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Somershill Manor Mystery #3
City of Masks: Oswald de Lacy Book 3
Book 3
in the gripping Oswald de Lacy series, from
'the medieval CJ Sansom' (Jeffery Deaver)
'Sophisticated plotting, intrigue, and immersion in a fascinating historical setting' Library Journal
1358. Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, is in Venice, awaiting a pilgrim galley to the Holy Land. While the city is under siege from the Hungarians, Oswald lodges with an English merchant, and soon comes under the dangerous spell of the decadent and dazzling island state that sits on the hinge of Europe, where East meets West.
Oswald is trying to flee the chilling shadow of something in his past, but when he finds a dead man on the night of the carnival, he is dragged into a murder investigation that takes him deep into the intrigues of this mysterious, paranoid city.
Coming up against the feared Signori di Notte, the secret police, Oswald learns that he is not the only one with something to hide. Everybody is watching somebody else, and nobody in Venice is what he or she seems. The masks are not just for the carnival.
579 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 4, 2017
68 people are currently reading
1051 people want to read
About the author
S.D. Sykes
6 books224 followersSD Sykes (Sarah) lives in Kent, but grew up in Somerset and then South London. She is a graduate from Manchester University and was inspired to finish her first novel, Plague Land, after attending the novel writing course at literary agents, Curtis Brown. She has also written for radio and has developed screenplays with Arts Council funding. She has a passion for medieval history, and her books in the Somershill Manor series, are set in 14th Century England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
April 2, 2018
Trouble, and its attendant duties, confront the reluctant young lord on nearly every page of this eventful, engrossing, informative mystery... (Wall Street Journal)
Loved this! In this third book in the Somershill Manor Mystery series, Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, is now in Venice with his mother (and her annoying dog :-)), 1358. Book is rather slow-paced, yes, but I loved the brooding atmosphere, the environment of the canals of Venice, the dark waters, the weird characters and the story. Great cover art by the way, sets the atmosphere, simple and dark. It soon becomes clear... Oswald is troubled, depressed and haunted by ghosts. The storyline gets clearer during the book, with flashbacks to his estate and the happenings there in England. He and his mother are on a pilgrimage, and took a stopover in Venice. There, he is a guest at a rich merchant Bearpark's house, and is witness to a crime, the death of Bearpark's son. He sets out to investigate...Something different too in the historical fiction genre I found. Loved it. Fitted perfectly in my schedule of busy work and studies. A few pages before sleep was the perfect distraction. I found it both fascinating and relaxing, this read. Not a problem that the going was slow sometimes, suited me fine.
I would recommend this series to those who love historical fiction. Great book!
Looking forward to the continued adventures of Oswald. More to follow...
Loved this! In this third book in the Somershill Manor Mystery series, Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, is now in Venice with his mother (and her annoying dog :-)), 1358. Book is rather slow-paced, yes, but I loved the brooding atmosphere, the environment of the canals of Venice, the dark waters, the weird characters and the story. Great cover art by the way, sets the atmosphere, simple and dark. It soon becomes clear... Oswald is troubled, depressed and haunted by ghosts. The storyline gets clearer during the book, with flashbacks to his estate and the happenings there in England. He and his mother are on a pilgrimage, and took a stopover in Venice. There, he is a guest at a rich merchant Bearpark's house, and is witness to a crime, the death of Bearpark's son. He sets out to investigate...Something different too in the historical fiction genre I found. Loved it. Fitted perfectly in my schedule of busy work and studies. A few pages before sleep was the perfect distraction. I found it both fascinating and relaxing, this read. Not a problem that the going was slow sometimes, suited me fine.
I would recommend this series to those who love historical fiction. Great book!
Looking forward to the continued adventures of Oswald. More to follow...
September 14, 2017
This was a big let down for me- in a series I have loved until now. One of the aspects of the series that I liked the most was Oswald's character and in this book he has undergone a personality transplant, the reasons for which came too late in the book. He had become, greedy, deceitful, a gambler and a thief.
While the setting of Venice was different, the reason for Oswald and his mother to be there seemed arbitrary and more to do with the author wanting a change of venue, than Oswald. It was such a relief when we started to get to the flashbacks in England, and the characters we have come to know and appreciate. I disliked the monkey metaphor. Furthermore the Venetian investigation lacked pace and interest.
I hope the series can be salvaged in the next book (if there is one and the author hasn't just run out of ideas.)
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
While the setting of Venice was different, the reason for Oswald and his mother to be there seemed arbitrary and more to do with the author wanting a change of venue, than Oswald. It was such a relief when we started to get to the flashbacks in England, and the characters we have come to know and appreciate. I disliked the monkey metaphor. Furthermore the Venetian investigation lacked pace and interest.
I hope the series can be salvaged in the next book (if there is one and the author hasn't just run out of ideas.)
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
January 3, 2018
An absolute corker! My favourite of the series so far.
July 14, 2017
Venice is a stew of murky mixes. All of the most vile negatives for humans and animals in the mish-mash. As are the highest forms of art and elegance visible at times to supreme levels. It's 10 years after the Plague in 1358.
That sinuous and muddy mix of the canals and twisting lane paths are done to tone and nuance much better than average. More than the 3 star rating would convey. And the beginning was at least a 4 star because it pulled you into masquerading danger of torturous murder nearly immediately, while shadowing in parallel the psychology state of our Lord Somershill's melancholy /depression.
But after another murder and some good characterizations for the under characters, I found the plot and the investigation rather flat. Filled with nasty men from the Secret Police to the crew looking to kill for the debts owned to them. It become, like Lord Somershill, low tide and low spirits on a run to find some facts while dodging knives, blows, and torture.
And the flashbacks begin far into the book, past page 200. As I read book #2 in the series I remembered how much MORE, I liked it when Mary and Becky were back in the story. And his Mother is a great personality/ character who doesn't get enough copy in this one, IMHO.
Too long, so by the time of the conclusion, I had not maintained being embedded within the creepiness factor. Hardly at all.
There was the flashback tale to the buying of the ape which just wanted to be miserable and never gained a life with owner or any joy, always returning to his own cage/prison and chains. That was 5 star and I wanted a lot more of that level of equivalency/ comparison in the rest of the dichotomies here, some of which were done to at least a 4 star. Muck/splendor, piety/evil, self made misery/ happiness etc. You get it.
But it failed to maintain this and in some key details really dropped the connection or belief balls. Too many words and not plotted half as well as the first 2 books in the pace and the reveals. If there had been foreshadowing to the baddies /perps it would have been much more interesting in that 100 page drag in the middle third flatness to running from creditor and meeting possible witness in bad nasty places.
Well worth the read for Venice itself in this most duplicitous and cruel, cruel era. I really like how Sykes can create a mood in 3 pages, but dislike the method of plot tie ins to the emotive quality of the rest (relationship contexts especially) in this particular case.
This would be more entertaining, IMHO, if you didn't know how hypocritical and insular Venice was and remained WAY beyond this particular century. And how often filthy and dangerous.
That sinuous and muddy mix of the canals and twisting lane paths are done to tone and nuance much better than average. More than the 3 star rating would convey. And the beginning was at least a 4 star because it pulled you into masquerading danger of torturous murder nearly immediately, while shadowing in parallel the psychology state of our Lord Somershill's melancholy /depression.
But after another murder and some good characterizations for the under characters, I found the plot and the investigation rather flat. Filled with nasty men from the Secret Police to the crew looking to kill for the debts owned to them. It become, like Lord Somershill, low tide and low spirits on a run to find some facts while dodging knives, blows, and torture.
And the flashbacks begin far into the book, past page 200. As I read book #2 in the series I remembered how much MORE, I liked it when Mary and Becky were back in the story. And his Mother is a great personality/ character who doesn't get enough copy in this one, IMHO.
Too long, so by the time of the conclusion, I had not maintained being embedded within the creepiness factor. Hardly at all.
There was the flashback tale to the buying of the ape which just wanted to be miserable and never gained a life with owner or any joy, always returning to his own cage/prison and chains. That was 5 star and I wanted a lot more of that level of equivalency/ comparison in the rest of the dichotomies here, some of which were done to at least a 4 star. Muck/splendor, piety/evil, self made misery/ happiness etc. You get it.
But it failed to maintain this and in some key details really dropped the connection or belief balls. Too many words and not plotted half as well as the first 2 books in the pace and the reveals. If there had been foreshadowing to the baddies /perps it would have been much more interesting in that 100 page drag in the middle third flatness to running from creditor and meeting possible witness in bad nasty places.
Well worth the read for Venice itself in this most duplicitous and cruel, cruel era. I really like how Sykes can create a mood in 3 pages, but dislike the method of plot tie ins to the emotive quality of the rest (relationship contexts especially) in this particular case.
This would be more entertaining, IMHO, if you didn't know how hypocritical and insular Venice was and remained WAY beyond this particular century. And how often filthy and dangerous.
March 28, 2017
I received an advance copy of City of Masks in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley.
This novel was the definition of page-turner.
I made the mistake of starting City of Masks on an evening, and the next thing I knew it was 2am. I just couldn't stop. I hadn't read the first two books in the series, but it didn't make any difference to my immersion, and I will be buying them immediately!
The standout for me was the characterisation. Sykes' characters are described so vividly that I could physically see them in my mind. The protagonist was one of the most interesting I've ever come across - he was relatable, sensible, but flawed. The running thread of his "shadow" was heartbreakingly accurate for anyone who has suffered depression, and was resolved beautifully. The secondary characters were all fully realised, and there weren't so many of them that you lost track.
The story was captivating. I read the last few chapters on the train - it was only when a few commuters gave me funny looks that I realised my jaw had dropped open. I love foreshadowing and red herrings and so on in a murder mystery, and they were executed expertly.
Sykes' writing style is accessible to the average reader, but still paints a beautiful picture and keeps you engrossed through every word. I particularly enjoyed a description of a boring meal - "after moving a supper of grey liver and sodden onions about the plate for a respectable period of time'. It both made me laugh and I knew exactly the bored emotion the character was feeling. This continues throughout the novel.
I cannot recommend this book enough. If Poirot mixed with 14th century history sounds like your bag, do yourself a favour and pick this up.
This novel was the definition of page-turner.
I made the mistake of starting City of Masks on an evening, and the next thing I knew it was 2am. I just couldn't stop. I hadn't read the first two books in the series, but it didn't make any difference to my immersion, and I will be buying them immediately!
The standout for me was the characterisation. Sykes' characters are described so vividly that I could physically see them in my mind. The protagonist was one of the most interesting I've ever come across - he was relatable, sensible, but flawed. The running thread of his "shadow" was heartbreakingly accurate for anyone who has suffered depression, and was resolved beautifully. The secondary characters were all fully realised, and there weren't so many of them that you lost track.
The story was captivating. I read the last few chapters on the train - it was only when a few commuters gave me funny looks that I realised my jaw had dropped open. I love foreshadowing and red herrings and so on in a murder mystery, and they were executed expertly.
Sykes' writing style is accessible to the average reader, but still paints a beautiful picture and keeps you engrossed through every word. I particularly enjoyed a description of a boring meal - "after moving a supper of grey liver and sodden onions about the plate for a respectable period of time'. It both made me laugh and I knew exactly the bored emotion the character was feeling. This continues throughout the novel.
I cannot recommend this book enough. If Poirot mixed with 14th century history sounds like your bag, do yourself a favour and pick this up.
June 5, 2017
This third Somershill Manor Mystery has an entirely different vibe to its predecessors. It sails away from the familiar territory of Oswald de Lacy’s manorial commitments in Kent to transport us to the City of Masks, Venice 1358.
Considerable time has past since our ex-novice monk inherited the title of Lord Somershill and gained respect as an amateur sleuth and we are fast forwarded seven years from The Butcher Bird (book 2) for Oswald to embark on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
The aim of his journey is to help him recover from an unshakeable melancholy which is manifesting itself at untimely intervals. But it seems no matter how far he travels ,or how long he ignores his responsibilities at home, an oppressive gloom continues to track his hiding places before silently passing judgement.
There’s a real sense of dread for Oswald this time around. He has suffered miserably through no fault of his own and exhibits signs of some very dark thoughts indeed and struggles to face demons that are not revealed until later in the story. The reasons for his predicament were a giant leap from the inexperienced and immature Oswald I’d grown accustomed to during the last two books, so this development came as a bit of a surprise.
Ironically, it’s not due to any religious aspect of the journey that he finds solace. Instead he finds his spirits lift when playing games of dice with dramatic successes. Alas, his low mood is restored when losses mount up and he faces the threat of debt recovery, Venetian thuggery style.
Of course no voyage is without its minor irritations either. Yes, there’s his mother who has not only encouraged the entire 'pilgrim ordeal' but insists on accompanying him every step of the way. As expected she’s her usual tactless self, testing the patience of the company they meet – oh dear, she would be mortified if she knew how Oswald was spending his time and his limited funds!
Their travel plans are also disrupted by the brutal death of the grandson of an old friend the de Lacy’s are staying with during their stopover and the huge question hanging over Oswald is: will his sleuthing skills come in handy and strengthen his resolve, or will he crack under pressure when the ever-watchful authorities takes an interest in his involvement? It's difficult to call, as his English title, together with the lesser known one of ‘Investigative Genius’ bestowed on him by his mother, are nothing compared to the callous motives of the murderer as the body count rises. I was partially right with their identity but I cannot say any more as this escalated into something I was not remotely anticipating!
This murderous diversion takes a desperately haunted Oswald into the most wretched parts of the city where he encounters unpredictable opposition from all quarters, redefines his people skills, and is pushed toward a darkness he can no longer turn his back on.
First appearances can be deceptive, and the City of Masks is no exception. Whispered secrets slither through a warren of filthy streets and murky waterways to leave a trail from where escape is not an option and discovery is deadly.
I hope there's a new mystery in the pipeline soon as I adore this medieval crime series and every single character that breathes life into it.
(I requested a copy of this title from the Publisher and NetGalley and received a copy with my thanks, for which it is my pleasure to provide an unbiased review.)
Considerable time has past since our ex-novice monk inherited the title of Lord Somershill and gained respect as an amateur sleuth and we are fast forwarded seven years from The Butcher Bird (book 2) for Oswald to embark on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
The aim of his journey is to help him recover from an unshakeable melancholy which is manifesting itself at untimely intervals. But it seems no matter how far he travels ,or how long he ignores his responsibilities at home, an oppressive gloom continues to track his hiding places before silently passing judgement.
There’s a real sense of dread for Oswald this time around. He has suffered miserably through no fault of his own and exhibits signs of some very dark thoughts indeed and struggles to face demons that are not revealed until later in the story. The reasons for his predicament were a giant leap from the inexperienced and immature Oswald I’d grown accustomed to during the last two books, so this development came as a bit of a surprise.
Ironically, it’s not due to any religious aspect of the journey that he finds solace. Instead he finds his spirits lift when playing games of dice with dramatic successes. Alas, his low mood is restored when losses mount up and he faces the threat of debt recovery, Venetian thuggery style.
Of course no voyage is without its minor irritations either. Yes, there’s his mother who has not only encouraged the entire 'pilgrim ordeal' but insists on accompanying him every step of the way. As expected she’s her usual tactless self, testing the patience of the company they meet – oh dear, she would be mortified if she knew how Oswald was spending his time and his limited funds!
Their travel plans are also disrupted by the brutal death of the grandson of an old friend the de Lacy’s are staying with during their stopover and the huge question hanging over Oswald is: will his sleuthing skills come in handy and strengthen his resolve, or will he crack under pressure when the ever-watchful authorities takes an interest in his involvement? It's difficult to call, as his English title, together with the lesser known one of ‘Investigative Genius’ bestowed on him by his mother, are nothing compared to the callous motives of the murderer as the body count rises. I was partially right with their identity but I cannot say any more as this escalated into something I was not remotely anticipating!
This murderous diversion takes a desperately haunted Oswald into the most wretched parts of the city where he encounters unpredictable opposition from all quarters, redefines his people skills, and is pushed toward a darkness he can no longer turn his back on.
First appearances can be deceptive, and the City of Masks is no exception. Whispered secrets slither through a warren of filthy streets and murky waterways to leave a trail from where escape is not an option and discovery is deadly.
I hope there's a new mystery in the pipeline soon as I adore this medieval crime series and every single character that breathes life into it.
(I requested a copy of this title from the Publisher and NetGalley and received a copy with my thanks, for which it is my pleasure to provide an unbiased review.)
June 29, 2017
An older, somewhat wiser Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, is stranded with his mother in Venice in this third in Sykes' medieval mystery series.
A war between the Venetians and Hungarians has delayed a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and they have taken refuge with merchant John Bearpark, an old family friend. Their journey was intended to help assuage Oswald's melancholy, though we aren't privy to the cause of his despair until well into the narrative. Despite his depression, our hero can't help being attracted/distracted by the beauty of Bearpark's young and pregnant wife, Filomena.
When Bearpark's grandson Enrico is murdered, Oswald agrees to put his investigative skills to work and find the killer. Though the young man had befriended and tried to cheer him, Oswald's reluctant acceptance of the task is motivated by a need for cash to settle gambling debts he's incurred. Initially the motive for the murder appears to be Enrico's homosexuality, a persuasion punishable by death in the republic, but things are never so simple in Oswald's world.
Oswald has the assistance of Giovanni, Bearpark's clerk, a pious fop, in his investigation. Giovanni, along with Oswald's peculiar mother, offer a bit of comic relief in the novel. Speaking of peculiar, Bearpark's other guests include Bernard and Margery, brother and sister pilgrims who've also been stranded by the war.
Sykes provides plenty of twists and turns in her plot, but I was able to unravel the mystery early on and I didn't find this older Oswald as engaging as the fumbling youth in the previous novels. Still, I enjoyed the story enough to say I'll look forward to more of his adventures.
A war between the Venetians and Hungarians has delayed a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and they have taken refuge with merchant John Bearpark, an old family friend. Their journey was intended to help assuage Oswald's melancholy, though we aren't privy to the cause of his despair until well into the narrative. Despite his depression, our hero can't help being attracted/distracted by the beauty of Bearpark's young and pregnant wife, Filomena.
When Bearpark's grandson Enrico is murdered, Oswald agrees to put his investigative skills to work and find the killer. Though the young man had befriended and tried to cheer him, Oswald's reluctant acceptance of the task is motivated by a need for cash to settle gambling debts he's incurred. Initially the motive for the murder appears to be Enrico's homosexuality, a persuasion punishable by death in the republic, but things are never so simple in Oswald's world.
Oswald has the assistance of Giovanni, Bearpark's clerk, a pious fop, in his investigation. Giovanni, along with Oswald's peculiar mother, offer a bit of comic relief in the novel. Speaking of peculiar, Bearpark's other guests include Bernard and Margery, brother and sister pilgrims who've also been stranded by the war.
Sykes provides plenty of twists and turns in her plot, but I was able to unravel the mystery early on and I didn't find this older Oswald as engaging as the fumbling youth in the previous novels. Still, I enjoyed the story enough to say I'll look forward to more of his adventures.
June 29, 2017
This is the third book in S. D. Sykes’ Somershill Manor series. I felt it worked fine as a standalone book and I didn’t consider not having read the earlier books affected my enjoyment. If anything, it made me curious to read the previous books in the series.
In fact, the reader is given some insights into the past of our hero, Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, which may or may not be part of previous books. In a very inventive way, the author gives us clues about the reason for Oswald’s tendency to lapse into periods of troubled melancholy. However, most of the time, he is a sprightly hero with an eye for a beautiful lady, a love of wine and not averse to a spree at the gambling tables.
Alongside Oswald is a cast of colourful characters who may or may not be involved in the murder he sets out to investigate. You will probably suspect just about everyone before the true culprit is revealed. My favourite character was Oswald’s domineering mother (who I suspect in reality would have been dead for many years, life expectancy then being much less). Fourteenth century Venice makes the ideal setting for a mystery with its narrow streets, spies, canals, political intrigue, masks and its situation as a melting pot of different nationalities on the pilgrimage trail to Jerusalem. There are plenty of twists and unexpected reveals that make City of Masks a thoroughly entertaining read for fans of historical mysteries.
I received an advance reader copy courtesy of NetGalley and publishers, Hodder & Stoughton, in return for an honest review.
In fact, the reader is given some insights into the past of our hero, Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, which may or may not be part of previous books. In a very inventive way, the author gives us clues about the reason for Oswald’s tendency to lapse into periods of troubled melancholy. However, most of the time, he is a sprightly hero with an eye for a beautiful lady, a love of wine and not averse to a spree at the gambling tables.
Alongside Oswald is a cast of colourful characters who may or may not be involved in the murder he sets out to investigate. You will probably suspect just about everyone before the true culprit is revealed. My favourite character was Oswald’s domineering mother (who I suspect in reality would have been dead for many years, life expectancy then being much less). Fourteenth century Venice makes the ideal setting for a mystery with its narrow streets, spies, canals, political intrigue, masks and its situation as a melting pot of different nationalities on the pilgrimage trail to Jerusalem. There are plenty of twists and unexpected reveals that make City of Masks a thoroughly entertaining read for fans of historical mysteries.
I received an advance reader copy courtesy of NetGalley and publishers, Hodder & Stoughton, in return for an honest review.
July 20, 2017
Simply fantastic. The characters are interesting and unique, the historical background fascinating, but the knowledgeable writer does not flaunt her research in your face till the story becomes marred by too much superfluous details. You care about the characters and want them to succeed and to be safe. The plot is fast-paced and engaging. Another wonderful read in the series. Please, can we have more?
April 30, 2017
This is the weakest entry in the series thus far. I was disappointed to only hear about the events of the years between the end of book two (1351) and this novel (1358). The events in England that drive Oswald to Venice, where the action of this book takes place, are only unveiled in flashbacks as the novel progresses. Because big things are sketchily summarized I felt robbed of the emotional impact of seeing things that I felt were hinted at in The Butcher Bird unfold. It's a missed opportunity and a loss of a potential story line that would have been wonderful.
I also felt that the action of this novel fine, but not as intrinsic to, or as evocative, of time and place that so marked the earlier books. S.D. Sykes has clearly done a great deal of research about the Venice of the period, but it doesn't feel as if she has lived inside of it with the same depth as she does with post-plague England. It looks like Oswald is heading back to England at the end of this installment, I hope he stays there in future books and that I grow to like the new members of the cast as well as those who are off stage.
I also felt that the action of this novel fine, but not as intrinsic to, or as evocative, of time and place that so marked the earlier books. S.D. Sykes has clearly done a great deal of research about the Venice of the period, but it doesn't feel as if she has lived inside of it with the same depth as she does with post-plague England. It looks like Oswald is heading back to England at the end of this installment, I hope he stays there in future books and that I grow to like the new members of the cast as well as those who are off stage.
July 10, 2017
A compassionate story of Oswald de Lacy, with events that take place several years after number 2 in the series. Set in Venice, Oswald must deal with his obstinate, bossy mother and the cruelty of 1300s Europe.
August 19, 2017
This book was disappointing. This is not the Oswald De Lacy we knew in the first two books. This is a selfish man who gambles, lies and has forgotten his vow to his wife. Though the book, we learn the fate of Mary, Oswald's charge after her father's death. We learn that Oswald is being haunted by a monkey. (I thought this was the stupidest part.) Oswald and his mother are staying in Venice with Bearpark, an old friend and lover of his mother. Oswald has fallen in love with Bearpark's young wife. He is hired to find out who killed Bearpark's grandson. Oswald has left his baby son in England, in his sister's care. His sister has always been a wicked woman. I can't believe he would leave his baby in her care. I also have a hard time believing Oswald would gamble all his money away. The author made too many changes to Oswald's morals and values.
September 19, 2018
Disappointing after the first two books.
City of Masks is dark and deary. It moves at a glacial pace. The new characters are superficial and boring. Oswald is a changed man. The only constant is Lady Somershill and her dog.
The biggest problem is that the part of the story told in flashbacks should have been part of a book covering the period between Butcher Bird and City of Masks. It needed to be developed more in order to have an emotional impact on the reader and to explain what is going on with Oswald as this book begins.
City of Masks is dark and deary. It moves at a glacial pace. The new characters are superficial and boring. Oswald is a changed man. The only constant is Lady Somershill and her dog.
The biggest problem is that the part of the story told in flashbacks should have been part of a book covering the period between Butcher Bird and City of Masks. It needed to be developed more in order to have an emotional impact on the reader and to explain what is going on with Oswald as this book begins.
August 27, 2018
A complete change of scenery takes Lord Somershill to one of my favorite places in the world: Venice, Italy. Unfortunately his aggravating mother has traveled with him, but when your adventure is set in Venice you are forgiven a multitude of sins! The crime gets pretty convoluted but between the canals, Campos and palazzos there is too much to love to complain. Poor Oswald has Some Stuff to work through, and it is a pleasure indeed to make the journey with him.
October 26, 2021
I award this novel four stars, primarily for the vivid and descriptive depiction of Venice in the mid 1300's.
The mystery running through isn't particularly strong, however there is enough to keep your interest.
I applaud the extensive historical research tackled by the author - a full bibliography is included.
The mystery running through isn't particularly strong, however there is enough to keep your interest.
I applaud the extensive historical research tackled by the author - a full bibliography is included.
June 10, 2018
Oswald is so much more enjoyable without his sister around. If his mother would disappear, these novels would be 5 stars.
November 15, 2020
Great setting.
July 28, 2017
Unputdownable! Twists and turns and red herrings galore, a wonderful read.
July 4, 2017
I was sent my copy by Hodder and Stoughton, and was delighted to read a third in this series. S.D. Sykes sweeps you straight into 14th Century Venice and straight into a grisly murder. Oswald de Lacy is a fully realised, 3-dimensional character, flawed, annoying sometimes, occasionally questionable in judgement and motivation, but he does possess a conscience and when it comes down to it, that wins out against his less laudable traits. This is a page turner. SD Sykes knows her stuff and is skilled at allowing the reader to buy into her vision of the time without getting bogged down in too much detail. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
March 29, 2017
The first thing to bear in mind about this book is that it's actually third in a series. This wasn't made clear in the blurb for my Netgalley ARC, so I was immediately wrong-footed when it assumed much more knowledge of its protagonist, and his history, than I had. It's part of the Somershill Manor Mysteries series, the first of which is Plague Land and the second The Butcher Bird. If you are interested in reading City of Masks, I strongly recommend you read those two first, as I think they would add considerably to your enjoyment. In my ignorance, however, and lured by the promise of a novel set in 14th-century Venice, I simply plunged straight in...
Our protagonist is Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, a young English nobleman who has stopped with his mother for a sojourn in Venice, on their way to the Holy Land. They stay with the irascible old English merchant John Bearpark, who has made a fortune trading with the Venetians, but who knows that his foreign birth will forever exclude him from the inner circle of the city's nobility. And they are not the only visitors: Bearpark is also playing host to two more pilgrims, Bernard and Margery Jagger, a brother and sister who spend their time visiting Venice's shrines and, in Margery's case, keeping the vow of silence she took upon leaving England. The final inhabitants of this curious household are Bearpark's much younger wife Filomena, his exuberant grandson Enrico, and his prim clerk Giovanni.
All is not well, however, at Ca' Bearpark. In the very midst of Carnival, Enrico's bloodied body is discovered at the house's water-gate and the frail Bearpark is anxious to avoid the probing attentions of the Consiglio dei Dieci. Fortunately Oswald has form as a murder investigator (which came as a surprise to me, but won't to anyone who's read the earlier books). He agrees to take on the case for a small fee, which he hopes will repay his gambling debt to Enrico's rapacious friend Vittore. But all is not as simple as it seems. There is no immediate suspect or motive. Bearpark confides in Oswald that Enrico liked men, rather than women, and wonders whether his grandson's 'special friends' might prove a useful place to start. And so Oswald sets off on his investigation, aided by the recalcitrant and reluctant Giovanni. He hopes not only to discover Enrico's killer but also, by hook or by crook, to free himself from the lowering shadow of his own depression, scuttling relentlessly at his heels. And that's not the only thing that's following him...
The full review will be published on 1 April 2017 at the following link:
https://theidlewoman.net/2017/04/01/c...
Our protagonist is Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, a young English nobleman who has stopped with his mother for a sojourn in Venice, on their way to the Holy Land. They stay with the irascible old English merchant John Bearpark, who has made a fortune trading with the Venetians, but who knows that his foreign birth will forever exclude him from the inner circle of the city's nobility. And they are not the only visitors: Bearpark is also playing host to two more pilgrims, Bernard and Margery Jagger, a brother and sister who spend their time visiting Venice's shrines and, in Margery's case, keeping the vow of silence she took upon leaving England. The final inhabitants of this curious household are Bearpark's much younger wife Filomena, his exuberant grandson Enrico, and his prim clerk Giovanni.
All is not well, however, at Ca' Bearpark. In the very midst of Carnival, Enrico's bloodied body is discovered at the house's water-gate and the frail Bearpark is anxious to avoid the probing attentions of the Consiglio dei Dieci. Fortunately Oswald has form as a murder investigator (which came as a surprise to me, but won't to anyone who's read the earlier books). He agrees to take on the case for a small fee, which he hopes will repay his gambling debt to Enrico's rapacious friend Vittore. But all is not as simple as it seems. There is no immediate suspect or motive. Bearpark confides in Oswald that Enrico liked men, rather than women, and wonders whether his grandson's 'special friends' might prove a useful place to start. And so Oswald sets off on his investigation, aided by the recalcitrant and reluctant Giovanni. He hopes not only to discover Enrico's killer but also, by hook or by crook, to free himself from the lowering shadow of his own depression, scuttling relentlessly at his heels. And that's not the only thing that's following him...
The full review will be published on 1 April 2017 at the following link:
https://theidlewoman.net/2017/04/01/c...
December 3, 2021
Poor Oswald De Lacy is in a bad way. He is running from grief in his past and internal mental torment when he finds himself stuck in Venice. “That doesn’t sound so bad” do I here you say? But this isn’t Venice of today filled with light, beauty, energy and tourists this is the Venice of deep winter 1358. The city is under siege due to a conflict with Hungary. Provisions are running low. The city has barely begun recovering from the black death. Suspicion and paranoia rule in the form of the mysterious and autocratic ‘Council of Ten’. The secret police can seize anyone suspected of spying or immoral behaviour and drag them away for torture and even execution.
He finds himself here after being diverted from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem with his mother. They take accommodation in the home of an old family friend, John Bearpark, a rather bad tempered old man who chargers them for their stay and is far from a gracious host. Along with a couple of odd fellow pilgrims the household is also consists of the Bearpark’s young pregnant wife Filomena (who Oswald finds himself disturbingly drawn to), his hard drinking party loving grandson Enrico and a handful of rude servants.
I suppose the best our Oswald can do is keep his head down and stay quiet until the siege is lifted and he can move on…some hope! First he is persuaded to join Enrico in his partying and gets mixed up with some rather rough people, gets in trouble with too much gabbling and attracts the unwelcome attention of the Council of Ten. The last thing he needs is to stumble across a mutilated corpse…but that is what happens.
Compelled to investigate the crime by pressure from his host who wants to avoid potential scandal he embarks on a quest that puts him in danger from every side. He must seek out a murderer in a city where asking questions can see you accused of spying. He must explore the underworld of Venice at a time when any moral transgression, or mere suspicion of it, can see you burned at the stake. A tricky task indeed!
The best thing about this book is the setting. The dark, spooky canals of medieval Venice help increase the sense of peril. I also liked an historical book set in an era that has not been overdone, as I sometime feel the Tudor period has. The characters were also good, I was left wanting to know what happened next to the characters (…those who survived that is!).
It’s a fairly exciting story but I felt the mystery itself was the weakest aspect. I think the characters and setting would have been even more enjoyable if this hadn’t been a ‘who-done-it’, this aspect felt a bit shoehorned in, I could almost picture the meeting in the publishing house when they decided this had to fit into the crime genre because historical detectives are so popular. The novel would have worked just as well if it had been the same characters in the same setting experiencing a number of things including murder but without following the formula of a detective character investigating the crime.
He finds himself here after being diverted from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem with his mother. They take accommodation in the home of an old family friend, John Bearpark, a rather bad tempered old man who chargers them for their stay and is far from a gracious host. Along with a couple of odd fellow pilgrims the household is also consists of the Bearpark’s young pregnant wife Filomena (who Oswald finds himself disturbingly drawn to), his hard drinking party loving grandson Enrico and a handful of rude servants.
I suppose the best our Oswald can do is keep his head down and stay quiet until the siege is lifted and he can move on…some hope! First he is persuaded to join Enrico in his partying and gets mixed up with some rather rough people, gets in trouble with too much gabbling and attracts the unwelcome attention of the Council of Ten. The last thing he needs is to stumble across a mutilated corpse…but that is what happens.
Compelled to investigate the crime by pressure from his host who wants to avoid potential scandal he embarks on a quest that puts him in danger from every side. He must seek out a murderer in a city where asking questions can see you accused of spying. He must explore the underworld of Venice at a time when any moral transgression, or mere suspicion of it, can see you burned at the stake. A tricky task indeed!
The best thing about this book is the setting. The dark, spooky canals of medieval Venice help increase the sense of peril. I also liked an historical book set in an era that has not been overdone, as I sometime feel the Tudor period has. The characters were also good, I was left wanting to know what happened next to the characters (…those who survived that is!).
It’s a fairly exciting story but I felt the mystery itself was the weakest aspect. I think the characters and setting would have been even more enjoyable if this hadn’t been a ‘who-done-it’, this aspect felt a bit shoehorned in, I could almost picture the meeting in the publishing house when they decided this had to fit into the crime genre because historical detectives are so popular. The novel would have worked just as well if it had been the same characters in the same setting experiencing a number of things including murder but without following the formula of a detective character investigating the crime.
August 1, 2018
Oswald de Lacy and his mother are in Venice, waiting for a ship to take them to the Holy Land. However the Venetians and Hungarians are at a standoff so Oswald finds himself trapped for a while in the floating city. The black cloak of depression he had hoped to leave behind has followed him from England. The gambling he had hoped would stave off dark moods has become an addiction that could cost him everything. Then he finds a body, and he is drawn into the dark calles of Venice in the hopes of finding a killer, and saving himself in the process.
I’ll admit I didn’t like Oswald as much in this novel. He seemed more mean-spirited than normal. His mother was more sensitive, or at least as sensitive as she could be, and needed Oswald more. I found myself liking her more, even her cantankerous side grew on me. His reaction to situations was one that seemed out of character. There were reasons for his actions, for his depression and whilst I knew that those would be revealed I did find myself lacking in sympathy for him. Instead of appearing older, as this story was set a few years after the last, he came across as younger. This sometimes manifested as him needing guidance that was sadly lacking or that was ignored when received. His stubbornness appeared more in this novel, traits he unknowingly would have obtained from his mother and sister.
The mystery itself was engaging and I loved the setting of Venice. The city and its own laws and rules, the fearsome Signori di Notte and the horror of the leper colony, together with the vivid descriptions of the cacophony of life on the calles and canals conjured up a full picture of medieval Venice. A lot of research would have gone into this novel and it shows. The atmosphere, the sights, sounds and fear of those in charge rise up from the pages. It was interesting to compare this with the setting of the other novels. There is a darkness, or perhaps a grimy film, that covers the stories set in England, one which enforces the bleakness of the landscape and the lives of those who work the land. In City of Masks that darkness is shown in a different light. There is the impression of colour, of festival and merriment but that too has an undercurrent of something deeper, when the hidden poverty of the city is shown.
The investigation brought a return of the old Oswald. It was also good to see Oswald’s mother more involved in this investigation. It is always interesting to read a novel where the crime can’t be deduced from DNA or fingerprint evidence, it’s one of the reasons I enjoy good historical crime fiction. City of Masks is an example of good historical crime fiction.
I’ll be interested to see what adventures Oswald gets up to next, particularly after the ending in this one.
I’ll admit I didn’t like Oswald as much in this novel. He seemed more mean-spirited than normal. His mother was more sensitive, or at least as sensitive as she could be, and needed Oswald more. I found myself liking her more, even her cantankerous side grew on me. His reaction to situations was one that seemed out of character. There were reasons for his actions, for his depression and whilst I knew that those would be revealed I did find myself lacking in sympathy for him. Instead of appearing older, as this story was set a few years after the last, he came across as younger. This sometimes manifested as him needing guidance that was sadly lacking or that was ignored when received. His stubbornness appeared more in this novel, traits he unknowingly would have obtained from his mother and sister.
The mystery itself was engaging and I loved the setting of Venice. The city and its own laws and rules, the fearsome Signori di Notte and the horror of the leper colony, together with the vivid descriptions of the cacophony of life on the calles and canals conjured up a full picture of medieval Venice. A lot of research would have gone into this novel and it shows. The atmosphere, the sights, sounds and fear of those in charge rise up from the pages. It was interesting to compare this with the setting of the other novels. There is a darkness, or perhaps a grimy film, that covers the stories set in England, one which enforces the bleakness of the landscape and the lives of those who work the land. In City of Masks that darkness is shown in a different light. There is the impression of colour, of festival and merriment but that too has an undercurrent of something deeper, when the hidden poverty of the city is shown.
The investigation brought a return of the old Oswald. It was also good to see Oswald’s mother more involved in this investigation. It is always interesting to read a novel where the crime can’t be deduced from DNA or fingerprint evidence, it’s one of the reasons I enjoy good historical crime fiction. City of Masks is an example of good historical crime fiction.
I’ll be interested to see what adventures Oswald gets up to next, particularly after the ending in this one.
January 15, 2023
It is 1358 and Lord Somershill, Oswald de Lacy, is in Venice with his mother on route to the Holy Land. But Venice is at war with Hungary and the pair are stranded in this city of secrets. ‘City of Masks’, third in the Oswald de Lacy medieval mystery series by SD Sykes, sees the young lord investigating the death of a friend.
Venice is a wonderful setting for Oswald’s detecting. A closed city with its own rules, customs, prejudices and culture, it is a minefield for a stranger seeking information. Oswald relies on acquaintances and new friends for help. But all is not as it seems. Not all deceivers wear a traditional grotesque Venetian mask, some are in full sight. Oswald’s mother continues to be an irritant to him but is full of surprises and there is tension in the house of their hosts, John Bearpark and his young wife, who is due to give birth. As Oswald’s investigations progress, so do strange happenings at the Bearpark house. Plus, Oswald has the feeling he is being followed everywhere he goes. Even to the dangerous military complex, the Arsenale, to the island of lepers and to the gambling dens where he wins, and loses, money.
In this instalment we learn more of Oswald’s inner devils. He is accompanying his mother on this pilgrimage not because he shares her beliefs but because he is running from a bad memory at home. This dark shame within him will not be repressed and as he closes in on the murderer, his thought processes become fickle and his decision-making unreliable. As the days pass, Oswald must solve the murder or an innocent woman will be executed. And Oswald owes money he doesn’t have, money lost at cards, to a thug named Vittore. Venice is portrayed as a repressive, autocratic society with abuse of the poor and infirm. The surface glitters with beautiful houses but beneath, the foundations are rotting. Each island in the lagoon is a separate territory, outsiders are watched, exploited, killed.
Oswald is an impetuous investigator. He assumes possibilities are fact and pursues numerous wild goose chases. He is not an ideal detective. He stumbles on truths and walks straight into danger. He is emotional and naïve. But hidden in his to-ing and fro-ing around Venice and other islands in the Venetian Lagoon, are hints of the real crime, the real culprits. Venice is riddled with deception and Oswald must learn to see beyond the disguises and dissembling, to apply scepticism to everyone and everything around him.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-revie...
Venice is a wonderful setting for Oswald’s detecting. A closed city with its own rules, customs, prejudices and culture, it is a minefield for a stranger seeking information. Oswald relies on acquaintances and new friends for help. But all is not as it seems. Not all deceivers wear a traditional grotesque Venetian mask, some are in full sight. Oswald’s mother continues to be an irritant to him but is full of surprises and there is tension in the house of their hosts, John Bearpark and his young wife, who is due to give birth. As Oswald’s investigations progress, so do strange happenings at the Bearpark house. Plus, Oswald has the feeling he is being followed everywhere he goes. Even to the dangerous military complex, the Arsenale, to the island of lepers and to the gambling dens where he wins, and loses, money.
In this instalment we learn more of Oswald’s inner devils. He is accompanying his mother on this pilgrimage not because he shares her beliefs but because he is running from a bad memory at home. This dark shame within him will not be repressed and as he closes in on the murderer, his thought processes become fickle and his decision-making unreliable. As the days pass, Oswald must solve the murder or an innocent woman will be executed. And Oswald owes money he doesn’t have, money lost at cards, to a thug named Vittore. Venice is portrayed as a repressive, autocratic society with abuse of the poor and infirm. The surface glitters with beautiful houses but beneath, the foundations are rotting. Each island in the lagoon is a separate territory, outsiders are watched, exploited, killed.
Oswald is an impetuous investigator. He assumes possibilities are fact and pursues numerous wild goose chases. He is not an ideal detective. He stumbles on truths and walks straight into danger. He is emotional and naïve. But hidden in his to-ing and fro-ing around Venice and other islands in the Venetian Lagoon, are hints of the real crime, the real culprits. Venice is riddled with deception and Oswald must learn to see beyond the disguises and dissembling, to apply scepticism to everyone and everything around him.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-revie...
December 28, 2025
4 red stars.
The setting is medieval Venice in this 3rd book of the Somershill Manor mysteries. Quite a few years have passed, it seems, and Oswald is haunted by grief. What has caused him to leave England is a mystery. The author only reveals it piecemeal through flashbacks in the story. I think that choice made the first half of the book seem a bit more cryptic than it needed to be. It almost felt like there is a missing book here. That would have been less confusing than stringing us along this way. Oswald makes some puzzling choices - I would not have expected our sensible lad to succumb to the allures of gambling for example. Certainly he is suffering from depression, and that made this not as light-hearted as his previous adventures. Well, light-hearted isn't the right word. This author has never shied away from the squalor and grittier realities of the medieval period. I'm not sure I like the moody, brooding, flawed Oswald. What made the first two books great, for me, was the way Oswald was always somehow above all the squalor and meanness. He had a moral compass that has gone astray here, and I hope the next book will find us back in familiar territory. This is still a great series, with lots of historical detail as to time and place. I just wasn't prepared for the change in style and direction.
Description: It’s 1358, and young Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, is delayed in Venice as he awaits a pilgrim ship to the Holy Land. While the city is besieged by the King of Hungary, Oswald stays at the house of an English merchant, and soon comes under the spell of this decadent and dazzling island state that sits on the edge of Europe―where East meets West. But Oswald has secrets. He is running away from something in England―a shadow that still haunts him, no matter how much he consoles himself with the delights of Venice. When he finds a dead man at the carnival, he is dragged into a murder investigation that draws him deep into the intrigues of this paranoid, mysterious city. From the dungeons of the Doge’s Palace to the convent-brothel of Santa Lucia, Oswald must search for a murderer in this bewildering maze of alleys and canals. When he comes up against the feared Signori di Notte, the secret police, Oswald learns that he is not the only one with something to hide.
The setting is medieval Venice in this 3rd book of the Somershill Manor mysteries. Quite a few years have passed, it seems, and Oswald is haunted by grief. What has caused him to leave England is a mystery. The author only reveals it piecemeal through flashbacks in the story. I think that choice made the first half of the book seem a bit more cryptic than it needed to be. It almost felt like there is a missing book here. That would have been less confusing than stringing us along this way. Oswald makes some puzzling choices - I would not have expected our sensible lad to succumb to the allures of gambling for example. Certainly he is suffering from depression, and that made this not as light-hearted as his previous adventures. Well, light-hearted isn't the right word. This author has never shied away from the squalor and grittier realities of the medieval period. I'm not sure I like the moody, brooding, flawed Oswald. What made the first two books great, for me, was the way Oswald was always somehow above all the squalor and meanness. He had a moral compass that has gone astray here, and I hope the next book will find us back in familiar territory. This is still a great series, with lots of historical detail as to time and place. I just wasn't prepared for the change in style and direction.
Description: It’s 1358, and young Oswald de Lacy, Lord Somershill, is delayed in Venice as he awaits a pilgrim ship to the Holy Land. While the city is besieged by the King of Hungary, Oswald stays at the house of an English merchant, and soon comes under the spell of this decadent and dazzling island state that sits on the edge of Europe―where East meets West. But Oswald has secrets. He is running away from something in England―a shadow that still haunts him, no matter how much he consoles himself with the delights of Venice. When he finds a dead man at the carnival, he is dragged into a murder investigation that draws him deep into the intrigues of this paranoid, mysterious city. From the dungeons of the Doge’s Palace to the convent-brothel of Santa Lucia, Oswald must search for a murderer in this bewildering maze of alleys and canals. When he comes up against the feared Signori di Notte, the secret police, Oswald learns that he is not the only one with something to hide.
April 3, 2018
The novel "City of Masks" by S.D. Sykes is a good entry in the medieval mystery series from author S.D.Sykes.
Her hero, Oswald deLacy, recently heir to the Sommerville estates after the deaths of his fTher and brothers from the Black Plague is on pilgrimage with his mother to the Holy Land, but are stranded in Venice awaiting resumption of transport after cessation of a Venitian -Hugarian war. Staying at the home of a friend to his late father, a lord Bearpark, now a citizen of the city-state, deLacy is not much impressed with the city. He is, in fact, still mourning the death of his wife in childbirth. Little entertains him or relieves his gloom, not even when his host's son, Enrico, takes deLacy onto visit Venices's hot spots and low attractions. It is only when Enrico is found murdered at the villa's gate does deLacy rouse from his torpor.
In fact, that is when the book rouses itself from a rather slow pace to an interesting murder mystery. MS Sykes does a good job providing the reader with a colorful backdrop of Venice as the bustling, hustling largest city in Europe as it was in the 14 century. When deLacy revisits the dingy neighborhoods and dim taverns seeking clues one gets a more interesting picture of the city's dark underside. The different guests at the Bearpark villa, the host himself, his wife and servants make for a number of suspects that eventually lead to the foul cellars of the villa and a violent climax.
Note that this book is the third in the series, and it can be read and enjoyed on its own. In fact I read numbers one and three without knowing anything of the intervening events and still learned enough to follow what caused deLacy to leave England for the Artois pilgrimage.
Recommendation and notes: fans of the genre of historical mystery should enjoy " The City of Masks". Nothing objectionable in content. With a little faster pace at the first third of the book to match the last two-thirds, the rating would have been four stars. As it is, a 3 1/2 rating.
Her hero, Oswald deLacy, recently heir to the Sommerville estates after the deaths of his fTher and brothers from the Black Plague is on pilgrimage with his mother to the Holy Land, but are stranded in Venice awaiting resumption of transport after cessation of a Venitian -Hugarian war. Staying at the home of a friend to his late father, a lord Bearpark, now a citizen of the city-state, deLacy is not much impressed with the city. He is, in fact, still mourning the death of his wife in childbirth. Little entertains him or relieves his gloom, not even when his host's son, Enrico, takes deLacy onto visit Venices's hot spots and low attractions. It is only when Enrico is found murdered at the villa's gate does deLacy rouse from his torpor.
In fact, that is when the book rouses itself from a rather slow pace to an interesting murder mystery. MS Sykes does a good job providing the reader with a colorful backdrop of Venice as the bustling, hustling largest city in Europe as it was in the 14 century. When deLacy revisits the dingy neighborhoods and dim taverns seeking clues one gets a more interesting picture of the city's dark underside. The different guests at the Bearpark villa, the host himself, his wife and servants make for a number of suspects that eventually lead to the foul cellars of the villa and a violent climax.
Note that this book is the third in the series, and it can be read and enjoyed on its own. In fact I read numbers one and three without knowing anything of the intervening events and still learned enough to follow what caused deLacy to leave England for the Artois pilgrimage.
Recommendation and notes: fans of the genre of historical mystery should enjoy " The City of Masks". Nothing objectionable in content. With a little faster pace at the first third of the book to match the last two-thirds, the rating would have been four stars. As it is, a 3 1/2 rating.
May 13, 2018
Reading City of Masks was like coming back to old friends, as I loved the first two books in the Oswald de Lacy series. This book is set seven years on from The Butcher Bird (Book 2). This time, SD Sykes transports readers to 14th Century Venice, where Oswald and his mother wait for a galley that will take them on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
City of Masks is a medieval murder mystery with an intricate plot, well-drawn characters and a realistic period setting. When the grandson of an old family friend is found murdered, Oswald is set the task of discovering the killer, due to his previous success as an amateur detective. At first he refuses but, thanks to gambling debts, he reluctantly takes on the case, in need of the financial reward. As I expected, having read the previous books, there are lots of red herrings, twists and turns and surprises right until the end.
However, City of Masks seems very different from its predecessors, and I don't mean that in a bad way at all. The first two books are set just after the Black Plague in Kent, and had a claustrophobic feel to them with a smaller cast of characters - think of them as Oswald's 'coming of age' years, as he progresses from novice monk to Lord Somershill. I would suggest that you read all three of the books in order, as City of Masks does contain a few subtle references to Oswald's past.
City of Masks has a darker, almost melancholy, feel to it, set in a busy city on the cusp of war. Oswald has matured since the first two books, influenced by recent events that are revealed as the book progresses, and is struggling to fight his inner demons and overpowering feelings of depression. His domineering mother provides some light relief and entertainment amid all the darkness.
Venice is one of my favourite cities and I certainly felt that SD Sykes brought it to life with her in-depth research and colourful prose, contrasting the wealth and splendour with the poverty and squalor. I look forward to seeing where Oswald finds himself next, whether it's back home in Kent or on yet another foreign adventure.
City of Masks is a medieval murder mystery with an intricate plot, well-drawn characters and a realistic period setting. When the grandson of an old family friend is found murdered, Oswald is set the task of discovering the killer, due to his previous success as an amateur detective. At first he refuses but, thanks to gambling debts, he reluctantly takes on the case, in need of the financial reward. As I expected, having read the previous books, there are lots of red herrings, twists and turns and surprises right until the end.
However, City of Masks seems very different from its predecessors, and I don't mean that in a bad way at all. The first two books are set just after the Black Plague in Kent, and had a claustrophobic feel to them with a smaller cast of characters - think of them as Oswald's 'coming of age' years, as he progresses from novice monk to Lord Somershill. I would suggest that you read all three of the books in order, as City of Masks does contain a few subtle references to Oswald's past.
City of Masks has a darker, almost melancholy, feel to it, set in a busy city on the cusp of war. Oswald has matured since the first two books, influenced by recent events that are revealed as the book progresses, and is struggling to fight his inner demons and overpowering feelings of depression. His domineering mother provides some light relief and entertainment amid all the darkness.
Venice is one of my favourite cities and I certainly felt that SD Sykes brought it to life with her in-depth research and colourful prose, contrasting the wealth and splendour with the poverty and squalor. I look forward to seeing where Oswald finds himself next, whether it's back home in Kent or on yet another foreign adventure.
June 17, 2017
Lord Oswald de Lacy goes to Venice…
My thanks to my contacts at Pegasus Books, Iris Blasi, Katie McGuire, and Maia Larson, for my advance reading copy of this book. You ladies rock!
I really need to silence critics with a SPOILER WARNING even if I don’t think I create many spoilers…
Following the death of de Lacy’s wife in childbirth, he flees from Somershill Manor. Unable to cope with his loss and blaming his son Hugh, Oswald goes on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. However; war between Venice and Hungary has trapped the little band of pilgrims in Venice.
Oswald, his mother, and two pilgrims who are brother and sister are staying with a wealthy Englishman named John Bearpark. Maybe “staying” is the wrong word since Bearpark is charging them for their rooms!
Oswald has become friends with Bearpark’s grandson Enrico and some of his cronies, in particular a man named Vittore. They take Oswald out to the bars, the gambling dens, and to an island of prostitutes. Oswald draws the line at visiting the bordello, but falls prey to the gambling, running up a huge forty ducat debt!
Then Enrico is discovered murdered, and John Bearpark hires Oswald to solve the murder. Oswald doesn’t want involvement with the investigation as he hasn’t exactly endeared himself to the powers that be in Venice. But John Bearpark will pay and he needs the money. If he doesn’t pay his gambling debt, he will be the next victim found dead in Venice!
Sykes’ prose is as beautiful as ever! The knack of combining a murder mystery with romance and historical places shines in this latest novel. The final reveal is hinted at, and I guessed part of it, but still managed to surprise me! I love it!
I look forward to more books in this exciting series! I give the book five stars plus!
Quoth the Raven…
My thanks to my contacts at Pegasus Books, Iris Blasi, Katie McGuire, and Maia Larson, for my advance reading copy of this book. You ladies rock!
I really need to silence critics with a SPOILER WARNING even if I don’t think I create many spoilers…
Following the death of de Lacy’s wife in childbirth, he flees from Somershill Manor. Unable to cope with his loss and blaming his son Hugh, Oswald goes on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. However; war between Venice and Hungary has trapped the little band of pilgrims in Venice.
Oswald, his mother, and two pilgrims who are brother and sister are staying with a wealthy Englishman named John Bearpark. Maybe “staying” is the wrong word since Bearpark is charging them for their rooms!
Oswald has become friends with Bearpark’s grandson Enrico and some of his cronies, in particular a man named Vittore. They take Oswald out to the bars, the gambling dens, and to an island of prostitutes. Oswald draws the line at visiting the bordello, but falls prey to the gambling, running up a huge forty ducat debt!
Then Enrico is discovered murdered, and John Bearpark hires Oswald to solve the murder. Oswald doesn’t want involvement with the investigation as he hasn’t exactly endeared himself to the powers that be in Venice. But John Bearpark will pay and he needs the money. If he doesn’t pay his gambling debt, he will be the next victim found dead in Venice!
Sykes’ prose is as beautiful as ever! The knack of combining a murder mystery with romance and historical places shines in this latest novel. The final reveal is hinted at, and I guessed part of it, but still managed to surprise me! I love it!
I look forward to more books in this exciting series! I give the book five stars plus!
Quoth the Raven…
June 29, 2017
This story takes place in 1358 as Oswald de Lacy and his mother are delayed in Venice while awaiting a pilgrim ship to the Holy Land.
Oswald is a troubled person who is running away from something which happened in England. The reason for the pilgrimage is to help lift the darkness and fear which consumes Oswald, rearing its head frequently.
Oswald and his mother are living at the house of an English merchant, an acquaintance from the past, who is charging them for their board and lodgings. Oswald soon becomes enchanted by Venice, both its beauty and its dark side.
Oswald's mother is testing, wanting to be involved in everything he does and where he goes. She has an opinion about everything and listens to the gossip of the servants within the household. When the grandson of the merchant they are living with is found dead, she propels Oswald into investigator role, telling the merchant that he has a talent in this direction.
As Oswald searches for the murderer he runs up huge debts gambling and mixes with some undesirable characters. This leads him to cross paths with Signori di Notte of the secret police, a much feared man in Venice.
There are many twists and turns and revelations in this book. The characters are vivid and believable and the author's descriptions of events, places, characters and food are so vivid I could almost smell the scene being set.
I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. This book is the third in a series. I have not read the previous two books but still enjoyed it as a stand alone read although some reviewers recommend reading the first two before this third book.
I received this book from the author and Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks.
Oswald is a troubled person who is running away from something which happened in England. The reason for the pilgrimage is to help lift the darkness and fear which consumes Oswald, rearing its head frequently.
Oswald and his mother are living at the house of an English merchant, an acquaintance from the past, who is charging them for their board and lodgings. Oswald soon becomes enchanted by Venice, both its beauty and its dark side.
Oswald's mother is testing, wanting to be involved in everything he does and where he goes. She has an opinion about everything and listens to the gossip of the servants within the household. When the grandson of the merchant they are living with is found dead, she propels Oswald into investigator role, telling the merchant that he has a talent in this direction.
As Oswald searches for the murderer he runs up huge debts gambling and mixes with some undesirable characters. This leads him to cross paths with Signori di Notte of the secret police, a much feared man in Venice.
There are many twists and turns and revelations in this book. The characters are vivid and believable and the author's descriptions of events, places, characters and food are so vivid I could almost smell the scene being set.
I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. This book is the third in a series. I have not read the previous two books but still enjoyed it as a stand alone read although some reviewers recommend reading the first two before this third book.
I received this book from the author and Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks.
July 11, 2019
I really enjoy S. D. Sykes' historical series. Oswald is a younger son who was destined for a life in the monastery, but when the Black Death killed his father and older brothers, he found himself Lord of Somershill Manor. Life in a religious order doesn't necessarily condition a person for running an estate, so Oswald has been on a learning curve that's interesting to watch. In City of Masks, ten years have passed, and while Oswald tries to conduct an investigation, readers slowly learn what happened in England to chase him away from his home.
Oswald is an interesting blend of intelligence and naivete. Growing up in the monastery has made him wise in several things ordinary people don't know, yet woefully ignorant in things those same ordinary people take for granted. His mother is a woman of her times who also manages to be thoroughly obnoxious with very little effort, but Sykes gives her some backstory so she's not just a two-dimensional stereotype.
The mystery in City of Masks kept me guessing, but as much as I enjoyed the story and the characters, it was Venice that was the shining star for me. Sykes brought this dazzling city to life in all its glory and filth-- and traveling to those outlying islands wasn't a picnic either. As I read, I felt as though I were in Venice with Oswald in 1358, and that's the best sort of armchair travel a reader can ask for.
If you enjoy historical mysteries with a vivid sense of place, strong stories, and interesting characters, I recommend S.D. Syke's Somershill Manor mysteries. To understand Oswald as much as possible, it would be a good idea to start at the beginning with Plague Land and The Butcher Bird but you could read City of Masks without feeling lost at all. It's up to you!
Oswald is an interesting blend of intelligence and naivete. Growing up in the monastery has made him wise in several things ordinary people don't know, yet woefully ignorant in things those same ordinary people take for granted. His mother is a woman of her times who also manages to be thoroughly obnoxious with very little effort, but Sykes gives her some backstory so she's not just a two-dimensional stereotype.
The mystery in City of Masks kept me guessing, but as much as I enjoyed the story and the characters, it was Venice that was the shining star for me. Sykes brought this dazzling city to life in all its glory and filth-- and traveling to those outlying islands wasn't a picnic either. As I read, I felt as though I were in Venice with Oswald in 1358, and that's the best sort of armchair travel a reader can ask for.
If you enjoy historical mysteries with a vivid sense of place, strong stories, and interesting characters, I recommend S.D. Syke's Somershill Manor mysteries. To understand Oswald as much as possible, it would be a good idea to start at the beginning with Plague Land and The Butcher Bird but you could read City of Masks without feeling lost at all. It's up to you!
August 28, 2022
In this third part of the Somershill Manor Mysteries, we meet Oswald De Lacy again but this time in Venice. He’s staying there with his mother and her awful dog Hector at the house of an old acquaintance, Mr. Bearpark. They’re on their way to Jerusalem for a pilgrimage, but Venice is at war with Hungary and no ships are allowed to leave for the Promised Land. Oswald doesn’t really care about that as long as he doesn’t have to return to England, but even in Italy a shadow continues to haunt him. On the night of Carnivale, Oswald finds the corpse of a friend on his doorstep, and this discovery makes him a murder detective once again.
This series is easy to read and offers a nice 14th century setting. After two volumes set in Kent just after the great plague epidemic, we are now in dirty Venice with narrow streets and waterways where you can lose your way easily. Venice is the city of masks, not only during Carnivale. A lot of citizens have secrets to hide and this is something Oswald will quickly discover.
A nice change of scenery you might think but I missed Kent a lot. Oswald leaves something behind and is therefore not himself for almost the entire book. It’s interesting to read about his feelings and depression, but it were mainly the explanatory chapters that took place in England that fascinated me.
The murder mystery is not too complex, but contains enough dead ends and vivid characters that it continues to captivate. Although the noses are clearly pointing in one direction at the end, I still found the ending engrossing enough. There are some surprising elements to be found.
In the fourth part, Oswald returns to England and I am looking forward to that. Nice series, but this was not the best part. I do recommend to start with the first book ‘Plague land‘.
Dutch review:
In dit derde deel van Somershill Manor Mysteries ontmoeten we Oswald De Lacy in Venetië. Hij verblijft er samen met zijn moeder en haar hond Hector bij een oude kennis Mr Bearpark op weg naar Jeruzalem voor een pelgrimstocht. Maar Venetië is in oorlog met Hongarije en er mogen geen schepen vertrekken naar het beloofde land. Geen probleem voor Oswald, hij ontvlucht vooral Engeland, maar een schaduw blijft hem achtervolgen. Op de avond van Carnivale vindt Oswald het lijk van een vriend voor de deur en die ontdekking zorgt ervoor dat hij alweer als detective aan de slag moet.
Deze serie is zo eentje die goed wegleest en met de 14de eeuw een leuke setting biedt. Na twee delen die zich afspelen in Kent vlak na de grote pestepidemie zijn we deze keer in een vuil en achterbaks Venetië met smalle straten en waterwegen wanneer je kan verdrinken. Een leuke verandering zou je denken maar ik miste toch vooral Kent.
Want Oswald laat iets achter en is daardoor bijna het ganse boek zichzelf niet. Het is op zich wel boeiend om te lezen over zijn gevoelens en depressie, maar het waren toch vooral de verklarende hoofdstukken die zich in Engeland afspeelden die me boeiden.
Het moordmysterie is niet te complex, maar bevat genoeg dode sporen en levendige personages dat het blijft boeien. Al wijzen de neuzen op het einde duidelijk in een richting. Maar toch vond ik het einde nog volledig boeiende uitgewerkt. Het blijft wel wat verrassen tot op het einde.
In het vierde deel keert Oswald terug naar Engeland en daar kijk ik wel naar uit. Leuke serie, maar dit was niet het beste deel.
This series is easy to read and offers a nice 14th century setting. After two volumes set in Kent just after the great plague epidemic, we are now in dirty Venice with narrow streets and waterways where you can lose your way easily. Venice is the city of masks, not only during Carnivale. A lot of citizens have secrets to hide and this is something Oswald will quickly discover.
A nice change of scenery you might think but I missed Kent a lot. Oswald leaves something behind and is therefore not himself for almost the entire book. It’s interesting to read about his feelings and depression, but it were mainly the explanatory chapters that took place in England that fascinated me.
The murder mystery is not too complex, but contains enough dead ends and vivid characters that it continues to captivate. Although the noses are clearly pointing in one direction at the end, I still found the ending engrossing enough. There are some surprising elements to be found.
In the fourth part, Oswald returns to England and I am looking forward to that. Nice series, but this was not the best part. I do recommend to start with the first book ‘Plague land‘.
Dutch review:
In dit derde deel van Somershill Manor Mysteries ontmoeten we Oswald De Lacy in Venetië. Hij verblijft er samen met zijn moeder en haar hond Hector bij een oude kennis Mr Bearpark op weg naar Jeruzalem voor een pelgrimstocht. Maar Venetië is in oorlog met Hongarije en er mogen geen schepen vertrekken naar het beloofde land. Geen probleem voor Oswald, hij ontvlucht vooral Engeland, maar een schaduw blijft hem achtervolgen. Op de avond van Carnivale vindt Oswald het lijk van een vriend voor de deur en die ontdekking zorgt ervoor dat hij alweer als detective aan de slag moet.
Deze serie is zo eentje die goed wegleest en met de 14de eeuw een leuke setting biedt. Na twee delen die zich afspelen in Kent vlak na de grote pestepidemie zijn we deze keer in een vuil en achterbaks Venetië met smalle straten en waterwegen wanneer je kan verdrinken. Een leuke verandering zou je denken maar ik miste toch vooral Kent.
Want Oswald laat iets achter en is daardoor bijna het ganse boek zichzelf niet. Het is op zich wel boeiend om te lezen over zijn gevoelens en depressie, maar het waren toch vooral de verklarende hoofdstukken die zich in Engeland afspeelden die me boeiden.
Het moordmysterie is niet te complex, maar bevat genoeg dode sporen en levendige personages dat het blijft boeien. Al wijzen de neuzen op het einde duidelijk in een richting. Maar toch vond ik het einde nog volledig boeiende uitgewerkt. Het blijft wel wat verrassen tot op het einde.
In het vierde deel keert Oswald terug naar Engeland en daar kijk ik wel naar uit. Leuke serie, maar dit was niet het beste deel.
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