, 2022
The Venetian Game is the first in a series and not a book for people who like fast-paced action thrillers. When you like Donna Leon this might be your kind of book. I would not classify this as a "thriller". It is a crime novel with loads of couleur locale and lots of food, and especially drink. Reading this book made me thirsty and I ended up drinking a few glasses of prosecco myself. Also don't read this book on an empty stomach because of all the talk of food.
Philip Gwynne Jones is Welsh but lives in Venice. I mentioned the American author Donna Leon because she also used to live in Venice and write crime stories based in the city and there are similarities between their work, even though the main characters are different. Her protagonist is a Venetian Commissario named Guido Brunetti , has a family with two kids and loves food and a good glass of wine. Jones' protagonist named Nathan Sutherland, is a translator, the English honorary consul to Venice, loves good food, drinks (quite a lot), smokes and has a wife but their relationship is not great. She moved back to Edinburgh and does not want to come back to Venice.
Jones takes his time to introduce his main human character and the other main character; Venice. I've been there twice, both times 9 days and it was like being back there in the narrow streets, on the bridges, on the vaporettos and alongside the canals. He really did a good job on describing the city. That's what I also like about Donna Leon's novels. They also have the food in common.
Jones gets his main character involved in the shady world of art theft and the complex world of Italian and Venetian politics. That's another thing that this book has in common with Donna Leon's work.
Even though I mention a lot of similarities between Jones' work and that of Donna Leon, Jones has found his own voice. His main character is totally different as is the humour in the book. There are a few more characters in the book that are interesting and Jones cleverly left a lot of space for relational developments that can be explored in future instalments.
I really enjoyed this first book and have already bought the next book in the series (as an e-book). I'm looking forward to the second book and will stock up on prosecco and arborio rice before diving into that one.
Philip Gwynne Jones is Welsh but lives in Venice. I mentioned the American author Donna Leon because she also used to live in Venice and write crime stories based in the city and there are similarities between their work, even though the main characters are different. Her protagonist is a Venetian Commissario named Guido Brunetti , has a family with two kids and loves food and a good glass of wine. Jones' protagonist named Nathan Sutherland, is a translator, the English honorary consul to Venice, loves good food, drinks (quite a lot), smokes and has a wife but their relationship is not great. She moved back to Edinburgh and does not want to come back to Venice.
Jones takes his time to introduce his main human character and the other main character; Venice. I've been there twice, both times 9 days and it was like being back there in the narrow streets, on the bridges, on the vaporettos and alongside the canals. He really did a good job on describing the city. That's what I also like about Donna Leon's novels. They also have the food in common.
Jones gets his main character involved in the shady world of art theft and the complex world of Italian and Venetian politics. That's another thing that this book has in common with Donna Leon's work.
Even though I mention a lot of similarities between Jones' work and that of Donna Leon, Jones has found his own voice. His main character is totally different as is the humour in the book. There are a few more characters in the book that are interesting and Jones cleverly left a lot of space for relational developments that can be explored in future instalments.
I really enjoyed this first book and have already bought the next book in the series (as an e-book). I'm looking forward to the second book and will stock up on prosecco and arborio rice before diving into that one.
March 28, 2020
Easy to read and yet holds you in suspense the whole way through. The best bits? 1) the depth of Jones’s intricate descriptions of Venetian geography, society, architecture and culture 2) it has a clear and plausible plot throughout 3) [though a rarity these days] it has a decent ending and clearly sets up opportunity for a sequel.
April 1, 2017
The Venetian Game is a quite excellent book for TripFiction readers. A great thriller very firmly set in Venice. The canals, buildings, art and geography of the city all come shining through… an ideal read for anyone heading out for a Spring break. Philip Gwynne Jones has lived in Venice for a number of years – and it shows. There is even a map at the beginning of the book to help orientate you.
Nathan is a translator (of exciting things like lawn mower manuals) and honorary British Consul in the city – his main duties include the provision of new passports to tourists who have had theirs stolen. One day a stranger comes into his office and asks him to store in his safe, just for a couple of days, a small packet. He offers €10,000 for Nathan to perform the service, but Nathan refuses on the grounds it may contain drugs or stolen goods. The package nevertheless finds its way to him via a circuitous route (placed in a left luggage locker with his name on it…) and he opens it to find a small and beautiful book that turns out to be Life of the Virgin with illustrations by the very famous 15th Century artist, Giovanni Bellini. Is it genuine or is it a fake? If genuine, it is worth a small fortune. He decides to hold on to it until Montgomery (the stranger) comes to collect it… he will then probe a bit further. Meanwhile he is lured by a false call for his translation services to see an old and rich Venetian called Archangelo Mori. Mori claims that Nathan has something (the book) that has been stolen from him and ‘asks for’ its return. He offers €10,000 for its safe re-instatement in his collection… So, Nathan is posed with a difficult question… Neither Montgomery nor Mori seem people to argue with or to offend. But he can’t please both of them. Whose (if either’s…) €10,000 should he take?
He decides to enlist help and investigate further. The help is art restorer, Federica (who is not, honestly, his girlfriend) and his best friend, Dario. They set out to find out what is what, and to solve the mystery. The situation gets more dangerous as the story progresses. There are beatings and dead bodies. It all, though, seems to be part of sinister game that is being played – a game to which Nathan, Federica, and Dario are not privy. The book moves to a thrilling and pulsating conclusion…
As I said at the beginning, The Venetian Game absolutely fits the TripFiction message of ‘see a location through the eyes of an author’. Venice really comes to life – and not just the main tourist areas, but also the back ‘streets’ and places a visitor would not normally venture. Plus Philip is entirely knowledgable about the buildings and art of the city. It forms a perfect background to a very well worked thriller.
April 20, 2018
One of the main problems with this book is its poor marketing. The tagline on the front cover labels it as an 'unputdownable thriller'... I was so able to put it down I nearly deliberately left it on the bus, as I was so 'un-thrilled'. It if had been set up as a cosy crime read in a Romantic location with a bit of a bumbling hero, then it perhaps would not have been so disappointing. The author certainly knows Venice, but it felt like he was more worried about listing the correct geography of the street names than actually concocting a crime plot with any substance. There are no further elements to the plot other than what you read in the blurb on the back of the novel.
October 7, 2022
To me this wasn’t a thriller and wasn’t fast paced however I did enjoy the essence of the book and enjoyed the storyline. The best way for me to describe this book is a bit of a murder mystery allowing you to soak up the atmosphere, Prosecco and Spritz of Venice. I would definitely read more in the series when I’m in the mood for a story like this.
October 31, 2023
Nathan Sutherland is the UK's honorary consul in Venice which in practice mostly means referring tourists who have been robbed of their passports to Milan or Rome for consular assistance. Until a man walks into the office and asks him to keep a small package secure for a week. Nathan's initial refusal is foiled and he is stuck with what appears to be a forged illustrated booklet by Bellini. It soon turns out that more than one person is looking for the package and he finds himself in the middle of a power struggle between 2 estranged brothers. I loved the Venetian setting, if you are a fan of Donna Leon this is a series that I highly recommend. I look forward to getting to know these characters better in the next book in the series.
January 26, 2025
La mejor compañía para nuestra estancia en Venecia.
Acertada recomendación de la librera.
Acertada recomendación de la librera.
October 19, 2024
I visited Venice in 2016 and it didn't wow me mainly because,while the architecture and history is amazing, it was overrun with tourists and the "Disneyland" tag is apt!!
It says a lot about this book that it made me think about visiting again in the future, maybe in the winter or early spring. This is a very entertaining read. The idea of an honorary consul who translates technical manuals from English into Italian is clever and the writing makes him a sympathetic character. He comes over as a bit gormless and indecisive particularly early on. This ended up being a bit of an issue in relation to the big scene at the end because he acted out of character and turned into James Bond!! The setting, art dimension and characterisation are clearly the strong points of this amusing and fun novel.... hardly the "unputdownable" thriller as described on the cover. The premise of the plot was a bit convoluted and just about stands up to scrutiny. Good fun is the best description. I certainly wouldn't rule out reading a subsequent instalment.
It says a lot about this book that it made me think about visiting again in the future, maybe in the winter or early spring. This is a very entertaining read. The idea of an honorary consul who translates technical manuals from English into Italian is clever and the writing makes him a sympathetic character. He comes over as a bit gormless and indecisive particularly early on. This ended up being a bit of an issue in relation to the big scene at the end because he acted out of character and turned into James Bond!! The setting, art dimension and characterisation are clearly the strong points of this amusing and fun novel.... hardly the "unputdownable" thriller as described on the cover. The premise of the plot was a bit convoluted and just about stands up to scrutiny. Good fun is the best description. I certainly wouldn't rule out reading a subsequent instalment.
March 11, 2017
People who like mystery/detective novels, will find this a natural fit for their reading choice. People who also know and love Venice will get an extra bonus, with the setting of this well paced novel, written by a person who knows the city and surrounds very well.
Nathan Sutherland, the English Honorary Consul to Venice, finds his rather boring life changed when he is caught up in a world of art theft and danger. As he and his friends Dario and Federica endeavour to pursue the truth about the small illustrated prayer book that has been left in Nathan's care, he finds himself in situations he'd only before seen played out in movies.
Are the illustrations in the little book really by Giovanni Bellini, or is it a clever forgery? Will Nathan come out of this with his skin intact? Follow Nathan through the calli of Venice to find out how this draws to a conclusion.
Nathan Sutherland, the English Honorary Consul to Venice, finds his rather boring life changed when he is caught up in a world of art theft and danger. As he and his friends Dario and Federica endeavour to pursue the truth about the small illustrated prayer book that has been left in Nathan's care, he finds himself in situations he'd only before seen played out in movies.
Are the illustrations in the little book really by Giovanni Bellini, or is it a clever forgery? Will Nathan come out of this with his skin intact? Follow Nathan through the calli of Venice to find out how this draws to a conclusion.
July 29, 2022
Sisuliselt krimilugu, kuid n-ö tavakrimist siiski veidi erinev. Olulisel kohal selles loos on Veneetsia oma kanalite ja majadega (võrdlusena tuli kohe pähe Zafoni Barcelona). Nagu tänapäeval kombeks, reklaamivad teost tutvustuses tuntud isikud, sedastades muuhulgas, et see on "sama paeluv ja elegantne kui Veneetsia ise" või et "tekib kohe tahtmine osta pilet Veneetsiasse". Kui üldjuhul suhtun sellistesse arvamusavaldustesse skeptiliselt, sest pärast raamatu lugemist sageli nendega nõustuda ei saa, siis seekord ei hakka küll vastu vaidlema. Lugu ise keerleb ühe saladusliku pakikese ümber, mida sealsele aukonsulile hoiule tahetakse sokutada ning mille taga on tegelikult kummaline ja ootamatute keerdkäikudega mäng.
Kummaliselt huvitav teos, mida sobib lugeda küll.
Kummaliselt huvitav teos, mida sobib lugeda küll.
June 12, 2017
A slightly silly but ridiculously entertaining light crime story set magnificently in Venice. From the references to some of my favourite places (big shout out to Da Fiore) it appears clear that the author, like the main character lives in the vacinity of Santa Stefano. The interplay between characters is brilliant and often lightly comic, like a toned down Kyril Bonfiglioli almost. Insanely British played off against wonderfully Venetian. The book gets pretty much a whole extra star for the wonderfully accurate portrayal of grumpy cat Gramsci. I loved this.
March 28, 2017
It's terrific!! What a great beginning... everything's there...pieces and parts of Venice that you don't know but wished you did; parts you KNOW and are delighted to find in the story; Dear and suitable sinister characters; a little slow but-full-of-atmosphere beginning that only grows better as one progresses; and a GREAT story line.
Bravo bravo, Mr. Jones. A fine beginning, I hope. With more to follow
Bravo bravo, Mr. Jones. A fine beginning, I hope. With more to follow
March 8, 2018
Nathan Sutherland is the Honourary British Consul in Venice, he spends his time helping tourists and to earn some money he is a translator. However, when a Mr Montgomery insists on leaving a package with him, Nathan finds himself involved in a game of art theft and fraud.
A witty crime thriller which will leave you wanting more.
A witty crime thriller which will leave you wanting more.
March 9, 2018
Not my usual type of crime book but having said that it was immensely enjoyable. It was quirky, very funny and very well written. Informative and could almost double as a travel guide to the beautiful city of Venice. Nathan and his friends made me smile and laugh from page 1. Definately recommended to anyone who likes a light read with criminal undertones and great characters.
July 10, 2025
Van Uitgeverij Van Maaskant Haun een bijzondere thriller mogen ontvangen. Deze thriller heet:
"Een Venetiaans spel", geschreven door de Engelse auteur Philip Gwynne Jones.
De titel is passend voor deze bijzondere thriller.
De cover, daar zie je in het avond- gloren Venetië, met zijn gondels.
De schrijfstijl vind ik heerlijk: Engelse humor, makkelijk leesbaar en vlot geschreven.
Nathan Sutherland is parttime honorair consul, namens het Verenigd Koninkrijk, voor Venetië. Mensen komen bij hem terecht als ze bijvoorbeeld hun papieren kwijt of door de politie opgepakt zijn. Nathan is getrouwd en zijn echtgenote werkt voor één jaar in Edinburgh. Nathan doet voor extra inkomsten vertaalwerk. Hij woont ongeveer vijf jaar in Venetië en is van de stad gaan houden.
Tijdens het spreekuur, als honorair consul, komt een zekere meneer Montgomery een pakketje in bewaring geven aan Nathan. Hij krijgt een aanzienlijk bedrag voor het oppassen van het pakketje. Maar zijn geweten komt dan in opstand. Waarom krijg ik zoveel geld om dit pakketje in bewaring te houden. Nathan gaat met zijn vriend Dario en kunsthistoricus Frederica de zaak onderzoeken. Ze komen overal terecht in kerken, bezoeken kunstcentra en benaderen personen. Ze komen in contact met de gebroeders Moro en de oud journalist Magri. Nathan wordt zelfs één keer thuis in elkaar geslagen. Het blijkt, achteraf gezien, een spel te zijn tussen verschillende pluimage's. Hoe dit spel plaats vindt dat ontdek je als je deze bijzondere thriller leest.
Ik heb genoten van deze bijzondere thriller. De Engelse humor, het beschrijven van de stad Venetië, de barretjes etc. Ik heb het zo ervaren of ik zelf in Venetië was. En dat het spel zo'n fantastische plot heeft op het einde, zag ik totaal niet aankomen.
"Een Venetiaans spel", geschreven door de Engelse auteur Philip Gwynne Jones.
De titel is passend voor deze bijzondere thriller.
De cover, daar zie je in het avond- gloren Venetië, met zijn gondels.
De schrijfstijl vind ik heerlijk: Engelse humor, makkelijk leesbaar en vlot geschreven.
Nathan Sutherland is parttime honorair consul, namens het Verenigd Koninkrijk, voor Venetië. Mensen komen bij hem terecht als ze bijvoorbeeld hun papieren kwijt of door de politie opgepakt zijn. Nathan is getrouwd en zijn echtgenote werkt voor één jaar in Edinburgh. Nathan doet voor extra inkomsten vertaalwerk. Hij woont ongeveer vijf jaar in Venetië en is van de stad gaan houden.
Tijdens het spreekuur, als honorair consul, komt een zekere meneer Montgomery een pakketje in bewaring geven aan Nathan. Hij krijgt een aanzienlijk bedrag voor het oppassen van het pakketje. Maar zijn geweten komt dan in opstand. Waarom krijg ik zoveel geld om dit pakketje in bewaring te houden. Nathan gaat met zijn vriend Dario en kunsthistoricus Frederica de zaak onderzoeken. Ze komen overal terecht in kerken, bezoeken kunstcentra en benaderen personen. Ze komen in contact met de gebroeders Moro en de oud journalist Magri. Nathan wordt zelfs één keer thuis in elkaar geslagen. Het blijkt, achteraf gezien, een spel te zijn tussen verschillende pluimage's. Hoe dit spel plaats vindt dat ontdek je als je deze bijzondere thriller leest.
Ik heb genoten van deze bijzondere thriller. De Engelse humor, het beschrijven van de stad Venetië, de barretjes etc. Ik heb het zo ervaren of ik zelf in Venetië was. En dat het spel zo'n fantastische plot heeft op het einde, zag ik totaal niet aankomen.
March 26, 2024
I recently read the third book in this series and really enjoyed it. Great characters, writing and location so was keen to start at the beginning and read them all so starting at the beginning.
This book starts off the series well and it seems can all be read separately or as part of the series, but like me, once you've read one, you'll want to read the lot.
Nathan Sutherland, the main character is a translator and also Honorary Consul who along with Fede, Dario and Gramsci all star in the series. Nathan is asked to look after an item for a few days for a large sum of money but that's when things start to go wrong. It is stolen or a fake? Nathan finds himself in the middle of a very deadly game.
I listened to the audio version of this book which was superbly narrated by Tim Bruce.
This book starts off the series well and it seems can all be read separately or as part of the series, but like me, once you've read one, you'll want to read the lot.
Nathan Sutherland, the main character is a translator and also Honorary Consul who along with Fede, Dario and Gramsci all star in the series. Nathan is asked to look after an item for a few days for a large sum of money but that's when things start to go wrong. It is stolen or a fake? Nathan finds himself in the middle of a very deadly game.
I listened to the audio version of this book which was superbly narrated by Tim Bruce.
November 5, 2023
This started off promisingly but about halfway through, I lost the plot. I also found the italicised Italian words and phrases annoying. I was going to look them up as I was reading but there were so many, this book would’ve taken twice as long to read! I love Venice but didn’t love this book.
January 8, 2023
Rounded up to 3.5.
An enjoyable easy read with a touch of humour.
An enjoyable easy read with a touch of humour.
February 7, 2025
I came here for Venice, and i stayed for Venice☺️ that part was really nice. But a thriller? 🤭 i don’t think so! Also like 65% of this book is our main character getting drunk on spritzer or prossecos. 20% was “the games”.
May 16, 2019
Thriller set in Venice, what's not to like?
Slow start and way too much prosecco drinking, otherwise entertaining.
Slow start and way too much prosecco drinking, otherwise entertaining.
January 10, 2025
My first book of 2025 was an enjoyable read. The storyline moved along at a good pace and got me thinking it would be nice to visit Venice again. My one day tourist trip some years ago, obviously was not long enough to get immersed in the culture of Venice. An elaborate game of bluff and double bluff comes to a rather exciting conclusion. What next for Nathan Sutherland. I think he’s going to be bored translating Italian DIY manuals!!
May 2, 2019
I have no intentions to buy this book, but have been recommended by sales assistant at Waterstones. It has been in the shelves for while till have decided I would give it a go. It is not usual crime book, but was very pleasant and enjoyable read.
Nathan Sutherland is not police inspector, but English Honorary Council and due to unexpected events he discovers about art thief and investigates it with help of his good friends. It is written well and if you have good story and interesting characters then location like Venice and Italian life style with spritz and nice food are bonus.
I have already second book in series and looking forward to the new adventures of Nathan Sutherland in resolving crime in Venice.
Nathan Sutherland is not police inspector, but English Honorary Council and due to unexpected events he discovers about art thief and investigates it with help of his good friends. It is written well and if you have good story and interesting characters then location like Venice and Italian life style with spritz and nice food are bonus.
I have already second book in series and looking forward to the new adventures of Nathan Sutherland in resolving crime in Venice.
November 23, 2025
Eindelijk weer eens een boek dat ik in een paar dagen uit las, fijne sfeer, humor, leuke personages, spanning, kat in belangrijke rol, en Venetië - wel last van Fernweh af en toe maar verder genoten. Door naar deel twee!
October 5, 2020
I really hate when a book's description is so good and then the book ends up being so boring it puts you to sleep. This, sadly, is one of those books.
July 23, 2018
This was marketed as a thriller but seemed to me more of a mystery and if it had been billed as a mystery then the review would have been against that, however it was billed as a thriller and as such just didn't make the mark. Nathan the main character was likeable enough but we didn't really know anything about him save he is the Honourary British Consul in Venice and translates Italian manuals (mainly DIY) into English to earn extra money.
I loved the humour which kept it going and his relationship with his cat Gramsci is very funny but it lacked character substance for me. The characterisation of the cat was great, he was selfish, greedy and always got his own way, I loved him, I knew him, I could relate to him. Nathan was not given the same treatment and because of this the reader never really had a chance to warm to him as we knew so little about him. Because of that he came across as a bit weak and lack lustre. There were so many characters in the book that at times I had to go back and remind myself who they were.
The book was rich on atmosphere and descriptive passages of the beautiful city of Venice, so much so that it was almost like reading a travel log, the architecture, the paintings, the beautiful venetian views, so well written and so well described. You could tell the writer has lived in this beautiful city.
I won't go on to re-tell the story suffice it to say that after Nathan is pressed to look after what appears to be a priceless artefact things get out of his control and he is spiralled into playing a part in a dangerous 'game' with two Italian brothers. On the surface this sounds great but it just didn't get as thrilling as I thought it would and the ending was a bit limp.
As a great thriller or mystery I have read better and the pace was just a bit slow for me.
I have to give his 4 stars for the wonderful atmospheric setting and Gwynne Jones skill at bringing this out for the reader, surely if you've never been to Venice you will want to go after reading this novel.
I loved the humour which kept it going and his relationship with his cat Gramsci is very funny but it lacked character substance for me. The characterisation of the cat was great, he was selfish, greedy and always got his own way, I loved him, I knew him, I could relate to him. Nathan was not given the same treatment and because of this the reader never really had a chance to warm to him as we knew so little about him. Because of that he came across as a bit weak and lack lustre. There were so many characters in the book that at times I had to go back and remind myself who they were.
The book was rich on atmosphere and descriptive passages of the beautiful city of Venice, so much so that it was almost like reading a travel log, the architecture, the paintings, the beautiful venetian views, so well written and so well described. You could tell the writer has lived in this beautiful city.
I won't go on to re-tell the story suffice it to say that after Nathan is pressed to look after what appears to be a priceless artefact things get out of his control and he is spiralled into playing a part in a dangerous 'game' with two Italian brothers. On the surface this sounds great but it just didn't get as thrilling as I thought it would and the ending was a bit limp.
As a great thriller or mystery I have read better and the pace was just a bit slow for me.
I have to give his 4 stars for the wonderful atmospheric setting and Gwynne Jones skill at bringing this out for the reader, surely if you've never been to Venice you will want to go after reading this novel.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 197 reviews